2 QO Idea with refpeEl to the Export of Gold and Silver . 
£ 150,000. An eminent banker in paris afiured me, it was 
more than twice this fum. Befides this, we ufe no fmall quan- 
tity of gold and (liver in cloaths. 
As to utenfils of all forts, I believe we are now pofieffed of 
twelve to fixteen millions value in plate : this is a very happy 
circumftance ; for fuppofing no traffic is obflru&ed for want 
of money to carry it on, the greater quantity of plate we pof- 
fefs, the greater is our resource upon an emergency. 
We are farther to confider, that excluhve of the ordinary 
circulation of commercial negotiations, this nation has fome- 
times occafion to fend abroad two or three hundred thoufand 
pounds annually for affairs of war, and the fupport of the Bate 5 
it feems as if we muff share our profits, in a certain degree, 
and that providence does not intend we ffiall possess all we 
acquire. ’Tis not ten years fince we had occafion to lay out 
millions on this account, far beyond what the fpoils of the 
enemy would anfwer \ and tho’ we may flatter ourfelves to the 
contrary, in fpite of all our good policy, the fame may happen 
again. And what ffiall we fay of the £ 600,000, to be ac- 
counted for annually to foreigners, for intereft of money ? I fay 
accounted for ; it cannot be all paid in gold and filver, but 
furely part of it is fo paid : and as we may confider ourfelves, 
in a general view, as factors to principals, fo fa’r as we are 
pofieffed of the money of foreigners, we muft pay to them part 
of our annual ballance gained by trade. 
If it can be made appear, that thefe various demands have 
drained us, and that we have not gold and filver fufficient to 
continue. 
