Obj. THAT Trade is in its Nature free, finds its own Channel, and beſt direct its own Courſe.

Anſ. All trading Nations have, and do at this Day put a reſtraint upon Trade according as their Circumſtances require: The French have many Years ſince, by extraordinary Impoſitions, prohibited all our Woollen Manufactures, and by that means have ſet them up in their own Country, to their great Advantage. The Dutch, who are little more than Carriers of Goods from one Country to another, yet do often prohibit, and for Inſtance, have by great Impoſitions prohibited our Dyed Woollen Manufactures, by which means they have gained that profitable Imployment. The Venetians have prohibited our Cloth: The Sweeds and Danes the like. The French have by ſevere Edicts prohibited all Indian Silks, Bengalls, and Painted Calicoes; and a Multitude of Inſtances might be given of this Nature. Our own Statute-Books are full of them; the Act of Navigation, and the Act for Preventing the 〈◊〉 of Wooll have been, and are of infinite Benefit to this Kingdom.

Obj. That the Eaſt India Trade is greatly beneficial to England.

Anſ. If what the Writers for the Eaſt-India Company have aſſerted be true, That Three Parts of Four of the whole imported have been again exported to Foreign Parts, or if what the late Author of the Eſſay on the Eaſt-India Trade aſſerts be true, That one half has been exported and has brought in 600000 l. more than the prime Coſt in India, then this Trade, in that Reſpect, may well be accounted a profitable Trade to this Nation: But this, though often aſſerted, has not been made appear in ſuch manner as a Buſineſs of ſo great a concern to the Eaſt-India Company ought, or might have been; and we have great Reaſon to believe that no ſuch Quantities are, or ever were exported; But ſuppoſing that great Quantities were exported, this Bill does not extend to hinder that Trade.

Obj. That it muſt be granted that the Eaſt-India-Trade in General is prejudicial to Europe, and if all by common Conſent would agree to deal no more with them, it would ſave the Expence of a great Treaſure; but ſince that cannot be done, it would be Egregious Folly in us to quit it.

Anſ. The Reaſon why the Eaſt-India Trade is prejudicial, is, becauſe we draw from thence nothing of ſolid uſe, Materials to ſupport Luxury, Periſhable Commodities, and ſend thither Gold and Silver, which is there buried and never returns, and the Burden of this bears hard only on the Countries which conſume them, as the Author of the Eſſay has very well obſerved, and from thence inferr'd, That the French did wiſely to prohibit. Now if this be true, as undoubtedly it is, there cannot be greater or more cogent Arguments for the paſſing this Bill, which is not to deſtroy the whole Trade, but only part of that which their own Advocate acknowledge is very hard upon us, who are the Conſumers.

Obj. The Bill now propoſed will be abſolutely deſtructive to the Eaſt-India Trade, and ſhould we quit the Hold we have in India, the Dutch will undoubtedly ingroſe the whole, which will be of dangerous Conſequence.

Anſ. That what by this Bill is to be reſtrained cannot be computed to above one half of the home Conſumption, and the whole is accounted, by the Author of the Eſſay, but one half of the Trade; ſo that at moſt it will be leſſen'd but one Fourth Part, which by the Addition that may be made by bringing home Raw-Silks, Cotton Yarn, &c. may in a great meaſure be made good; And why Three Parts and more ſhould not be carry'd on without the remainder, is very hard for us to imagine. The French have prohibited all Wrought Silks, Bengalls and Printed Callicoes; and yet they carry on their Eaſt-India Trade: and in caſe the Eaſt-India Company, either through Poverty or any other Reaſons, ſhould not be able or willing to carry it on, there are Merchants enough in England to take it up: But if we cannot trade there without the Conſent of the Dutch, who are now very powerful and can bring together 40 ſtrong Frigats (as the Author of the Eſſay tells us) which is much more than we are able or can pretend to do, they may as eaſily beat us out of the whole as of what will be ſtill left. Therefore the beſt way as we humbly conceive to ſecure us from thoſe Fears, is, to keep our Treaſure to imploy our own people, and increaſe our ſtrength at home.

Obj. The Company ſend great quantities of our Manufactures, and have in return Wrought Silks.

Anſ. The Company are obliged to ſend 100000 l. worth of our Manufactures, but have not done it; for by Accounts taken out of the Cuſtom-houſe Books, there cannot be found 100000 l. worth in Two years laſt paſt, and not 20000 l. worth laſt year, and how much of this has been really Exported and ſent to India we know not, but have great reaſon to believe that great Quantities were either not ſhipt off, or not ſent thither, but to Spain or other Parts where they take in Bullion; for this is moſt certain that the Indians wear none, or ſo little of our Manufactures as is not worth mentioning: 'Tis true that ſince the Company have been obliged they have ſent ſome Cloth, which they have ſold in the Gulph of Perſia, and brought in returns Raw Silk, which have been wrought up by the Indians in the Bay of Bengall into ſilks commonly called Perſian Taffeties, and the like, and from thence brought to England, whereas formerly the Turkey Merchants uſed to ſupply the Perſians with cloth, and brought in Return Raw Silk, and might do ſo again if the Trade were turned into its old Channel.

Obj. That no Country Manufactures are made ſo dear as the Engliſh, and if we would have a Trade we muſt make our Manufactures cheaper.

Anſ. To this we think we cannot give a better Anſwer than what Sir Joſ. Child gave in the like Caſe, which we find in the Preface of his Book called A Diſcourſe on Trade, his Words are theſe, I affirm and can prove be's miſtaken in Fact; for the Dutch, with whom we principally contend in Trade, give generally more Wages for all their Manufactures, by at leaſt Two Pence in the Shilling, than the Engliſh. And adds farther, That whereſoever Wages are high univerſally throughout the whole World, it is an infallible Evidence of the Riches of that Country: and wherever Wages for Labour runs low, its a Proof of the Poverty of that Place. That it is multitude of People and good Laws, ſuch as cauſe an increaſe of People, that principally enrich any Country: And if we retrench (by Law) the Labour of our People, we drive them from us to other Countries that give better Rates, and ſo the Dutch have dreined us of our Seamen and Woollen Manufacturers: And we the the French of their Artificers and Silk Manufacturers. And in Pag. 175. diſcourſing of the ways of enlarging our Trade, among many others, he gives this Advice, That it's our Intereſt by Example, and otherwiſe not diſtaſtful, above all kinds of Commodities to prevent as much as may be the Importation of Foreign Manufactures, and to encourage thoſe Trades moſt that vend moſt of our Manufactures, and ſupply us with Materials to be further Manufactured.

Obj. That we want Hands, not Manufactures in England, and Laws to compel the Poor to work and therefore want more an Act to ſet up publick Work houſes to force them that are not willing.

Anſw. as the Caſe now ſlands, we have Hands more than ſufficient to carry on the Manufactures which the Eaſt-India Trade leaves us; but if this Bill paſs we have great Reaſon to believe that in a very ſhort time, Imployment will be found for a great number of thoſe now out of work, and for ſome of the 1200000 which the Author of the Eſſay ſays, he thinks there are now receiving Alms in this Kingdom. It were to be wiſhed that there were Publick Workhouſes for the Imployment of the unwilling Poor; but before they can be imploy'd in ſuch Places it will be neceſſary to know how the Manufactures can be diſpoſed: And with Submiſſion, we humbly conceive there can be no better way found for their vent than by reſtraining the Expence of theſe Foreign Commodities, and that this will be greatly for the Intereſt of this Kingdom. To confirm us in this Opinion, we have the Judgment of Sir Joſ. Child, that great Champion for the India Cauſe, who in the Preface of his Book of Trade ſays, That the Expence of Foreign Commodities, eſpecially Foreign Manufactures, is the worſt Expence a Nation can be inclinable to, and therefore ought to be prevented as much as poſſible.

Obj. That it's the Intereſt of this Nation to have our own Wooll cheap, and cheaply manufactured, whereby we may be enabled to under-ſell all Nations, and diſcourage all People to ſet it up.

Anſ. To do this we muſt bring down the Price of Wool and Workmanſhip conſiderably, and then Proviſions muſt fall in Proportion to anſwer the Wages, or elſe the Poor cannot purchaſe them; and if ſo, Rents muſt abate, and when this is done, other Nations who contend with us in our Manufactures muſt do likewiſe, and after all this, the Indian that works for a Peny a Day, will be able to underſell us all; ſo that after all our reducing, we are not like to underſell all Nations, unleſs we ſhould ſend our Wooll to India to be manufactur'd.

Obj. That the home Conſumption is no Advantage to the Nation.

Anſ. If a Penny ſaved be the ſureſt Penny got, then the ſaving our Pence by the Home Conſumption of our own, inſtead of expending them for Foreign Manufactures, muſt certainly be greatly for the Advantage of this Kingdom.

Obj. It's the Intereſt of this Nation to wear Eaſt India Goods?, which are very Cheap, and to Export our own which are much dearer.

Anſw. If we could find a Forreign Market for our own Manufactures, this Objection would be of force, but (with ſubmiſſion we ſay) that this is impoſſible; for it is very well known, that all Forreign Markets have been plentifully ſupplyed with as much of our Wollen Manufactures as could be vended, and generally over-ſtocked; and yet notwithſtanding our Exporters do not carry off above one third part, (as the Perſons concern'd in the Aulnage, who beſt know how much is made, have oft-times aſſerted) and in caſe a ſtop be not put to the Eaſt India Trade, our Export muſt be leſs; for by reaſon of the great ware of Muſlings and Callicoes, we have already loſt the greateſt part of our Trade for Wollen Cloaths, &c. to Germany, Sileſia, &c. from whence we had formerly great quantities of Linnens, but when we could no longer take their Linnens, they were forced to ſet up a Manufacture of Wollen, by which we have almoſt wholly loſt that profitable Trade. We have now a Trade with Spain, Italy, and Turky, from whence we Import great quantities of Wool, Raw Silk, and Grogern-yarn, but if we muſt wear Eaſt India Manufactures, we cannot uſe their Silk; and if ſo, it's reaſonable to conclude, that they muſt ſhortly follow the example of the Germans. As to our Plantations and Ireland, to which we ſend great quantities of our Manufactures, if the Eaſt India Silks, &c. are the Mode here, they will be ſo there, the orders that are ſent from thence, being to ſend over ſuch Manufactures, as are moſt Faſhionable in England; ſo that inſtead of a greater Exportation, we ſhall almoſt wholly loſe what we now have. But in caſe it were poſſible to vend more, we could make much greater quantities, as we did laſt year, when there was a conſiderable demand for them.

Obj. That if we do not uſe theſe India Goods, they will be carried to other places, where we now ſend our Manufactures, and be there uſed inſtead of them.

Anſw. If this be true, then the East-India Trade will not receive ſo great Prejudice as is pretended; but this is fallacious, for the Exporters always ſend to furniſh all foreign Markets with what they want; and we are very ſenſible, that they have and will be ſufficiently ſupplied with theſe India Manufactures, which will very much obſtruct our Trade, and therefore we humbly conceive its highly Reaſonable this Bill ſhould paſs, that ſeeing the Miſchief they will do us in foreign Markets cannot be prevented, we may in ſome meaſure be helpt, by preventing our falling into the ſame Miſchief at home.

Obj. That theſe India Manufactures do not much hinder the Conſumption of our own Manufactures, but chiefly thoſe of Italy, France, and Holland.

Anſw. They do directly hinder the Conſumption of vaſt Quantities of our own Manufactures, as the Norwich, London, Canterbury Antherines, and other ſorts of Stuffs; as alſo the Manufactures made in Briſtol, Ketering, Sudbury, Stowmarket, Kendal, and divers other places in this Kingdom; and they do and will in a great Meaſure, deſtroy all our Silk Manufactures, which of late are brought to ſuch perfection, as better Silks are not made in any part of the World, and are cheaper to us than any can come from the fore-mentioned Countries, and have almoſt wholly beat them out of uſe. So that of late Years there has been no conſiderable Quantities Imported, except black Luteſtrings, Alamodes, and Velvets, for which Uſe the India Silks will not ſerve; ſo that the India Manufactures are directly oppoſite and deſtructive to our own.

Obj. That Silk is a Manufacture of foreign Extract, and if the Wearing of Silk could be Aboliſhed, is would be Beneficial to the Kingdom.

Anſw. That the Aboliſhing of all foreign wrought Silks, that are the Returns of our Money, would undoubtedly be Beneficial to the Kingdom; and it is that we now only Contend for. But we do aſſert, and plainly demonſtrate, That the wearing of Silks, which are Manufactured here of ſuch Raw Silk as are the Returns of our Woollen, and other Manufactures Exported (as the Italian and Turkey Silks are) is much more Beneficial to this Kingdom, then if we wear them not, for by this means we imploy double the number of People we ſhould do, if we were Clad in our own Manufactures.

Obj. That if we take not theſe Goods, the Indians will let us have no Salt-petre, Muſlins, White Calicoes, Pepper, Drugs, Raw Silks, and other Goods we want.

Anſw. This is ſuch an Objection as ſcarce ever was made before by Mankind; 'tis juſt as if we ſhould ſay, we will not let the Venetians and other Nations we Trade with, have our Lead, Tynn, &c. becauſe they will not take our Cloth. The French have Prohibited all their Silks and Painted Calicoes above ten Years paſt, yet have ever ſince Traded with the Indians for theſe Commodities, and we believe never yet wanted Salt-petre, &c. and why they ſhould refuſe us theſe Goods is hard to imagine.

Obj. If this Bill paſs, it will be to the Advantage of the Scotch and Dutch, who will bring in theſe India Goods among us at a much dearer Rate.

Anſw. One would think in common Reaſon, there cannot be a more effectual Courſe taken to hinder that, than by Prohibiting the wearing of them: For if they may be freely worn, the Scotch and Dutch will have a great Advantage, becauſe they pay little or no Duty to what our East-India Merchants muſt pay; and the very hopes, that the Perſons who were concerned in promoting the Scotch Company, had of vending the Wrought Manufactures in England, was, as we have good Reaſons to believe, one great cauſe for the ſetting-up that Trade. For this is certain, that ſome of the moſt zealous Promoters of that Company, are the greatest Sticklers againſt this Bill.

Obj. That the Paſſing this Bill will diſcourage Navigation.

Anſw. This is a very ſtrange Objection, For one Ship of 500 Tons Freighted with theſe Goods will bring in above 1,000,000, l. worth, at but 20 s. per pound, which is a moderate Value; many of theſe Silks being worth 3 and 4 l. per pound, ſo that if this ſingle Freight were worn here, it will ruine above twenty times as much Shipping, which is employed in the Coaſting Trade, to furniſh the Engliſh Manufacturers, and their dependance with Coles, Corn, Butter, Cheeſe, and other Neceſſaries, as is eaſie to be more fully demonſtrated.

Obj. If there be a multitude of Hands want Work, the Herring Fiſhery would employ them.

Anſw. The Men, Women, and Children, that are employed in the Woollen and Silk Manufactures, are very unfit to catch Fiſh: But ſince it is objected, That if this Bill paſs it will diſcourage Navigation, here's a proper Salvo for that Sore, let the Merchants employ their Stock, and the Seamen their time, to catch theſe Herrings, and then we are very ſure they would be much better imployed for the Advantage of the Nation than they now are.

Obj. That if the Eaſt India Manufactures did greatly prejudice our own, it is not adviſeable they ſhould be Prohibited in this time of War, becauſe of the Companies great Loſſes and Misfortunes, and their want of Money.

Anſw. That the Company have met with great Loſſes muſt needs be grant •• , and that ſo great a Treaſure fell into the Enemies hands, has been of very Ill Conſequence to the Nation, and none knows but ſuch Misfortunes may again attend them, and therefore the leſs Trade of this kind in ſo dangerous a time, the better for the Nation; If they want Money ſo do the Engliſh Manufacturers, and whether the Money we now have to Trade with ſhall be ſent out to purchaſe Goods fully Manufactured for our own Conſumption, which may fall into the Enemies Hands, or imployed to carry on our own Manufactures, we think, with humble Submiſſion, is no hard queſtion to be reſolved; for nothing is more viſible, than that the Eaſt India Manufactures that have been lately Imported, takes away great quantities of our Money, which would otherwiſe be imployed in the purchaſing of our own Silks and Stuffs, and thereby give Imployment and Incouragement to many Thouſand Families, who are now in a ſtarving condition.

Obj. The Clauſe in the Bill which lays the Proof on the Retailers is very unreaſonable.

Anſw. Without this the whole Bill will be rendred ineffectual, and therefore the like Clauſes has been incerted in all Acts of this Nature (as in our Prohibition of French Silks, &c.)

Obj. That if this Bill paſs, it will deſtroy the Credit of the Nation, and greatly Injure thoſe who have lent Money upon the Cuſtoms of the Eaſt India Goods.

Anſw. The Cuſtoms that are given for the Security of Moneys lent by the perſons complaining (which for the moſt part are Linnen Drapers and Eaſt India men) conſiſts not only of Eaſt India Goods, but alſo of Wines, Vinegar, Brandy, Tobacco, all Linnens, Wood, Iron, Oyl, Flax, Hemp, Paper, and abundance of other Commodities, too numerous to be here incerted; and the whole Eaſt India Trade has hitherto raiſed but a very inconſiderable part of the ſaid Cuſtoms, yet the Security has been well anſwered. Now in caſe the Cuſtoms ſhould be increaſed by a greater quantity of Eaſt India wrought Silks, which muſt be worn here, they will deſtroy our own Manufactures, and thereby Impoveriſh not onely our Manufacturers, and their dependants, but the Nation in general, by which means they will be diſabled from conſuming the Wines, Brandy, Tobacco, and other Merchandize, which will, (as we have great reaſon to believe) much more weaken the ſame Security, then this Bill can do; And not only ſo, but much leſſen the Exciſe of Beer and Ale, and other the Revenues and Taxes which are given to ſupport a Juſt and Neceſſary War, for the preſervation of our Lives, Liberties, and Properties.