132 Industrial Experiments in Colonial America. 



greatly abated and that the people were clothing themselves 

 with their own wool. This state of affairs he attributed, partly, 

 to the excessive prices of all English goods, which made it im- 

 possible for the countrymen to buy them, and, partly, to the 

 fact that the returns for England in payment passed through so 

 few hands, that most people had no share in them and could not 

 get money to pay for imported goods. 



The only remedy which Dudley could suggest, was that the 

 government should encourage lumber trade with the colonies, 

 and that Her Majesty should build great ships in New England. 

 Unless something of this sort could be done, the woolen trade 

 would grow less every year, in spite of the increase in popula- 

 tion. The people were proud enough, said the governor, to wear 

 the best cloth of England, if chopping, sawing, and building 

 ships would pay for them.^ The policy suggested by Dudley 

 was much more rational than the attempt to force the people to 

 make pitch and tar, for lumber and ships were the natural sta- 

 ples of New England. Hitherto, for reasons explained in a 

 previous chapter, the importation of lumber had not appeared to 

 the government worth encouragement.- The Board of Trade 

 wrote to Dudley, desiring him to do all in his power to prevent 

 the inhabitants from going into woolen or other manufactures, 

 " which, if not timely prevented, might prove very prejudicial 

 to Great Britain."^ At the same time they laid Dudley's pro- 

 posals before the Admiralty, with reference to some action for 

 the encouragement of the lumber trade.* The act removing 

 the duties was passed in 1722.^ We have seen how this encour- 



^The Board of Trade, in writing to Gov. Dudley, quote at length 

 a letter from him dated March i, 1709, B. T. New Eng., Entry 

 Bk, G., Jan. 16, 1709. 



^Part I, Ch. I, p. 13. 



3The Board of Trade to Gov. Dudley, B. T. New Eng., Entry 

 Bk. G., Jan. 16, 1710. 



*The Board of Trade to Secretary Burchett, directing him to lay 

 the matter before the Admiralty, B. T. New Eng., Entry Bk. G.,Jan. 5, 

 1711. 



^Cf. Part II, Ch. I, p. 77. 



