AND NAVIGATION. 



325 



tuguese vessels, the consequences would be, that 

 every English merchant must resort to smug- 

 gling, or be obliged to give up all idea of com- 

 petition with the Portuguese. The duty on 

 cotton, the chief article which is exported from 

 Brazil to England, is equal in vessels of either 

 nation. This duty is not however of such im- 

 portance to the commodity as to render the im- 

 porter of it in a ship which pays a higher impost 

 unable to vie with him who pays a lower one. 

 But in the case of manufactured goods shipped 

 from hence to Brazil, the duty is of primary 

 consequence, because there is very frequently, 

 I may say generally, a loss upon such shipments, 

 and an increase of 10 per cent, upon a concern 

 which has, independently of these 10 per cent. 

 undergone a loss, would often be ruinous. I 

 have not a doubt in saying that the government 

 of Brazil is a gainer by lowering the duties upon 

 goods which are imported in British vessels to 

 the standard of those which are imported in 

 vessels that are owned by its subjects. Under 

 existing regulations all parties come into the 

 market upon an equal footing, and although 

 some persons will attempt to evade the payment 

 of any duty, still it is not necessary that a whole 

 body of men should resort to smuggling for the 

 purpose of bringing their commodities into the 

 market with any prospect of a successful sale. I 

 own that I think a higher duty than 15 per cenU 

 y 3 



