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THE CASE Fairly Stated between the TURKY Company AND THE Italian Merchants.

By a MERCHANT.

LONDON. Printed in the Year 1720.

THE CASE Fairly Stated between the TURKY Company AND THE Italian Merchants.

[3]

THE Turky Company wou'd be but ill Charg'd with ſo much Art in the Conduct of their Trade, if they were capable of uſing no Art in the Defence of it.

No Man can charge them with want of Cunning in what they now puſh at, [4] and had they us'd as much Honeſty in their Argument as they ſhew Art in their Deſign, ſome plain Queſtions and Anſwers wou'd bring us all to the End of the Diſpute; and the Houſe of Lords had not had the Trouble of this Act.

The Papers they have hitherto pub⯑liſh'd, have generally aim'd at two Things, and both of them ſeem to be unfair, and ſomething ſophiſtical: I am loth to call it Shuffling, with reſpect to the Perſons of the Gentle⯑men concern'd; but Neceſſity obliges me to ſay, That what they offer, evi⯑dently looks one Way but means ano⯑ther; the ſpecious Pretences they make for the publick Good of Trade, En⯑couragement of Manufactures, and the like, are only Covers to conceal the grand End of ſeparate Intereſt; which, 'tis manifeſt, is the Thing they aim at.

In their Papers, therefore, it is evi⯑dent, they aim (1.) at ſuppreſſing the Italian Merchant's Trade to Turky; and (2.) at engroſſing the Trade of ſelling Cloth in Turky, and of Silk in England, in order to impoſing their own Price upon the Buyers of Cloth Abroad, and the Manufacturers of Silk at Home. Both which would, if [6] obtain'd, effectually declare them a Mono⯑poly, in the groſſeſt Senſe of that Word.

Their Oppreſſions Abroad, their un⯑fair Dealings with the Merchants, who from Leghorn interfere, as they call it, with their Trade; their By-Laws, their arbitrary Proceedings upon them, and all the reſt of their ill Conduct, they give up, and ſeem to plead Guilty to them all, ſo they can but get this Bill.

With ſo much Eagerneſs they puſh for this Bill, that they not only manag'd their Introduction into it with the utmoſt Art, and puſh'd it on with unweary'd Application, to hinder their Books being look'd into, but they ſaid they were wil⯑ling to conſent to any future Laws, to limit, nay, even to puniſh their Exorbi⯑tance, ſo they may but be indulg'd with the Advantages they drive at in this Bill.

In a Word, they were in ſuch a Paſſion for this darling Bill, that they are wil⯑ling to give up their Reputation as a Com⯑pany, ſubmit to all the Parliament may think fit to do with them, or all the Pu⯑niſhment that may be inflicted upon them, provided they may but ſave THIS BILL.

[7] It is their own Expreſſion in one of their Caſes: Poſſibly the Turky Company may have committed Faults, and made un⯑fitting By-Laws: If they have done both, yet THIS BILL may be neceſſary. And in another Place, All that can be objected against the Turky Company, may be re⯑medy'd by a BILL in another Parliament, and they may take ANOTHER TIME for the remedying of it. If a Company op⯑preſſes, the Parliament may curb and re⯑ſtrain it by FUTURE LAWS. And the like.

I wou'd not treat the Company with Indecency, but this ſeems to me to be little more than that of a Man detected of a grievous Treſpaſs, craving Leave for an immediate Power to oppreſs and injure his Neighbour, and putting off the Ex⯑amination and Puniſhment of his own Crime to another Seaſon; as if the re⯑medying the Grievance on one ſide, had not the ſame Juſtice in it, and did not call for the ſame Concern of the Publick to rectify, as the other. I might have illuſtrated this by a more ſevere Simily, if I were willing to carry Things to the heighth.

[8] But let us take theſe Gentlemen in their own Way, and uſe their own Words, as above: Poſſibly the Company have commit⯑ted Faults, and made unfitting By-Laws: It is moſt certain they have, (and I inter what I believe every one will grant, viz.) Therefore it is not reaſonable, thoſe that have already abus'd their Power, ſhou'd be now enabled to abuſe it farther. And I humbly hope that the Nature of the Companies By-Laws and Orders may be inſpected.

What they now aſk, is neither more or leſs, than to have a Power granted them to oppreſs and injure the Traders to Turky by way of Italy; who, they grant already, they have injur'd and oppreſs'd. As to the Bill they demand, the Nature of it ſhall preſently appear, when the Fraud of the Deſign is more effectually laid open. Something extraordinary muſt ſure be the Caſe, that theſe Men are ſo very earneſt to have the Examination of the Conduct of the Turky Company put off; it is a ſhrewd Suſpicion of Guilt, when Men are ſo extraordinary ſhy of coming to an Examination; ſee how it runs thro' all their Arguings: If the Bill paſſes, ſay they again, the Conduct of the Turky Company, all their By-Laws, and [9] even their Charter, if lyable to any juſt Exceptions, may be examin'd afterwards by Parliament. Very good, and why not now? Why muſt not the Parliament be allow'd to examine Now into their Con⯑duct, their By-Laws, their Oppreſſions, their arbitrary Proceedings, and their Charter, if lyable to Exceptions, as there is ſome Reaſon to believe they all are?

Nor is the examining into theſe Things ſo incongruous to the Bill depending as they would inſinuate: I alledge, and un⯑dertake to make it appear, that the Bill they ſeek cannot be rational, if the other Conduct of the Company is fully examin'd into; and therefore it is not at all unrea⯑ſonable to demand, that both be enter'd into together; 'tis a great Miſtake to ſay, that the Conduct of the Company has no Relation to this Bill. On the contrary, if the Company have miſbehav'd, if they have oppreſs'd and injur'd the Fair-Tra⯑ders, if their by-Laws are unjuſt, and they are a real Monopoly, and ablove all, if they ſeek to be able to act as a Mono⯑poly by Virtue of this Bill, then 'tis ab⯑ſolutely neceſſary to examine their Con⯑duct before this Bill ſhould paſs. As for Example.

[10] If this Bill in its Nature tends to making the Company a Monopoly; if it is evident, that in ſoliciting this Bill, they aim at a Power to monopolize; if it appears, that this Bill, if paſs'd, will put that Power into their Hands: Then, with humble Submiſſion to the Houſe, it is abſolutely neceſſary to examine into the Abuſe of the Power they have, and the Reaſon of the Power they ſeek, and of their ſeeking it, and all before this Bill be ſuffer'd to paſs.

And what can it be, but this plain Dependance of theſe Things, one upon another, that makes theſe Men ſo back⯑ward to have their Conduct examin'd? But that they are ſenſible, that if the Houſe ſhould ranſack their Behaviour and the Uſe they have made of the Powers and Privileges which they have been en⯑truſted with, they would ſee very good Reaſon to conſider well of it before they entruſted them any farther.

Nor is this an unjuſt or an unfair Re⯑flection, becauſe we that are oppreſs'd by the Company, and have Reaſon, feelingly, to mention the Abuſe of the Powers they have been entruſted with, have much [11] more Reaſon than other Men to conclude what Uſe they would make of it, if far⯑ther Powers were committed to them as a Company.

And here, becauſe I am neceſſarily to enter with Plainneſs and Freedom upon the Detecting a general Scheme of Fraud and Injuſtice, which evidently ſeems to run thro' the whole Courſe of this Mat⯑ter, and that, as above, much leſs Honeſty than Art ſhews itſelf in the earneſt So⯑licitations which are and have been made for this Bill, I muſt be allow'd to di⯑ſtinguiſh between the Gentlemen con⯑cern'd in their perſonal and private Ca⯑pacities, and in their Capacities as a Com⯑pany.

In their former Capacities, I have no⯑thing in the leaſt to ſay; here is no per⯑ſonal Satyr intended, nor do I direct any Reflection, in this Affair, to this or that particular Man. There are, without Doubt, many worthy and honourable Perſons in the Turky Company.

But their Conduct, as a Company, is another Thing; and no Man's private Reputation is concern'd in it; and yet [12] I muſt acknowledge my ſelf to be of the ſame Mind which King Charles IId gave as his Opinion to a certain Lord Mayor of London, (viz.) That it was not poſ⯑ſible for a Man to act in a Society with the ſame Honeſty and Juſſice as in their ſeparate and private Capacities; but that all Societies and Companies were Tyrants and Oppreſſors by the Nature of the Thing.

Having made theſe Poſtulata with the Gentlemen-Members of the Company, as private Perſons, I ſhall, with the more Freedom, ſpeak to their Behaviour as a Company.

I have mention'd how ſtrange it is that theſe Gentlemen ſhould be ſo very Earneſt for this Bill, and for its paſſing, without enquring into their Conduct. I ſhall now unravel this Myſtery, and lay it open to the World; and when I have done ſo, the Wonder will ceaſe.

That the Diſcovery of any, or of all theſe Things, would moſt effectually o⯑verthrow the Bill, ſeems reaſonable for me to conclude, from the Knowledge I have of the certain Application of the Houſe of Peers, to detecting all clandeſtine Meaſures, Projects, and Attempts, couch'd under the ſpecious Pretence of Right, Property, Publick Good, and the like; by which the Subjects are frequently im⯑pos'd upon, the Publick abus'd, and pri⯑vate Perſons injur'd.

It will be impoſſible the Houſe can ſee the exact Connection that there is between the former Conduct of that Company and the Attempt couch'd under the Cover of this Bill, and not ſee how artfully they ſeek to protect their paſt ill Conduct, by obtaining an Authority for worſe; and to ſupport the Oppreſſions of their former Meaſures, by enlarging them in thoſe they ſhould now get Power to act by. [14] To bring this Home to the Point in Diſ⯑cute, that is to ſay, the Bill.

The Pretences of the Bill are ſpecious, (viz.)

If theſe Things were really ſo, every Man ſhould grant the Conſequence at the firſt Word, (viz.) that the Bill was ne⯑ceſſary, which is what they alledge.

But, as was ſaid in one of the Italian Merchant's Caſes, Theſe Things would go a great Way in the Charge; but for one Misfortune attending them, which is, that they happen not to be TRUE.

[15] The chiefeſt Evidence they bring of it, is, That in the Years 1714 and 1715, a very great Quantity of Raw Silk was bought in France, brought to Leghorn, and ſhipp'd to England. Now, tho' I ſhould grant this, that in thoſe two Years a great deal of French Raw Silk was brought from Marſeilles, yet that will neither prove that it has been ſo in other Years, or that it can ever happen ſo again: Nor if it were to happen again, can they argue from it any Advantage to the French Trade, or Diſadvantage to the Engliſh, but juſt the contrary, as will appear in the following Heads:

This ſufficiently anſwers the great Im⯑portation in the Years 1714, 1715, on which theſe Men inſiſt ſo much; and proves that it was a Circumſtance of Trade which can never happen again; and if ever it ſhou'd, wou'd, every Bale of it, be an incredible Advantage to England, and a Diſadvantage to France. And 'tis hop'd that an extraordinary Caſe, which can never in the ordinary Courſe of Trade happen again, will not be look'd upon a ſufficient Reaſon to break into an Act, which is the ſupport of our Navigation.

[18] That it cannot be thus now, is plain, and the Italian Merchants have made it appear ſo, by the Calculation of the Price of Silk at Leghorn and at London; which generally is, and for the laſt three Years has been, from 1 s. 6 d. to 2 s. 6 d. per lb. cheaper in London than at Leghorn; which is a ſure Rule to judge by, why this Importation cannot be conſiderable; for that Merchants never extend or con⯑tinue a Trade that they cannot carry on but to Loſs. Nor, indeed, can there ever be any conſiderable Importation of Raw Silk from Leghorn, but when the Turky Company, by their oppreſſive Limitati⯑ons, and other monopolizing Arts, reſtrain or with-hold the Importation of a Quan⯑tity ſufficient for the Market, on purpoſe to advance the Price for their private Gain. And this Engroſſing is ſo eaſy to them, ſuch a Grievance to Trade, and ſo injurious to our Manufactures in England, that even the Poſſibility of their doing ſo is an unanſwerable Reaſon againſt their Bill, and proves, that it not only is not NECESSARY, as they pretend, but that it is abſolutely neceſſary their Power of impoſing upon the Market, as above, ſhould be reſtrain'd.

[19] The ſecond Head, is the Quantity which they pretend is Imported, to which the Turky Merchants have annex'd no E⯑vidence, expecting to be taken upon their Words. This Quantity they alledge to be about an hundred Bales a Year; but this the Italian Merchants deny, and ap⯑peal to the Cuſtom-Houſe Books for their Proof: Alſo they have prov'd, at the Houſe of Commons, that in the current Year, all the Raw Silk imported at Leghorn from France, amounts to no more than thirty ſix Bales: And that Italy, for expence of their own Silk Manufacture, annually uſes two or three hundred Bales of Turky Raw Silk.

The laſt is, That this is injurious to the Turky Trade; and this they explain two Ways:

The firſt is incumbent on the Levant Company to prove, which they only bare⯑ly aſſerted; when, on the contrary, the Italian Merchants prov'd, that from Leg⯑horn, according to the conſtant courſe of Trade, all the Turky Raw Silk imported from Italy, was the Return of Engliſh Manufactures: And to this they offer'd to call Merchants who had reſided there for theſe Forty Years laſt paſt.

To the ſecond, the Italian Merchants ſay, That the affording all Commodities to our Manufactures cheap, is a General Benefit; and the Importing them dear, will make our Neighbours under-ſell us.

Now, neither of theſe being true, as above, how will it appear that this Trade is injurious to the Turky Trade from and to England.

The Appearance of theſe Things being thus, and all theſe Pretences for the Bill being thus repeal'd and expos'd, it leads me to the original Deſign of the Turky Merchant's puſhing this Affair ſo warmly, [21] and to enquire what muſt be the true Reaſons for their deſiring the Bill to ſtop the Importation of ſo ſmall a Quantity of Raw Silk, as, communibus annis, is brought into England from Leghorn.

And this Queſtion neceſſarily carries me back to view the State of the Turky Trade, which I ſhall ſtudy to do as clear⯑ly and with as much Brevity as I have done the French.

The Trade to Turky is carry'd on in a Company; their Charter, their Privileges, their Manner of carrying on their Trade is known. The Number of Perſons con⯑cern'd in their Trade, or Free of their Company, is great; they tell us, they are above Two Hundred; and others may, and indeed all, even the Italian Merchants themſelves, may be Free of this Company, paying the uſual Fine at their Admiſſion, and taking the Freedom of the City alſo.

But, I ſuppoſe, it will not be contend⯑ed, that the Groſs of the Trade to Tur⯑ky is carry'd on by a very few Men, and even of thoſe few, a yet fewer Number have the governing Influence of the Trade, and can go far, very far, to limit the [22] reſt by their Intereſt, to Ship or not to Ship, Trade or not to Trade, as their Quantities of Goods, Abroad or at Home, want a Market, or want a Price.

And as this is an Article which renders the Company a moſt effectual Monopoly, when they make Uſe of it; ſo it is evi⯑dent, that it is but a little while ſince they did effectually make Uſe of it, to the great Injury of the Trade; and this Power, together with an Oath every Mer⯑chant muſt take, if he will come in to be Free of this Company, and which ſubjects him to be ſubject to ſuch monopolizing Arts as thoſe, is the Reaſon why the Ita⯑lian Merchants have always declin'd the Company, and carry'd on their Trade to Turky by the Way of Leghorn.

In Favour of this Trade, which, as it is a fair and juſt Branch of Commerce, and was found to be very conſiderable; but above all, as it was found to be a juſt Check upon the Turky Company, and calculated to prevent the Encroach⯑ment they were always apt to run into for their private Ends, to the Injury of the Engliſh Trade and Art of Navigation, a Law particularly calculated for the [23] Encouragement of Trade, and the En⯑creaſe of our Shipping, thought fit, by a Clauſe on Purpoſe, to make Proviſion for the Trade of the ſaid Italian Merchants, and that they ſhou'd be allow'd to im⯑port the Aſiatick Goods by Way of Leg⯑horn.

And here, I muſt ſay, lies the whole Streſs of the Bill now depending: It is this Trade to Turky, by the Way of Leghorn, that the Turky Merchants puſh at. The bringing ſome French Raw Silk by Accident, and on an extraordinary Oc⯑caſion, when it may be very cheap in France, and very dear in England; this is made the ſpecious Pretence, but is nothing in the Caſe; it is the Italian Merchant's Trading to Turky, Viâ Leghorn, that is the Grievance. This is that they ſhoot at, tho' they ſet up the other as a Blind.

To clear themſelves of this, and if they would have the Houſe believe them to be as good Patriots as they pretend, why do they not declare openly, that they deſire nothing but to prevent the bringing in Turky Raw Silk bought of the French, that the French may not be encourag'd to carry on the Turky Trade [24] to their Diſadvantage, and to ſend greater Quantities of French Cloth to Turky, and the like?

Had this been the real and only Thing they had ſought, what Need had they to ſtrike at the Root of the Italian Trade, which is ſo much more conſiderable and advantageous than their own? Why Pe⯑tition for the Repeal of a Clauſe, which admits them to bring Home the Returns of their Trade to Turky? Why had they not only pray'd, that an ACT might paſs to prohibit Raw Silk from France be⯑ing imported by Way of Leghorn? in which all the Italian Merchants would readily have concurr'd, and are ſtill ready to do it.

Or, on the other hand, if they were not aſham'd at thus publickly aiming to monopolize both the Cloth Trade in Tur⯑ky, and the Silk Trade in England; I ſay, if they were not aſham'd of ſuch an open Attempt to engroſs an excluſive Trade, and that they could think a Houſe of Commons, the Guardians of Liberty, could be capable of being brought into ſuch an Invaſion of the Liberties of Trade, why did they not petition fairly, That [25] the Italian Merchants might not carry Engliſh; Cloths, and Tin into Turky Viâ Leghorn; or, in a Word, that, if they did, they ſhould not be allow'd to bring back the Returns of it into England.

This had been, indeed, to have acted with leſs Cunning, but with more Ho⯑neſty, than to aim and ſtrike fairly at this Prohibition, under Pretence of pro⯑hibiting bringing in French Turky Silk; a Thing, which, as it is prov'd, is ſeldom done, ſo it is plain it can never be done, but to our Advantage, and the Loſs of the French Merchants; unleſs it be, as above, when the Turky Merchants have put the Dice upon the Market, and rais'd the Price to an unreaſonable and injurious Heighth; and then the Refuge of a French Market, or of any other Market, would be but a Juſtice to the Manufactures, and a juſt Check upon the Engroſſers.

It ſeems neceſſary, in the next Place, to give a ſhort State of this By-Trade, as they would call it, from Italy to Turky, or from England to Turky, by Way of Italy.

[26] The Turky Merchants take much Pains to repreſent this Article as very ſmall and inconſiderable; but why then do they not propoſe to the Parliament, that in the Bill they ſolicit for, a Clauſe be reſerv'd for leaving this little, ſmall, inconſidera⯑ble Trade entirely free, and its Returns free to be brought Home? If it be ſmall, the Damage to them muſt likewiſe be ſmall: Why is it ſo hotly oppos'd and attack'd, if it were really ſo ſmall and inconſiderable, as they repreſent it? I can anſwer for the Italian Merchants, that they would not have ſtruggled with them for the preſerving it; and even the Op⯑poſition made to them by the Italian Mer⯑chants, is an Evidence to all the World, that it is very far from being a ſmall and inconſiderable Trade.

By this very Thing the whole Quarrel may be decided: If the Turky Merchants aim only at, and deſire only the prevent⯑ing the bringing French Turky Silk hither, and are willing to leave the Italian Trade to Turky, and back to England, by the Way of Leghorn, open, as it always was, let them ſay ſo; aſk for that, and the Italian Merchants will heartily join with them; but, while they thus puſh at one [27] Thing, under Pretence of another, they moſt plainly diſcover what they endeavour to conceal.

It is meet, therefore, to put this Af⯑fair in a clear Light. The Italian Mer⯑chants Trade to Turky by Way of Leg⯑horn, is far from being ſmall or inconſi⯑derable; they export and ſell in Turky from 40 to 50 Thouſand Pounds a Year in Engliſh Cloth, and in Tin, Lead, &c. a conſiderable Sum, and they bring back the Returns of it to Leghorn.

Great Part of those Returns being ſold in Italy, the Produce of which muſt be clear Gain to the Publick Stock of Great Britain, it would be very hard, if they ſhould be deny'd the Privilege of Engliſh Men, and of bringing Home the reſt to ſell in their own Country, as Markets may preſent.

Except in the Caſes already mention'd, they bring no Silk from Marſeilles, and nothing but the Exorbitances of the Tur⯑ky Company impoſing upon the Markets, as before, can make it practicable. If the Houſe thinks fit, even to prevent it under thoſe Exorbitances, they ſubmit it wholly [28] to the Wiſdom of Parliament; but they humbly hope they have a Right of Pro⯑perty, in common with the reſt of his Majeſty's faithful Subjects, to bring back, and vend in open Market, the Returns of the Engliſh Woollen Cloths, and other Products of their own Country, which they export, and without which they can⯑not carry on their Trade.

While the Company oppoſe ſo juſt a Requeſt, how can they take it ill, that we ſay they are a dangerous Monopoly? and how can they clear themſelves of the Charge, while they ſeek to be the only Exporters of Cloth to the whole Turkiſh Empire, and the only Importers of Raw Silk to the King's Dominions? Is it not plain, that in this Caſe they would conſult their own Advantages rather than the Demands or Occaſions of the Manu⯑facturers?

This is the Article the Company viſi⯑bly preſs for; and it cannot be deny'd but it is of great Conſequence to them, that is to ſay, to them perſonally, and as a Company: but the more it is ſo, of the more fatal Conſequence would it be to the Trade in general, ſeeing they would, [29] as above, put their own Price upon their Woollen Cloth at home, to the Impove⯑riſhing, if not Deſtruction of the Manu⯑facturer; and their own Price upon their Silk at Home: Nor would it weigh with them, that by this Conduct they would leſſen the Conſumption of Engliſh Cloth in Turky; and, to hold it up to a Price, for their private Gain, keep it always ſcarce at Market, forbidding their Mem⯑bers in England to ſhip but in general Ships, ſometimes once a Year, ſometimes once in two Years, or more, as they think fit; without regarding, that by this Means there would be many Thouſands of Cloths leſs exported than the Markets would otherwiſe carry off, to the irrepa⯑rable Damage and Diſcouragement of Woollen Manufactures, and the Encou⯑ragement of the French; and the Ruin of the Clothiers, who, when they had made large Quantities of Cloth for the Turky Trade, muſt be oblig'd to keep them on Hand, or, perhaps, ſell them under Price to two or three rich money'd Men, who make Uſe of the Neceſſities of the poor Clothiers for that very Ad⯑vantage; all which ſtill proclaims them a Sett of Monopolizers, in the worſt Senſe of the Word.

[30] And this very Practice throws another Charge back upon them, which they ne⯑ver can get off from, and which they now endeavour to put upon the Italian Mer⯑chants, viz. That whereas they alledge, that the Italian Merchants are the Sup⯑porter of the French Trade to Turky, (the contrary of which is manifeſt,) the Turky Company, by not duly ſupplying the Markets, by laying Mulcts and Reſtraints upon the Engliſh Cloth which comes there by Way of Leghorn, by ſwearing their Factors and Servants not to ſell any of their Goods, but for preſent Payment; whereas the French give Credit, where there is any Certainty or Security of be⯑ing paid. By theſe, I ſay, and many ſuch like Methods, they are themſelves the Encouragers, and, indeed, the Supporters of the French Trade to Turky, who, on the contrary, were the Markets conſtant⯑ly and fully ſupply'd, and proper Mea⯑ſures for Trade purſu'd, as would be, if the Trade were open'd, as it might be, would not be able to vend one quarter Part of the Cloth which they now ſell there. I do not mean by this, totally to lay open the Turky Trade, but humbly hope your Lordſhips, in your great Wiſ⯑dom, will put it on the foot the Ruſſia [31] Company was, by an Act of the 11th of King William and Queen Mary; and I do believe ſuch an Act would effectually drive the French out of the Turky Trade, and have the ſame effect that had, viz. That inſtead of ſix or ſeven Sail of Ships the then Ruſſia Company annually employ'd, and the now Turky Company annually em⯑ploys, the next Year the Ruſſia Merchants ſent 40 Sail of Ships, and do now annually employ above a hundred and twenty, and our Engliſh Manufactories are now carry'd to Places where before they were never ſo much as heard of: And this would be the Caſe of the Turky Trade, were the Levant Company regulated by a like Act of Parliament; and the Honour of the Engliſh Nation kept up with a much leſs Charge on our Manufactures than it now is; for the Trade being more diffuſive, half per Cent. inſtead of two, would be ſufficient to defray the neceſſary National Charge.

So that, in a Word, it is the Turky Company who encourage the French; and many Ways this may be made out: As for Example, the 23d of May, 1707, by laying a Mulct of five Dollars per Cloth on all Engliſh Cloth, which comes thither [32] from Leghorn, when the French Cloth comes in Free, forbidding Engliſh Cloth from Leghorn to come in Engliſh Ships; but permitting Engliſh Ships to bring French and Dutch Cloth Free, as above. They tell us, if we ſtop the French Silk from coming hither, we deſtroy them at once. How can they impoſe this upon Mankind, when 'tis known, that all the Cloth the French Merchant can ſend to Turky, will not ſupply the Demand they have for Silk in France? But they buy a great deal with ready Money, as was the Caſe thoſe two Years 1714 and 1715, when they loſt ſo much Money by it, as al⯑moſt ruin'd them all. And what muſt our poor Manufacturers have done in England in thoſe two Years, had they not been ſupply'd by the Italian Merchant's buying that Silk cheap? Is it not evident their Goods muſt have coſt them here 40 l. per Cent. more than the French and Itali⯑ans cou'd have imported them at; the Conſequence of which muſt have been, that our Engliſh Manufacturers muſt have been ſtarv'd, and Wrought Silks, from all our neighbouring Manufactories, in⯑ſtead of Turky Raw Silks, wou'd have been run in upon us from Abroad.

[33] It is deny'd and has already been ex⯑plain'd that Turky Raw Silk ever did or ever can come from France hither, by Way of Leghorn, in the ordinary Courſe of Trade: 'Tis plain, it can never come but when their Markets in France are ſo full, and ſo low, as that they muſt ſell it to great Loſs; or when our Markets, ſtarv'd by the Cunning of the Company, are ſo extravagantly dear, that to reduce the Price will be our Gain; ſo that, in ſhort, to bring the Turky Silk in either of thoſe two Junctures, will be always to our Gain, and to the Loſs of the French. And in which of theſe two lies the Ad⯑vantage to France, I would fain have theſe Gentlemen anſwer.

But let us examine next, what Diſad⯑vantage the Turky Company can pretend to ſuffer from the Italian Trade: Can any Merchants complain of the Competitors, who cannot trade under them, but at a Diſadvantage of 10 or 12 per Cent. and, if they pleaſe, 20 or 30 per Cent. unleſs Means can be found to evade the Force of their Impoſitions; it cannot be, the Ad⯑vantage muſt lie ſomewhere elſe, and it is manifeſt it does ſo, viz. in the having Power, by an excluſive Trade, to impoſe [34] other Rates and Prices upon the Markets Abroad and at Home, than they have ever yet been able to do: This it is they aim at, and this they find they can come at no other Way, but by putting a Stop to the Merchants ſending Cloth to Turky, by Way of Leghorn, and bringing back the Silk to London; and this they cannot ex⯑pect, but by perſwading the World to be⯑lieve, than which nothing can be more falſe, that this Silk comes from France.

Again, to prove the Inconſiſtence of this Pretence, I would deſire thoſe Mer⯑chants to calculate the Price which this Silk coſts the French Merchants in Turky, whether it be bought for Cloth or for Money; let them add to it the Charges of carrying firſt to Marſeilles, then bring⯑it from Marſeilles to Leghorn, then ſhip⯑ping it again for England, Commiſſion in all thoſe Places, and Charges of ſundry Sorts, alſo Inſurance, and the like; and then let them take the Price in France and at London, at the ſame Time, and tell us if the French gain, or loſe, by the Trade: If the firſt, let them prevent it, by ſuch legal Methods as they ſhall think fit; If the laſt, which I affirm is true, what can be the Meaning of ſo warmly [35] engaging againſt a Trade which the French loſe Money by.

I obſerve, in ſeveral of the Caſes given out by the Turky Company, they would be thought very popular, and claim it of the World, that they are the great Encou⯑ragers of the Woollen Manufacture, and that they not only export great Quanti⯑ties, but that they take all proper Mea⯑ſures to encourage the Conſumption of it in the Country whither they carry it.

But, were this true, how comes it, that there are ſo many By-Laws for the Diſ⯑couraging any one to bring it thither but themſelves; ſuch as laying a Mulct, or Duty, of 25 Dollars per Bale, upon all the Engliſh Cloth that ſhall come by Way of Leghorn, not allowing it to be brought in Engliſh Ships, when, at the ſame Time, as before, the Dutch and French Cloth, as I have obſerv'd already, may come in En⯑gliſh Bottoms; alſo forbidding their Fa⯑ctors there to ſell any Engliſh Cloth, but for the Company, and the like.

Let any indifferent Perſon judge, whe⯑ther this is encouraging, or whether it is not rather a viſible Combination to diſ⯑courage [36] and deſtroy the Trade of our En⯑gliſh Cloth in Turky.

With what Aſſurance can theſe Men bring a Rabble of Packers and Cloth-Dreſſers, Clothiers, and Dyers, and other Mechanicks, up to the Door of the Houſe to ſolicit in their Cauſe, as if the whole Manufacture was concern'd? which is making the poor ignorant Clothworkers and Manufacturers ſo many Soliciters a⯑gainſt themſelves, and bringing them to be Parties to their own Deſtruction, as Manufacturers.

So alſo they bring the Pewterers and Dealers in Tin; inſinuating, that they are great Benefactors to the Tin-mines; ſuppoſing, perhaps, that this may have ſome Influence on ſuch Members as repre⯑ſent the Stannary Towns, and who are ſuppos'd to have Eſtates in the Mines of Tin in the Counties of Devon and Corn⯑wal: But are they ſo ignorant as to ima⯑gine, that the Corniſh Gentlemen do not know that the Italian Merchants are much greater Exporters of Tin than the Turky Merchants, even to above double the Quantity, and that as well to Turky as Italy? Which Things if duly known, [37] and if the Italian Merchants were as much enclin'd to make themſelves popular, and needeed it as theſe Men do, would pre⯑ſently bring the Manufacturers, Dyers, Dealers in Tin, and the like, to appear on their Side, rather than on the other.

But I leave all theſe little Things, as Artifices too mean to be taken Notice of, and fit only to aſſiſt a bad Cauſe. I come next to enter into the Merit of this Que⯑ſtion, with Regard to the Navigation. It muſt be of ſome Concern to let the World ſee how many Ways this Company, who value themſelves ſo highly, are an Ob⯑ſtruction and Diſcouragement to our Na⯑vigation, and to the employing both Ship⯑ping and Seamen, even in this very Trade, in which they would pretend to recom⯑mend themſelves.

They were indeed enquir'd of at the Bar of the Houſe, how many Ships they employ'd to Turky in a Year, and tho' I hear they anſwer'd falſly, and ſaid, Ten; which is more than they employ, and in ſome Years ſend none at all; yet, at beſt, what Number of Ships is this to boaſt of, or to give them any Claim to be Encouragers of Navigation?

[38] On the other hand, the Italian Mer⯑chants alledge, That they hinder, by their Limitations upon the Trade, ten times more Ships being employ'd than all the Trade they carry on employs. Tho' they have all the Grand Seigniors Domi⯑nions for their Trade, the others only I⯑taly, they employ 6 or 7 Ships a Year, the Italian Trade near 150, to 200, ma⯑ny of which lie mouldring in Port, while the French and other foreign Veſſels (Thanks to the Company's By Laws and Reſtrictions) run away with all the Freights to Turky, whilſt our Ships, for want of Employ as uſual in the Levant, are oblig'd to return home Empty.

Which Way ſhall theſe Men be diſcours'd with? Let impartial Men but hear their Argument: How incoherent! How in⯑conſiſtent with itſelf! If they talk of our Importation to England, 'tis exceeding great. On the other hand, if they talk of our Exportation from England, 'tis ex⯑ceeding ſmall, tho' we vend and ſend 40 or 50000 l. a Year in Engliſh Cloth to Turky, by Way of Leghorn,

If we ſpeak of our Trade to Turky, they tell us, one Ship a Year will bring [39] all our Returns, and there is not above 500 Cloths a Year brought into Turky; and yet, at the ſame Time, ſpeak of our Returns as a Thing fatal to their Trade. To avoid the Abſurdity of theſe Things, they inſiſt and affirm, That the Silk we import, is from France; offering nothing to prove it, but their affirming poſitively, that it is ſo; the Credit of which the Italian Merchants deſire to be excus'd, as to their giving any Weight to, and as poſitively deny it.

But there is a Way how the Turky Mer⯑chants may obtain all that they aſk'd, and which, if it may be obtain'd, no Cloth will be carry'd to Turky, Viâ Leghorn, any more; and no Raw Silk be brought from France, Viâ Leghorn, any more; no Cla⯑mour againſt the Turky Company's being a Monopoly, will be made any more; no Interruption to our Navigation will be made by the Company more; but the Trade will flouriſh, the Company will be enrich'd, and the Nation alſo: And this is but by laying open the Trade to all Man⯑kind, on the foot of the Ruſſia Company, to trade freely and unconfin'd; to ſend out Ships when they will, and by what Ways they will; and every body being [40] left to puſh their own Trade, there is no doubt but the Grand Seignior's Domini⯑ons, and the Kingdoms and Countries of Perſia, Georgia, Armenia, and the Caſpian Sea, might, if Encouragement was given them, conſume much more Engliſh Cloth than is now ſold among them.

This, and no other, is the Way effectu⯑ally to encreaſe the Trade, to Ruin the French Manufactories of Cloth, and to encourage both the Engliſh Manufacture and Navigation; and, in this Caſe, a few Years wou'd bring the Turky Trade not to employ ſeven Ships a Year, but ſeventy, and perhaps, ſevenſcore Ships.

For then wou'd all the Trade be en⯑courag'd together, and thoſe Ships that had a Hundred, and perhaps two Hundred Bales of Cloth on Board, wou'd run away, take in Freight for other Places, as for Genoa, Leghorn, Naples, Meſſina, and ſo to Smyrna, or Conſtantinople; and thus, inſtead of few Ships; there wou'd be ma⯑ny Sail in a Year employ'd.

And then the Trade wou'd appear, as it indeed is, very conſiderable; whereas now [41] tis contracted, 'tis limited; and indeed by thoſe Limitations 'tis almoſt quite loſt.

The Ruſſian Company is an Inſtance of this, who, while they were under the like Limitations as the Turky Company, ſent uſually 6 or 7 Ships a Year to Archangel, whereas they now employ above 120 Sail of large Ships a Year, one Year with ano⯑ther; and they export infinitely more Woollen Manufactures to that Country, than ever they did before; and thus puſh⯑ing the Trade on with all the Art, and with the utmoſt Diligence, they have brought Infinite Numbers more of People to uſe the Britiſh Manufacture, than ever uſed it before.

The like is before us, and the like Ad⯑vantages offer themſelves; for by this one Act, (viz.) of laying the Trade open, In⯑duſtry wou'd have her Hands at liberty, to ſtruggle and to puſh the Trade into Countries, and among Inhabitants that were never heard of before. Methods wou'd then be uſed by the vigilant Mer⯑chant, to ſend his Goods, and to ſell his Goods, without exacting ready Money where Payment was ſure; leaving the Factor a diſcretionary Power to act as for himſelf.

[42] As The Trade wou'd thus be better'd, ſo the Encouragement to Shipping, the Encreaſe of Seamen, and above all, the Conſumption of our Manufactures wou'd be enlarg'd, and then the Mock-Complaint of the Importation of Raw Silk from Mar⯑ſeilles, wou'd be at an End; neither wou'd there be any Occaſion of a Bill to prevent the Importation of Aſiatick Goods from Leghorn; every Merchant having a Li⯑berty, in the Courſe of his own Buſineſs, to bring away the Returns directly.

Likewiſe as a far greater Number of Ships wou'd go to Turky, having but Part of their Loading thither, from England, and having the Liberty, to take in Goods for Leghorn, Naples, and Meſſina, in their Way to Turky; ſo, in their Return, ha⯑ving Part of their Loading for Italy or England, there being a conſtant Trade to and from Turky to Italy, the Freight of which is conſiderable, they will be ena⯑bled to take the reſt of their Loading in Italian Goods at Meſſina, Naples, or Leg⯑hoſn, as Opportunity preſents, or as their Employers direct. So that in this Caſe, the End of the Act of Navigation, which, as I ſaid before, was to encreaſe and en⯑courage Engliſh Seamen and Engliſh Ship⯑ping, [43] eſpecially Ships of Force, wou'd much better be anſwer'd, than by carry⯑ing on a narrow contracted Trade, as now they do, manag'd by about thirty Merchants only; and thoſe Thirty ma⯑nagd again by Two or Three, by which the whole Commerce is ſtraighten'd, the Conſumption of Engliſh Cloth hinder'd, and the Dutch and French encourag'd to carry Cloth to Turky, and worm us out of the Trade.

This laying open the Trade may with Eaſe be ſo regulated, as that the Ambaſ⯑ſadors, Conſuls, and other Officers neceſ⯑ſary to act there, may be ſtill maintain'd, and all the neceſſary Expences of the Trade be ſupply'd, either by the Com⯑merce itſelf, or by the Publick, for which ſuitable Proviſion may be made, as to the Wiſdom of the Parliament ſhall ſeem meet. And for the compleat and eaſy Direction Whereof, a Scheme of ſuitable Meaſures ſhall be preſented to the Houſe, when⯑ever ſuch a Thing ſhall come upon the Stage; nor is there any Doubt to be made but that the Italian Merchants will be able to anſwer all the Objections that can be juſtly brought againſt ſuch a Change of the Company's Conſtitution.

[44] By the aforeſaid Caſe (which I think I have ſtated impartially) it is humbly hop'd that the Italian Merchants, as En⯑gliſhmen, have a natural Right to the Trade to the Grand Seignier's Dominions. I ſhall only give the Heads of ſome few reſtrictive Orders, and inſtance others, whereby they have Tax'd our Woollen Manufactures and Navigation, and pro⯑hibited even their own Members from Trading in ſuch Manner and at ſuch Times as they thought proper, and your Lordſhips may then judge, whether a Company with Power, or aſſuming a Power, to make reſtrictive Laws, be a Monopoly or not.

Appendix A ERRATA.

PAge 24. lines 24, 25. for Houſe of Commons read Parliament. And whereever it is called a Bill it ſhould be Act.

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