XXll 



REPORT OK 



Report. 540,000 small pounds: but from a variety of un- 

 fortunate events annually succeeding each other, 

 such as dearths, storms, inundations, &c., it hap- 

 pened that in no one year from the issuing of this 

 order until 1793, was the Government enabled to 

 carry it into effect. Some of the calamities above 

 alluded to were thus referred to, first by the 

 Board of Trade, in a report dated the 23d De- 

 cember 1789. 



Since the month of July 1787 there has been 

 nothing but disappointment. The too early rains 

 of that season, the dreadful storms of November 

 following, the inundations, droughts, and other 

 occurrences of 1788, and the hot winds of 1789, 

 have reduced the produce of silk, and raised its 

 price to an extremity probably without example 

 in the country ; certainly so within the period of 

 the English Government. In this progressive 

 course of calamity, the Board have more than once 

 been driven to consider whether they shall entirely 

 stop the Company's purchases of raw-silk.'' 



In 1791 the measure of opening the trade to 

 individuals was again resorted to, in consequence 

 of the want of commercial funds. 



In 1792, the difficulties which obstructed the 

 provision of the silk investment had subsided, 



and 



