CHA P. LXIX.

A Treatife, wherein is demonftrated, That the
Eaft-India Trade is the most national of all
Trades, &c.

By Φιλόπατρις *, 1681.

General Opinions.

Erchants, while they are in the bufy and eager

particular

they be very wife and good Men, are not always the beft Judges of Trade, as it relates to the Profit and Power of a Kingdom. The Reafon may be, because their Eyes are fo continually fixed, and their Minds intent upon what makes for their peculiar Gain or Lofs, that they have not Leisure to expatiate or turn their Thoughts to what is most advantageous to the Kingdom in general. T. Cicero, This, I am told, was the Opinion anciently of M.

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the former being rivalled by the latter, more efpecially in
the Importation of raw Silks. Not but the Eaft India Com-
pany importing wrought Silks alfo, and other Manufactures
of the Eaft Indies, for home Confumption, was a real, and,
at this Time, a growing Grievance. However, we are x Ch. 87.
to look upon the four Gentlemen who have spoke in this De-
bate, as Advocates for the Turky Company; and Sir Jofiah
Child, in the two following Chapters, as pleading for the
Eaft India Company; and who not only reprefents the Turky
Company as their open Enemies, but the Dutch also: as at
the Bottom of that Oppofition, which was now raised against
them. But whether this Suggeftion had more in it of Truth,
or Artifice, does not fo clearly appear.

*The British Merchant (Vol. I. p. 182.) fays, this
Pamphlet was wrote by Sir Jofiah Child, or at least by his
Direction, and approved of by the Court of Committee of
And whoever compares it with
the East India Company.
feveral Paffages in his Difcourfe of Trade, will eafily be
convinced that it was of his penning altogether.

y

Ch. 79. §. 17:

T. Cicero, and alfo Boden, that learned French Author, and lately of the Lord Chief Juftice St. John, who was a principal Engineer in the Act of Navigation. But whether it was their Opinion or not, I am sure it's true, by manifold Experience; of which I could give pregnant Inftances in the Age we live in, and former Councils of Trade, fince his Majefty's happy Reftauration, but that I defign Brevity, and to avoid all perfonal Reflexions. The like may be faid of all Shopkeepers, Artificers, Clothiers, and other Manufacturers, until they leave off their Trades, and being rich, by the Purchase of Lands, become of the fame common Intereft with moft of their Country

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men.

2. And upon the fame Reason, I am of Opinion, and have found by Experience, that a mixed Affembly of Noblemen, Gentlemen, and Merchants, are the best Constitution that can be established for the making of Rules, Orders, and By-Laws, for the carrying on any Trade for the publick Utility of the Kingdom.

3. That all Domeftick or foreign Trade, to any Place or Country, that doth not in the Refult and Confequence of it, increase the Value of our English Lands (the good Plight whereof is the main Bafis of our Wealth, Freedom, and Safety) ought not only to be difcouraged, but totally rejected.

4. That all Monopolies of what Nature and Kind foever, are deftructive to Trade, and confequently, obftructive to the Increase of the Value of our Lands.

5. That those narrow Claufes in the Turkey Company, and other Charters, which limit the Traders to be Freemen of London, &c. are to the Prejudice of the Nation in general, though they may be for the Advantage of particular Traders, for which I fuppofe they were calculated.

6. I am of Opinion, the Dutch, nationally Speaking, are the wifeft People now extant, for the contriving and carrying on their Trades for the publick Advantage of their Country. If any fhall here object, that if it be fo, I am mistaken in my former Notion, that Merchants are not always the beft Judges of Trade; for the Dutch have moft Merchants in their Councils: The Honourable Sir W. Temple, hath already answered for me, that their Councils are made up of very few or no trading Merchants

Merchants, but of Civilians, or Sons of Merchants, that have long fince left off their active Trades, and have only now Stock in their Eaft and Weft-India Companies, or in their Banks and Cantores, or any other publick Fonds.

7. That though the Dominion of the Sea may be maintained by Arms, and fortunate Battles at Sea, it can never be retained, preferved, and maintained, but by the Excess and Predominancy of foreign Trade.

8. That Domeftick and foreign Trade do (as we vulgarly fay of Twins, but more truly of Trade) wax and wain together; and if it were not an Impropriety of Speech, Land might be coupled with them.

9. I am of Opinion, that Silver and Gold, coined or uncoined, though they are used for a Measure of all a Ch. 68. other Things, are no lefs a Commodity than Wine, §. 3. Cloth, or Stuff, &c. and may in many Cafes be exported, as much to national Advantage, as any other Commodity.

10. That no Nation ever was, or will be, confiderable in Trade, that prohibits the Exportation of Bullion.

11. That though it may be best to be left free and indifferent, it is more for the publick Advantage to export Gold or Silver coined, than uncoined: By the former, we gain the Manufacture, and fomething of Honour and Magnificence it is to have his Majefty's Royal Stamp pafs current in all Parts of the World.

CHAP. LXX.

The Eaft-India Trade the most National: By
Sir Jofiah Child, 1681.

1.

THAT the Eaft India Trade is the most national of Page 6. all foreign Trades, is thus proved, viz. What the Dutch, French, Danes, Portugals, and which not long fince, the Swedes, and now the Duke of Brandenburgh, have with fo great Charge and Expence attempted, and hedged about with Laws and Encouragements, must certainly

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Ch. 68.

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certainly be a Matter of the greateft national Confe

quence.

2. This Trade employs more great warlike Ships, than all the Trades of the World, from England, befides. 3. This Trade alone furnishes us with Salt-Petre.

4. Above four Fifths of the Commodities imported by this Trade, are re-exported into foreign Parts; by the Returns of which, more than treble the Bullion is imported, that was firft exported to India, and the Wealth of this Kingdom as greatly increased, as by the direct Trade to, and from, the Eaft Indies.

5. Most of the Eaft India Commodities are of fo fmall Bulk, that if the Trade were not in English Hands, the Commodities would nevertheless come in from HelCh. 68. land, (as the French Silks now do) then we should pay §. 2. Note. as much for Pepper, which we now fell for 8 d. a Pound,

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as we do for Nutmegs, Cloves, Mace, Cinnamon, which is from 6s. to 14s. per Pound. Tho' the two laft are cheaper at the Places of their Growth, than Pepper is at Bantam; but enhaunced to that Price, by the Dutch having the fole Trade for them. By which I conclude this Company faves the Kingdom in that refpect only 500,000l. per ann.

6. All Riches and Power in Nations is comparative; confequently whatever weakens or depopulates our neighbour Nations, French, Dutch, &c. enricheth and ftrengtheneth England. And moft certain it is, that no foreign Trade doth fo work upon the Manufactures of our neighbour Nations, as this Trade of the East Indies; for the Staple Countries for Silks and fine Linen are, Italy, France, Holland, Flanders, &c. infomuch as it is reafonably computed, thofe Countries, by the Importation of Eaft India Silks and Callicoes, not only into England, but from England into their own Countries, are abated in thofe fine Manufactures, above a Million of Pounds Sterling per ann.

7. And which is a Confideration of great Weight, and may be of immenfe Advantage, England hath already the principal Trade of Woolen Manufactures, and now a quicker Vent and Export for them, than ever it had in the Memory of any Man living. But throughout Chrifiendom, I have ever been of Opinion that, generally caking, there are more Men and Women employed in

Silk

Silk Manufactures than in Woolen; of which likewife England hath obtained a confiderable Part, confidering the fhort Time fince our Silk Broad-weaving began; which was but fince Mr. Burtimach brought in SilkDyers and Throwfters, towards the latter End of the late King James, or Beginning of King Charles the Firft. And I am credibly informed, the Number of Families, employed therein already, doth amount to above 40,000. Now what fhould hinder, but that in a few Years more, this Nation may treble that Number in fuch Manufactures; fince the Eaft India Company have of late Years found out a Way of bringing Raw Silk of all forts into this Kingdom, cheaper than it can be afforded in Turky, France, Spain, Italy, or any other Place where it is made. Infomuch as with Eaft India Silks we serve Holland, Flanders, and fome other Markets, from England.

8. This Trade pays his Majefty about 60,000l. per ann. Cuftom; and carries out of this Kingdom yearly 60 or 70,000l. in Lead, Tin, Cloth, Stuffs, &c. Which is not fo confiderable with refpect to the Quantity, as in this, that what we fend to the Eaft Indies of our own Manufactures, would not be fent at all, if the English Nation were deprived of this Trade; becaufe neither Dutch nor French would enure the East Indians to our English Manufactures. Of which we have a clear Inftance in the Dutch Trade to Japan, where they induftrioufly avoid introducing our English Cloth. Which Country being exceeding large, rich and populous, and lying in fuch a Northern Latitude, might vent as much of our English Manufactures as Spain and Portugal, if we could gain a Footing in that Trade. In the Endeavour whereof, the Company hath already loft above 50,000 1. Sterling.

9. Though the Company have loft fo much in the Attempt of the Trade of Japan, they have lately got an Entrance into the Trade of Couchin China and China; and have, for a few Years paft, fettled Factories in the three Ports thereof, viz. Tywan, Tonqueen, and Amoy, to their great Charge and Expence, without reaping any Profit thereby to this Time, but a certain conftant Lofs; which they did, and do continue notwithstanding, out of a Zeal they have to promote the Confumption of our Woolen

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