Remonstrance.

Page 2. THE Trade to the East Indies some few Years past did employ fifteen thousand Tuns of Shipping; according to the present times there is and may be employ'd ten thousand Tuns of warlike Shipping, be­sides three thousand Tuns more, now here repairing for the next supply of those Voyages.

The said Shipping do employ 2500 Mariners, whereof one third part at least are shipped from hence Land-men, who are made good Mari­ners by these Voyages, page 2.

This Trade, as it is great in it self, so doth it yet farther enlarge our Traf­fick and Strength, by furnishing this Kingdom with all sorts of Indian Wares, not only for our own use, but more especially for the necessary wants of Foreign Nations, which hath much increased the number of our Warlike Ships to Export them from hence.

For Proof whereof we instance the last Year when we brought in Pepper from Indies to the value of two hun­dred and eighty thousand Pounds Sterling, whereof one hundred and eighty thousand pounds was within few Weeks shipped off; the like is done with Indico and Callicoes, and other rich Wares, insomuch that we may boldly affirm, that by these Exportati­ons [Page 5]of India Commodities for divers Parts, we do employ, going and com­ing, in those Voyages, at least 2000 Tuns of shipping, which do require 500 Mariners to Man them.

Animadvertion.

But our Traders now, instead of supplying Foreign Nations with these India Wares they fur­nish more especially, our own Na­tion with them, to be consumed at Home, which must prove a quite contrary effect than in those days; And that they may the bet­ter encourage the Home-consump­tion of these India Wares, they have sent several Artists thither with Patterns and Colours, that they may the better please our Hu­mor and Fancies.

Remonstrance.

[Page 8.] The remotest Traffick is always most beneficial to the Pub­lick Stock; the Example may be thus, Suppose that Pepper were worth here 2 s. a pound, if we should fetch the same from Holland, the Mer­chant may pay 20 pence the pound out of the Kingdoms Stock, and gain well by the Bargain; but if he fetch Pepper from the East-Indies he can­not give there above 5 Pence the Pound at the most, which doth suffi­ciently shew the great advantage we have to buy our Wares in those re­mote Countries, not only for that part alone which we spend, but especi­ally for that great quantity which from hence we Transport yearly in­to other Countries, to be sold at high­er Prices than it is worth here in England; and a farther Benefit by Sale of our Tin, Cloath, Lead, and [Page 7]other native Commodities, the Vent whereof doth daily increase in those Countries, which formerly had no use of our Wares.

[Page 9.] It is manifest, when we brought Indico from Turkey, that sort was ordinarily sold for 6 s. the pound, or more, which now we sell for 4 s. Pepper then ordinarily at 3 s. and 4 d. the pound, which now is sold for by the East India Com­pany for twenty pence; but for Cloves, they are now worth 11 s. the pound, Mace in sorts 10 s. Nutmegs 5 s. the pound, because the Hollanders, by the expulsion of our People, do keep us by force from the Trade of those Spices; in which Wares, when we en­joy'd the freedom of that Trade in the Indies, we sold Cloves here at 5 s. 6 d. Nutmegs at 2 s. 6 d. the pound.

Animadvertion.

Seeing that the great advantage we have to buy our Wares in those remote Countries, is especi­ally for that great quantity which from hence is transported into other Countrys to be sold at an higher Price than it is worth here, and not for that which is con­sumed at home; If then we would make this Trade beneficial as in those days, the same Method must be observed, which is, to consume little at home, and export much.

And a further Benefit did ac­crew by the Sale of our Tin, Cloth and Lead, which then did in­crease, but now Silver is the chief Commodity which they send thi­ther, which is, as it were, the Vitals of the Commonwealth, for as the wise Man saith, it answers all [Page 9]things: What a Prejudice is it then for them to send out of the Na­tion that which answers all things, to have in Return that which evident­ly proves the destruction of our own Manufactures, and impoverishing the Nation?

Remonstrance.

[Page 10.] The next Quaery con­cerns the Kingdom nearly; for it is no small work to improve the Price of Lands, which never hath, nor can be done but by the prosperous success of our. Foreign Trade, the Ballance whereof is the only means and rule of our Treasure; that is to say, when either by issuing out of the Realm yearly a greater value in Wares than we consume in foreign Commodities, we grow rich: Or by spending more of strangers Goods than we sell them of our own, we are impoverished: For the first of these courses doth bring in the Money that we have, [Page 10]the last will carry it away again when we have got it; if we exceed our means by excess in Foreign Wares, or maintain a War by Sea or Land, where we do not feed and clothe the Souldiers, and supply the Armies with our native Provisions, by which disorders our Treasure will soon be exhausted.

[Page 13.] The business then is briefly thus, that as the Treasure which is brought into the Realm by the ballance of our Foreign Trade, is, that Money which only doth abide with us, and by which we are in­richt; so by this plenty of Money thus gotten (and no otherwise) do our Lands improve; for when the Merchant has a good Dispatch be­yond the Seas for his Cloth, and others our native Wares, he doth presently return to buy greater quan­tity, which raiseth the price of Wooll and other Commodities, which doth [Page 11]improve the Landlords Rents as the Leases expire.

Animadvertion.

If it concerns the Kingdom near­ly, and that it is no small work to improve the Price of our Lands, and that it cannot be done but by the prosperous Success of our Foreign Trade, and that the Bal­lance is the only Means and Rule of our Treasure, &c. It concerns the Kingdom highly to keep the Ballance on the Kingdoms side, es­pecially in this Trade, which is so great; for the greater the Trade is, the greater the Mischief, when the Ballance is on the other side, as it is now in the East-India Trade, and has been so for many Years; For when the Ballance is on the Kingdoms side it brings in Treasure, and improves the price of our Lands, and when the Bal­lance [Page 12]is on the other side it has the contrary effect.

By this Argument it is plain, that the Landed-Men will suffer by this Trade, as well as the Manufactu­rers, tho not so soon; but as in Common Prudence, when ones Neighbour's House is on Fire, all Endeavours are used by the Neigh­bourhood to quench it, not only for their Neighbour's good, but also to preserve themselves; so that it is the Interest of Landed-Men, as well as Manufacturers, to en­deavour to put a stop to the evil in that Trade, and to turn the Scales on the Kingdoms side, ac­cording to the Principles of the East-India Company when they made this Remonstrance, which was to make our Exportation great, of all sorts of Commodi­ries, and the home-Consumption little of Foreign.

Remonstrance.

[Page 14.] In the course of Fo­reign Trade there be three sorts or degrees of Gain.

The First is that of the Common­wealth, which may be done when the Merchant, who is the principal agent therein, shall lose.

The Second is, the Gain of the Merchant, which he doth sometimes justly, and worthily effect, altho the Commonwealth be a loser.

The Third is, the Gain of the King, whereof he is ever certain, even when the Commonwealth and the Merchant shall be both losers.

[Page 15.] Suppose the Company should send out one hundred thou­sand pounds in Wares or Money, into India, and receive home for the same three hundred thousand pounds, it is evident that this part [Page 14]of the Publick Stock is tribled, and yet we may boldly say the Company loseth, if the Return be in Bulky Com­modities, as Saltpetre, Cotton-Yarn, Indico, Callicoe, &c. the Customs and Charges will amount to two hundred thousand pounds.

[Page 16.] A Second sort of Gain in the course of Trade is, when the Merchant by his laudable endeavours, may both bring in and carry out Wares to his advantage, by buying and selling them to good Profit, which is the end of his labour, yet never­theless the Commonwealth shall de­cline and grow poor, by a disorder in the People, when through Pride, and Excesses, they do consume more Foreign Wares in value than the Wealth of the Kingdom can satisfie and pay by the Exportatian of our own Commodities, which is the very quality of a Spendthrift who spends beyonds his Means.

The Third Gain is the King's, who is ever sure to get by Trade, when both the Commonwealth and Merchant shall loose severally or jointly, as it may and doth some­times happen when the Merchants Success is bad; and our Commodi­ties are over-ballanced by Foreign Wares consumed; but if such disor­ders be not prevented, His Maje­sty, in the end, shall be the greater loser, when His Subjects shall be im­poverished.

Animadvertion.

These Three sorts of Gain can­not long continue, or at least ought not; for as to the first, if the Commonwealth gains and the Mer­chant loseth, the Merchant will take care to put a stop to that Trade, by leaving it, for self-pre­servation sake.

As to the Second, When the Commonwealth looseth, there is the greatest Mischief, and likest to continue, because the Merchant, who is the Agent is the Gainer, and the Commonwealth which is the looser, is passive, and cannot so soon hinder the Mischief growing upon it as could be wish'd; because it must be done by holesome Laws (which requires time) to repair the Breach made by these selfish Traders, and to keep Trade in its true Course, that the Commonwealth may be no looser, which is highly reasonable to be done, it being no more than the prudent Trader doth of himself, when he finds he's a looser, he leaves it, and follows a­nother.

As to the Third sort of Gain, its surest and lasting foundation must be that which brings Gain to all: In Musick, when all parts agree, [Page 17]there is a sweet Melody, but if not, then Jars and Discord.

Remonstrance.

We will take that for granted which no body will deny us, that we have no other means to get Treasure but by Foreign Trade, for Mines we have none which do afford it; and how this Money is gotten in the manag­ing of the said Trade, we have al­ready shew'd, That it is done by mak­ing our Commodities which are ex­ported to over-ballance in Value the Foreign Wares which we consume.

Animadvertion.

If we have no other Means to get Treasure but by Foreign Trade, and that it must be done by making our Commodities which are ex­ported, [Page 18]to exceed in value the Fo­reign Wares which we consume: So that if upon Examination of the East-India Trade, as it is now managed, it shall appear, that we consume more of these Foreign Wares than is exported of our own, (which is the quality of a Spend­thrift, who spends beyond his Means) the Manager thereof ought to be brought to their Primitive Principles, and grant the request the Company then made to the House of Commons, in the Prayer of their Pe­tition, which was, That if it was not a beneficial Trade to the Nation, it might be suppress'd.

So that it doth appear by what has been said, That the East-India Company in its Primitive Time, did shew, That the Benefit of this Trade did consist only in its greater Expor­tation in value of our own Wares than in the consumption of Foreign.

Now that the East-India Traders do export less in value of our Wares than is consum'd here of theirs, is obvious to all that know any thing of that Trade, and was plainly made to appear before the last Parliament, when the Commons passed a Bill for the restraining the consumption of part of those India Wares, and the Lords thought there was too little restrain­ed, as appears by the Amendments made by their Lordships to the said Bill.

There is another Mischief that doth attend this Trade, and that is the great Number of our People that are disabled of following their Trades, and are become a wandring People, some about the Streets for Relief, some to Sea, and some to other Countries to seek their For­tunes: For it is evident, that by so much as is consumed of these Fo­reign Wares, by so much our own [Page 20]are lessened, and consequently the Manufacturers are brought into great Streights: What a Reproach would it be to this Nation, to see great Numbers reduced to Begga­ry, or to leave their Native Coun­try, to satisfie the Luxury of some that act as if they were made only for themselves?

I well remember the Saying of some Strangers formerly, who said, That if a Man could not get a Livelihood in England, he could get it no where, so fully employ'd were our Manufactures in those Days; but now quite contrary, because of the vast Importation and Consumption of those Fo­reign Wrought Silks, &c. but es­pecially those from China, which has been Imported but of late Years in such great Quantities, in­somuch that they have thereby so clogg'd the Market, that a very [Page 21]great quantity have remain'd un­sold at the Companies last Sale; and by consequence, there can be no Trade for the Weavers while the Companies Magazines are stored, because they cannot work at such Rates as in India, where they can live for One Penny a day.

This Mischief will not only fall upon the Silk Manufacture, but our own Staple Manufacture of Wooll, which the Farmers that have Wooll on their hands feel, and is not like to end there, but must needs fall heavy upon Landlords, and a Multitude of Poor that are, and may be employ'd in that Manufacture.

The Silk manufactured in Eng­land is generally the Returns of our Woollen from Turkey and Ita­ly, but more especially from Turkey, from whence we have Raw-Silk, [Page 22]Grogram-Yarn, and Dy-Stuff, by which are employ'd not only great number of Weavers and Dyers, but also many Throwsters, who, as well as the Weavers, employ Men, Women and Children, from the Age of Six Years and up­wards; so that a Child from Six Years to Eleven, can get from eigh­teen Pence to Three Shillings a Week; Besides many Thousands of Seamens Wives, who are us'd to get a Livelihood in Winding of Silk at Home, whilst their Husbands are abroad at Sea, and so main­tain their Families; whereas other­wise they must go upon Tick, or beg, or borrow, until their Hus­bands return; and then his Pay must go to quit Scores, and have nothing left for their other Necessa­ries.

But if the Turkey Merchant finds no Vend for his Silk and Yarn, [Page 23]which is the Returns for his Cloths, he will send no more, and then the Clothier feels the smart, and when he cannot sell his Cloth he'll buy no Wooll, and then the Far­mer feels it, and when the Farmer cannot turn his Wooll into Mo­ney he cannot pay his Rent, and then the Landlord has his feeling-part with the rest: So as in the natural Body, when one Member is wounded, it affects the whole Bo­dy, so in the Body Politique, when the manufacturing part (which is so essential a part) is wounded, it must needs affect the whole Body the more.

But some will say, Trade must be free, and not disturb'd: We grant it, and so it must so long as it is kept in its right Channel: What can be more free than the Sea and the Rivers, whom none can con­troul, yet the Creator has set bounds [Page 24]to the proud Ocean, saying, so far shalt thou go, and no farther; yet it is still free in its Course; so like­wise, the People of England, tho' they have Laws to govern them, which are the Boundaries of a People, yet not­withstanding they are a Free People; So we may say of Trade, that it is never the less free for its being kept in its right course by holesome Laws, than the Sea is by the Shore, or the River by its Banks; for those things may be said to be free, that are not interrupted in their true course for which they were made: Now it is manifest that Trade was made for the Good of Mankind, and Benefit of the Publick, and so far as it con­duceth to those ends, it ought to be free and uncontroul'd; but as Trade cannot be carried on of it self, but by some Agent, which is Mankind, who for the generality are byass'd, and more selfish than Publick Spirited, and so turns its Course out of the [Page 25]right Channel; like a Flood of Wa­ters that overflows or breaks its Banks, and brings a Deluge of Mi­series with it, whilst they fill their Coffers in fishing in troubled Wa­ters.

So as the Sea and the Rivers are bounded that they may be kept in their free course for the benefit of the rest of the Creation: Even so ought there to be Bounds to Trade, that it may be kept in the true and free course for which it was made.