THE CASE OF The Refiners of Sugar in England, Stated.
THe Refining of Sugar in England is an antient Manufacture, and according to the Incouragement it hath received from time to time, hath Grown up from Eight Refining-Houses, to near Thirty within this Twenty Years; and this chiefly by the increase of Brown Sugar from our own Plantations.
The Quantity of Plantation-Brown-Sugars used by the Refiners in England, may be modestly computed at 5000 Tuns annually; Which adds considerably to his Majesties Revenue, and much Augments the English Navigation; besides the vast Expences that do unavoidably attend this chargeable Manufacture to the Kingdoms Advantage; and many Arts and Trades have likewise their sole Dependance thereon.
To discourage this Manufacture, will be Prejudicial to the Plantations in that their Brown-Sugars, which is the chief of their Produce, not being spent by the Refiner, nor this Kingdom being able to spend them in kind, the Planter will not onely Lie at the mercy of the Forreigner as to a Market, but the Manufacture it self will be necessarily forced Abroad, there being a Reciprocal Affinity between the welfare of our Sugar-Plantations in America, and the Refining works in England.
There is no way to Secure so considerable a Manufacture within this Kingdom, as by a due Proportioning of the several Rates of Sugar. Which humbly therefore we here offer, with the Reasons thereof Annexed.
From the English Plantations.
Muscovadoes, commonly called Unpurged Sugar, at a Farthing per pound.
Anno 1669. Imported Brown Sugars 8338. Tuns. White Sugar 118. Tuns.If this Commodity were yet Rated at a lower Proportion to the following Rates, it would undoubtedly the more encrease this Manufacture in this Kingdom, advance our Navigation, secure the Trade of our English Merchants to the Plantations, and indeed secure the Interest of Nineteen in Twenty of all the English-Planters; although it cannot be expected, but that a few Barbadoes White-Sugar-makers will be still unsatisfied.
Sun-dried and Clayed Sugars, under the degree of White, at one Half-penny per pound.
Wherein are comprehended Sugars at this time worth from Thirty Five, to Fifty Shillings per Cent. whereas the Brown-Sugars to be Manufactured by the Refiners in England are worth but 23 s. per Hundred. Which Duty will considerably advance his Majesties Revenue; And it is but equal They be so Rated, in regard of their Value, and that they are Imported fit for the Scale, and scarce over Exported.
White Sugars, one Penny per Pound.
From our Experience, we Assert, That three Pounds of Brown-Sugar as commonly Imported, will not produce one Pound of Refined Sugars: And in Barbadoes it self, the usual Barter being three Pounds of Brown-Sugars, for one Pound of White; often more.
More then double the number of Ships are required, to Import Sugars Brown, then if Clay'd and White.Now considering, the Brown-Sugars are Manufactured in England, and many hundred Tuns of Syrups annually Exported, paying more than Five per Cent Custome unto the King upon Exportation by the Manufacturers thereof: And also several Duties, Taxes, and Excise are by them paid; it is evident his Majesty receives more by Brown-Sugars at a Farthing, then by White at a Penny per Pound: Besides, the Importation of Brown-Sugars doth Vastly more increase our Navigation, than if it should be made White in our Plantations, and Imported afterwards,
Brazile, and all Forreign Whites, at Three-Half-Pence per Pound
Which will be some Curb to the Brazile Planters: But as to the English-man, who is a Portugal Merchant, he is still Capacitated to Export our Manufacture, and to make his Returns in this, and other Commodities, as he hath been accustomed to do.
Besides, The Importation of White-Sugar is not so Essential to their Portugal Trade; For, if the Export of Commodities be so Vast as they assert, their Returns of Sugar are but a small part of their Trade. By the Entry at the Custome-House in the Year 1669, which is the greatest Import lately known, there appears but Seven Hundred and Five Tuns of White-Sugar Imported, and at their own Price of 56 s. per Cent, amounts to Thirty Nine Thousand Four Hundred and Eighty Pounds; which comes vastly short of what they carry out; for so many Ships as they affirm, are Employed to carry out Englands Manfactures in so great Quantities, cannot amount to less than between three and Four Hundred Thousand Pounds annually. So that their Sugar-Returns are not above a Tenth part of their Trade; Besides, as to the Manufacture of Refining in England; Two Sugar-Houses do work more by several Thousand Pounds Sterling annually, than the value of what they Import in Sugars; Which shews our Refining here is not so Inconsiderable as they Represent it. But indeed, should the present Duty in Portugal of the 25 per Cent [...] be taken off, (as some expect) Sugars may then be Imported to the utter Ruine both of the English Plantations Abroad, and of the Manufactures of Sugars within this Kingdom.
The CASE between the English-Sugar-Plantations, and the Refiners, by some of the Planters Stated: And by the Refiners Answered.
The Planters Affirm.I. TWo thirds of the Planters [...]f the Sugar Collonies do turn into Whites, or Sun-dri'ds, all their Sugars they send to England for their own Accompts, to buy themselves Horses, Cloaths, Tooles, Provisions, Negroes, and other Necessaries; by which alone they are enabled to subsist.
The Refiners Answer. It appears by the Custome-House Books, Anno 1669. there was Entered 8338 Tuns of Muscovado Sugar, and but 118 Tuns of White, which is but a 70th part; whence it is evident their Assertion is either a vast mistake, or a very great abuse to the Kings Majesties Revenue; whereupon it doth also appear necessary, to make three Rates of Sugar, or else the same Abuse to his Majesties Revenue will still continue.
The Planters Affirm. Secondly, The other Third, who by reason of their Debts, or want of Stock, are not able to do this; do not bring both ends togegether; many are broken, and others have laid down their Trade.
The Refiners Answer. The Poor Brown Sugar Planters, they are confes'd to be the strength of the Colonies, therefore to assert them but one third part of the Colonies, is an evident contradiction. In the middle of the Planters paper they assert, that the poorer sort of English Planters are the strength of the Collonies, We answer, tis undoubtedly true. Therefore they ought to have all possible Encouragement in their making of Muscovado Sugar; And nothing can more contribute to their Ruin, than to Impose as much upon Muscovado Sugars that are worth but 23. per cent. as upon Sun-dri'd, and clay'd Sugars worth from 35. s. to 50. s. per cent.
Thirdly, Two pound of Brown Sugar will make one pound of good White; as by experience is found: If white Sugars from the Plantations be Taxed one penny, and Brown one Farthing, then is the Refiner able to supply the Market with white Sugar, at a half-penny a pound less Imposition than the Planter, which will beat him out of the white Sugar Trade, and undoe him; and his Majesty will come to have no more for this Duty, than if there were but a half-penny the pound first set upon the white Sugar of the Plantations: So that the Question here will be, not whether his Majesties Revenue shall be increased, by setting a penny per pound upon the white Sugars of the Plantations, (for it is plainly shewed it will not,) but whether a few Refiners shall by Ingrosing that Trade be Enriched,The Planters Affirm. and the Plantations undone? There being not above Twelve Refining-Houses in all England, and yet those enough to melt down all the Brown Sugars that come from the Plantations.
As brown Sugars are Imported from the Barbadoes, Three pounds of Muscovados will not make one pound of Refin'd Sugar, (as may be attested upon Oath by unconcern'd Persons) as also considering many Duties paid by the Home Manufacturer, The Refiners Answer. (as is above asserted) his Majesties Receives above a penny a pound upon all Refin'd Sugars made in England: But whatever less than a penny, is laid upon White Sugars Imported, is a proportionable Discouragement to the Manufacture here, and Loss to his Majesties Revenue. And whereas they assert, there is but Twelve Refining-Houses in all England, there is above double the number. And no English-man is abridg'd the setting up of more Sugar-works.
Fourthly, The English Planters being beaten Out of the White Sugar Trade, a few Refiners will engrose it, and being the only Buyers of Brown Sugar, The Planters Affirm. well set what rate they please upon them, which will be the utter undoing, & loss of the Sugar Colonies, not one third of the Planters reaping any profit over and above the charge from their Plantations already; and then the Refiners Trade will be at an end also.
The Refiners Answer. Refining in England, and Planting in America, do reciprocally advance each other, and it is utterly Impossible, that ever the English Refiners can Ingross the Brown Sugar, and thereby set what Rate they please upon them (as they assert) There being 60. Sugars-houses at Amsterdam, and 40. at Hamborough; besides several others in Holland, Zeland, and Flanders, who at present buy at least one third of the Brown Sugars Imported, and will have them above twelve per cent. cheaper, the (Excise considered) than the English Refiner can.
IN CONCLUSION, By how much the Manufactury of White and Clay'd Sugars, shall be more Encourag'd in America, than in England, by so much the more the poor Brown-Sugar Planters there will be Discourag'd, Englands Navagation Decreas'd, his Majesties Revenue Impair'd, Our home Manufacture lesned, and consequently Our Lands in England Ʋnder-vallued.