Part 56

The Commissioners of Trade, in their representation dated 11th November, 1697, relating to the trade between England and Ireland, advise a duty to be laid upon the importation of oil, upon teasles, whether imported or growing there, and upon all the utensils employed in the making any woollen manufactures, on the utensils of worsted combers, and particularly a duty by the yard upon all cloth and woollen stuffs, except friezes, before they are taken off the loom. Eng. Com. Journ., vol. x., p. 428.

See in the Appendix an account of those articles imported from England into Ireland for ten years, commencing in 1769, and ending in 1778.

Com. Journ., vol. iii., pp. 348, 548.

Sir W. Petty's "Political Survey," p. 123.

Sir W. Temple, vol. iii., p. 11.

Lord's Journ., 16th Feb., 1697.

Lord's Journ., 19th Feb., 1697.

See Dr. Smith's "Wealth of Nations."

The consumption of our own people is the best and greatest market for the product and manufactures of our own country. Foreign trade is but a part of the benefit arising from the woollen manufacture, and the least part; it is a small article in respect to the benefit arising to the community, and Dr. Smith affirms that all the foreign markets of England cannot be equal to one-twentieth part of her own.--Dr. Smith's "Memoirs of Wool," vol. ii., pp. 113, 529, 530, and 556, from the British Merchant and Dr. Davenant.

Address of Eng. Commons, ante.

King's Stat., pp. 160, 161.

Eng. Com. Journ., vol. xii., pp. 514, 523, 528.

Vol. iii., p. 8.

See Sir John Davis's "Discourses," pp. 5, 6, 194.

Summary of Imports and Exports to and from Ireland, laid before the British House of Commons in 1779.

Those states are least able to pay great charges for public disbursements whose wealth resteth chiefly in the hands of the nobility and gentry.--Bac., vol. i., p. 10; Smith's "Wealth of Nations," vol. ii., p. 22.

A very judicious friend of mine has, with great pains and attention, made a calculation of the numbers of people in Ireland in the year 1774, and he makes the numbers of people to amount to 2,325,041; but supposes his calculation to be under the real number. I have, therefore, followed the calculation commonly received, which makes their number amount to 2,500,000. He computes, as has been before mentioned, the persons who reside in houses of one hearth, to be 1,877,220. Those find it very difficult to pay hearth money, and are thought to be unable to pay any other taxes. If this is so, according to this calculation, there are but 447,821 people in Ireland able to pay taxes.

Ireland was much more numerous in 1685 than at any time, after the Revolution, during that century, there having been a great waste of people in the rebellion at that era.

12 Ch. II., ch. 4. Eng.

Yet, in favour of Great Britain, old and new drapery imported into Ireland from other countries are subject to duties equal to a prohibition. Ir. Act 14th and 15th, Ch. II., ch. 8.

On every piece of old drapery exported, containing thirty-six yards, and so for a greater or lesser quantity, 3s. 4d., and of new drapery 9d., for the subsidy of alnage and alnager's fee. See 17th and 18th Ch. II., ch. 15. Ir. But the English have taken off these and all other duties from their manufactures made or mixed with wool. Eng. Act 11 and 12 W. III., ch. 20.

30 per cent. by the British acts of 9 and 10 Anne, ch. 39., and 12 Anne, ch. 9.

This tax is ad valorem, and the linen not valued.

Brit. Act, 9 Anne, ch. 12.

Hence it is that the price of wool in England is said to be 50 per cent. below the market price of Europe.--Smith's "Memoir's of Wool."

12 Ch. II., ch. 5. 3 and 4 Anne, ch. 4. 4 and 5 W. and M., ch. 5.

7 G. I., ch. 7.

When the commercial restraints of Ireland are the subject, a source of occasional and ruinous restrictions ought not to be passed over. Since the year 1740, there have been twenty-four embargoes in Ireland, one of which lasted three years.