Chap. II. of the Inhabitants of the Empire Persia. ■ 897 
that the French were in Hopes of eftablifhing a Trade 
to Perfia^ as appears by a very curious Memoir prefented 
to the French Miniftry upon that Head, the Subjed of 
which is inferted in the Diftionary of Commerce, one 
of the beft and moft ufeful Works that was ever pub- 
lifhed. But there is ftill fomewhat behind with which 
the Reader ought to be acquainted, in order to frame 
a true Notion of the Value and Importance of this 
Trade, about which fo many Difputes have been of late 
Years raifed in this Kingdom* 
II., We have already enumerated the Commodities 
of Ferfta^ and fhall not therefore pretend to meddle 
■with them again j for in order to give the Reader a 
View of the Trade of this Empire, it will be fufficient 
• for our prefent Purpofe, to infill barely upon the Silk, 
of which there are four Sorts j the firft is, that which 
in Ferfia they call Shirvan^ but w hich we in Europe call 
Hardafs ; the fecond, is what they call Karvary^ but 
we ufually ftile it Legee or rather Legy^ from the little 
Town of Legiam in Gilany from whence the greateft 
Parc of it is brought j the third is in their Language ca.\~ 
hd Ked-Coda-penfendy which is as much as to fay, Tradef- 
mens Silk *, the laft is what they and we call Sherbaffle, 
or, as the common People flile it, Turkey Silk, from 
the Miftake which has been fo often mentioned. 
Of all thefe Kind of Silks, the Provinces of Georgiay 
Gilany Mezanderany Shirwany Chorafan and Kirmany 
produce annually, about Twenty two thoufand Bales, each 
of about two hundred and fourfeore Pounds Weight. 
Of thefe it is computed, that not above two thoufand 
Bales are wrought up in all the Manufactures of Perfidy 
from the coarfeft Carpets, to the richeft Brocades. At 
this Rate, there are between five and fixMillions of Pounds 
of Silk yearly carried out of Perfidy and as it is 
worth about ten Shillings a Pound on the Spot, the 
Reader will eafily apprehend, that raw Silk is a kind 
of Gold Mine to the Perfians, fince it furnifhes them 
with between two and three Millions annually, above 
one half of which is receiv’d in ready Money. 
In the next Place it is to be fbewn, how the bringing 
in vaft Qiiantities of Silk turns to the Advantage of 
this Nation. In refpeft to our Silk Manufadlures, what 
we bring of this Sort ferves only for the Shoote, for 
the Warp of all our raw Silks is, as we have elfewhere 
told the Reader, Organzine or Italian Silk, which is 
prodigioufly dear. If therefore we can abate the Price 
of this, we may the better afford to pay for that i Or if 
we can obtain the Quantities we want, ifi Exchange for 
our Manufaflures, this will prove a very great Saving ; 
and whatever can be faved in this Way, will enable us 
to work fo much the cheaper. 
It has been fuggefted, that it rnight be attended with 
Inconveniencies for our Turkey ahd Rufia Companies to 
interfere with each other in this Trade, which I con- 
fefs, furpaffes my Comprehenfion ; and I am fo far from 
believing that any bad ConfequenceS will refult frorii 
thence, that I think it may be demonflrated, this is the 
only, or at leaft the moft pradlicable and beft Method 
of making Companies ufeful, by engaging tliem to 
vie with each other in exporting Britijh Commodities 
and ManufadureSj and provided this can be done, it 
is of no real Confequence to the Nation who does it. 
But there is another Thing that, joined to this, would 
be of ftill greater Confequence, and that is, the Eaf- 
India Companies, exerting themfelves in procuring of 
Silk from Chindy which would fupply the Place of the 
Piedmontefe or Organzine Silk ; and thus by the united 
Efforts of thefe three Companies, it is very poffible that 
twenty or thirty per Cent, might be faved in the prime 
Coft of Silk to this Nation ; and of what prodigious 
Benefit fuch a Saving would prove in our Manufadures, 
and how much it would contribute to enable us to 
work cheaper than our Neighbours, I leave every fen- 
fible and ftudious Reader to judge. 
I know very well, that in order to bring fuch a Pro- 
je6l as this to bear, there muft be fome Application 
made to Parliament for an Alteration in the Duties ; 
and I am perfuaded that no great Difficulty would be 
found in obtaining this, if the Reafonablenefs of the 
Thing was fairly fhewn, and as it might be, fully made 
out. Our great Misfortune is, that Commerce is not 
fufficiently explained or underftood, the Reafon of which 
I take to be, that none concern themfelves about the 
Theory, but thofe who are engaged in the Pradice j 
and as thefe muft be always interefted, it will very 
rarely happen that they can be impartial Judges. It is 
from this Motive that I have fo often turned my Pen 
to this Subjed, with a View, if poffible, to excite a 
more general Attention to what is certainly in itfelf 
the moft confiderable and important Objed of all po- 
litical Confiderations. 
SECTION IV. 
Containing an Account of the Government and Conftitution of Perfia, 
the Nature of the ShaPs Power, the Diftribution of Civil, Eccle- 
liaftical and Military Offices, the interior Policy of the Empire, the 
regular Forces kept up there, both Horfe and Foot, and the Nature 
and Amount of the publick Revenues. 
’The 'whole digejled into Order from the bejl Authorities. 
I. An IntrodiiFlory Account of the Reafon and SubjeSi of this Sediiony in which the Confitution of arbitrary 
Monarchies is explainedy and applied to the prefent Purpofe. 2. Of the Power of the Perfian Monarchy 
how far abfolute and terrible y and how, notwithfanding mild and equal enough , with RefpeSi to the 
Bulk of the People. 3. Of the Conftitution of the Perfian Court, the principal Officers therein, their 
Ranks and Subordination, and the Duties of their refpedUve Offices. 4. Of the Ecclefaftical Confitution 
in Perfia, and the Difference between the Head of the Mahometan Church there, and in Turkey. 5. 
Of the Government of the Provinces, the feveral Checks contrived for the Safety of the Prince, and 
the Prefervation of his Subjedls. 6. Of the regular Tfroops or old ftanding Army of the Perfian Empire, 
how compofed, under what Difeipline, and the Methods by which it was fubffled. j. Of the new fund- 
ing Army introduced by the Shahh, intirely dependant upon them, how modeTd..md provided for, and 
how corrupted and rendred ufelefs. 8. Of the Aid Military among the Perfians, their Manner of 
making W ar, aSiing offienfvely, defenfvely, and particularly theift Method for fecuring themfelves 
againji Invafons. 9. Some further Obfervations on the military Affairs of this Empire, on the Ad~ 
V oL. II. N® 130. 10 T vantages 
