A PROPOSAL Humbly offered to the Honourable the Commons in Parliament Assembled, To Raise Five hundred thousand Pound present Mony for the King, and to pay the Irish Transport Debt, by encouraging the Exportation-Trade of Coals, and laying but 18 d. per Chaldron in the Out-Ports, and 20 d. per Chaldron on the Port of London, instead of 5 s. per Chaldron, according to a Bill brought in for the said purpose.
| I. | THAT all Unfree Ships, who by the present Tax on them, exporting Coals, pay 18 or 20 s. per Chaldron, do, for the future, pay but 10 s. and no more; which may raise | 2000 l. per Annum. |
| II. | That all Free Ships of this Kingdom, before paying 8 s. do, for future, pay but 2 s. in Newcastle, and but 1 s. in all other parts whatsoever, by way of Exportation, and so have Freedom to go Over-sea or Coast-wise, as the Owners see good; will produce | 25000 l. per Annum. |
| III. | That 18 d. per Chaldron laid on all Coals at each respective Port of Delivery, London excepted, may produce | 20000 l. per Annum. |
| IV. | That 20 d. per Chaldron laid on all Coals at the Port of London, may produce | 23000 l. per Annum. |
| This to be made payable into the Chamber of London, for the Uses as underneath. | 70000 l. per Annum. | |
| I. | To pay the Duke of Richmond and Earl of Monmouth in Liew of 12 d. per Chaldron, they have Coast-wise from Newcastle, which may be Assertain'd at little more or less, | 8000 l. per Annum. |
| II. | A Fund of Interest at 6 per Cent. for 5000 l. redeemable at the Pleasure of the Parliament, | 30000 l. per Annum. |
| III | To defray the Charge of Collecting, &c. | 2000 l. per Annum. |
| IV. | A Fund of Interest for the Irish Transport Debt, suppos'd to be about 350000 l. redeemable as before, | 21000 l. per Annum. |
| The Remander for the Exchequer will be at least 9000 l. per Annum, and will be in Liew of the Over-Sea Duty taken from the Crown, | 9000 l. per Annum. | |
| 70000 l. per Annum. | ||
The above is a way by which the King will be sure of his Money, assoon as the Act passes; Navigation on Account of Exportation will be increased, the Kingdom inrich'd, by bringing back again the Trade which the Scotch have got from us, and all the Seaports that burn Coals, pay but one third part of 5 s. as the present Bill intends; also a payment for the Debt due for reducing Ireland, and injure no Persons concern'd in the Coal-Trade; whereas the paying 5 s. per Chaldron on Coals, at each Port of Delivery will lessen Navigation one fourth part at least, and be five times more burthensom than the late Tonnage Act, and leave the Irish Transport Debt unpaid; but the Distress'd People to whom that Debt is owing, will have a far greater Load on them than ever before; for the very People on whom this Tax of 5 s. per Chaldron is like to be laid, are the Persons to whom the Money is owing for reducing Ireland; all which considered, it is hoped.
That this Honourable House, to whom alone the Oppressed in all such Cases can come for Redress, will, in their tender Compassion, consider what a sad Effect the Tonnnage-Bill is like to be of, and what this may further be, if pass'd as now in the Bill express'd; and so in their great Wisdom find out a way, from the Scheme drawn above or otherwise, that the Nation may not be Ruin'd in its Trade more and more.
If any Object, That to alter the present Method of the Bill, will prolong time, &c. It is Humbly Offer'd, That in case the House agree [...]o consider the Premises, that the Bill, after the manner of the Proposition, will be so easie and so short, that it may pass in Three Days, as well as in Three Months; so that there can be no time lost at all by that means.