REASONS humbly offered to the Consideration of the PARLIAMENT, by the Company of Tallow-Chandlers, London, against Passing the Bill relating to CONVEX LIGHTS.
THE Setting up and Use of Convex Lights in all publick Places, (as the Bill provides), extending as well into the City of London as into all other Places for the time past hath been, and for the future will be, a great Prejudice.
First, To the Kingdom in General, as to all Owners and Farmers of Pasture and Feeding Grounds, by lessening the Use and abating the Price of Tallow; which being Prohibited to be Exported, the greatest and almost whole Consumption thereof consists in the making of Candles; the Use and Expence of which will be greatly hindred, if those Convex Glasses, or any other such like Lights, shall receive any Countenance (tho not Injunction) from the Publick Authority of the Nation; for thereby the Expence of at least 60000 Dozen of Candles, in and about the City of London, and in other Places where they shall be used proportionably, will be prevented, and by consequence so much Tallow left useless, which must needs abate the value of Tallow, and so much in the Price of every Bullock and Sheep proportionably. And tho formerly great quantities of Tallow were Imported, which yet, with the English Tallow, did but serve the Use of the Kingdom; yet in the Year 1689. no more than 370 Tuns and 14 Hundred; in the Year 1690. 127 Tun, 7 Hundred, 3 Quarters and 13 Pound; in the Year 1691. 63 Tun and 11 Hundred; and to the 29th. of November, 1692. 11 Tun, 5 Hundred, 1 Quarter and 14 Pound of Tallow, have been Imported, as appears by the Custom House Books, and ready to be proved. So that for want of the Vent of our own English Tallow, the Price thereof hath fallen a fourth part, or near thereabouts: And when the Tallow (which is ordinarily valued at 21 s. in a Fat Ox, and 3 s. 6 d. in a Fat Sheep,) cannot find a Vent at home, (and abroad it must not be carried), it necessary falls the Price of every Fat Ox and Sheep to the value above, viz. 7 s. in a Fat Ox, and proportionable to a Fat Sheep. And it is not to be thought, that the Expence of so much English Rape Oyl, (if such it be) as may serve their Convex, and other new fangled Lights, will bear any proportion to so great and National a loss, as that of the Tallow hath been, and must be, if the expence of Candles shall be diminished, as of necessity they must, if these new Lights obtain the Countenance of a Parliament.
Secondly, To the Company of Tallow Chandlers, in taking from them the Use of their Lawful Trade, to which they have Serv'd, and taken many Apprentices, and made suitable Provisions for carrying on their Trades, for the subsistence of themselves and Families, having been a Company in London about 230 Years, and have to their utmost, assisted towards the support of the Government, and carrying on the War against France, by lending considerable Sums of Money, great part whereof is still owing. For reckoning 6 d. per. Dozen only for the making of 60000 Dozen of Candles, the Expence whereof, in and about London, by the use of these New Lights will be taken away. That lone, besides the loss to the Kingdom in the Tallow, brings a Loss of about 1500 l. per annum, to the Tallow-Chandlers, and so much is taken away from the Maintenance of themselves and Families, and the Support of their lawful and honest Trades.
Thirdly. To other Trades, as the Horners in making of the Leaves for Lanthorns for burning Candles in, Butchers, Spinners and Twisters of Cotton, whereof the 22th part is not used in Lamps which is in Candles, and must necessarily deprive great numbers of Persons, that Live by those Trades, of their Manitenance and Livelyhood.
It is humbly hoped, That a Project so pernicious to the Publick Good of the Kingdom, and the private and lawful Trade of many Thousands of their Majesties Subjects, who as the Law now stands, have as great a right as any other of Their Majesties Subjects have to their Trades, and the lawful Use and Advantages thereof: Will not find or receive any Encouragement in Parliament, and the rather, for that the Persons named in the Bill, have not any Right or Title by the Letters Patents, (the time wherein is thereby sought to be enlarged) to the setting up of Convex Lights nor is there such a Term of Convex lights therein; Nor have they or any other, claiming under the said Letters Patents, Expended any Money's in promoting or advancing any publique Good; But the Prices and Rates at which they value their respective Interests, have been raised from 200. l. to 1100. l. for a 32th part by that ignominious way of Stock-Jobbing; and the further advancement of those Shares by such wayes, for the future, is conceived to be the cheifest Design the Petitioners have to endeavour the Passing of this Bill.
That these Lights are no Publick Good, and greatly dangerous to Coaches in the Night-time by their false or glaring Light.