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CHA P. III.

Principles on which the Nations of Europe fettled Colonies in America.-Commercial regulations of Great Britain.-Remarks on the Acts of Navi gation.-Admiffion of foreign-built Veffels, eventually beneficial.-Exports from Great Britain to the Sugar Ilands, and their Value.-The fame from Ireland. Wines from Madeira and the Azores.-Other Profits.-Summary of the whole. -Imports from the Weft Indies to Great Britain and Ireland, and their Value according to the London Prices.-Amount of British Capital vefted in the Sugar Ilands.-Shipping and Seamen.General Obfervations.

THE establishment of colonies in America by CHAP. the nations of Europe (fays Montefquieu) was III. contrived, not in the view of building cities and extending empires; but for the purpofe of carrying on trade to greater advantage than could be done with rival ftates. Commercial monopoly therefore, and with great reafon, is the leading principle of colonial intercourse.

This account, with fome little qualification, may be admitted; and a very flight enquiry will demonftrate that it applies as pointedly to the Englifh, as to any other nation. The means indeed which Great Britain has adopted for retaining to herself the full benefit of the monopoly, have, in fome cafes, proved more liberal than thofe of rival ftates; but the principle by which the various nations of Europe were influenced, was precifely the fame: To fecure to themfelves refpectively,

the

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VI.

BOOK the most important of the productions of their colonies, and to retain to themselves exclufively, the great advantage of fupplying thofe colonies with European goods and manufactures, was the chief aim and endeavour of them all.

Whether the fevéral parts of this system, and its confequent train of duties, restrictions, and prohibitions, were originally as wife and politic, as they are evidently felfifh, is a question that of late has been much controverted. But this is a difcuffion into which it can anfwer no good purpose to enter, because the prefent arrangement has been too long, and is now too firmly establifhed to be abrogated; and thus much at least has been truly faid in its favour, that it is calculated to correfpond with the regulations of foreign ftates; for fo long as other nations confine the trade of their colonies to themselves, to affirm that Great Britain derives no advantage from following their example, is to contradict both experience and reafon.

Of the commercial regulations of this kingdom, the memorable law which was paffed in the 12th year of King Charles II. chap. 18, commonly called, by way of eminence, THE NAVIGATION ACT, may be confidered as the foundation. By this law it is, among other provifions, declared,

First, that no goods or commodities fhall be imported into, or exported out of, any of his Majefty's plantations or territories in Afia, Africa, or America, but in fhips belonging to the fubjects of England, Ireland, Wales, or Berwick, or in fuch as are of the built of, and belonging to, fuch plantations, and whereof three-fourths of the mariners and the mafter are English fubjects, on pain of the forfeiture of fhip and cargo; and

all

all admirals and commanders of king's fhips CHAP. are authorized to make feizure of fhips offending III. herein.

Secondly, That no perfon born out of the allegiance of his Majefty, who is not naturalized, or made a free denizen, fhall act as a merchant or factor in any of the faid places, upon pain of forfeiting all his goods and chattels.

Thirdly, That all governors, before they enter into the exercife of their office, fhall take an oath to do their utmost, that the above-mentioned regulations fhall be punctually and bona fide obferv ed; and a governor neglecting his duty therein, fhall be removed from his government.

Fourthly, That no goods or commodities whatever of the growth or manufacture of Africa, Afia, and America, fhall be imported into England, Ireland, Wales, Guernsey and Jerfey, or Berwick, in any other fhips but thofe belonging to the faid places, or to the plantations, and navigated in the manner aforefaid, under penalty of forfeiting both fhip and cargo.

Fifthly, That no fugars, tobacco, cotton, indigo, ginger, fufic, or other dying woods, of the production of any English plantation in Asia, Africa, or America, fhall be exported therefrom to any place, except to fome other English plantation; or to England, Ireland, Wales, or Berwick. The above commodities being named in the act are called generally enumerated, in contradiftinction to all others of plantation growth; and,

Lastly, Bond fecurity is required from all fhips trading to or in the plantations, and lading on board fuch commodities, for the due obfervance of this part of the law.

Such, together with the conditions under which foreign-built fhips were to enjoy the privilege of English fhips, are the chief reftrictions and pro

vifions

VI.

BOOK vifions of this, celebrated ftatute, fo far as they relate to the plantation trade, and they are extended and strengthened by a law which paffed three years afterwards, which the plantation governors äre also fworn to enforte; for by the 15th of Cha. 2. c. 7. it is enacted, that no commodity of the growth, production, or manufacture of Europe, fhall be imported into the British plantations, but fuch as are laden and put on board in England, Wales, or Berwick; and in English-built shipping, (or fhips taken as prize, and certified according to a former act) whereof the master and threefourths of the mariners are English, and carried directly to the faid plantations. There is an exception however as to falt for the fisheries of New England and Newfoundland, wines from Madeira and the Azores, and horfes and victuals from Ireland and Scotland; and the preamble to the act, after stating that plantations are formed by citizens of the mother country, affigns the motive for this reftriction to be, "the maintaining a greater correfpondence and kindness between the fubjects at home and thofe in the plantations, keeping the colonies in a firmer dependance upon the mother country, making them yet more beneficial and advantageous to it in the further employment and encreafe of Englifh fhipping, vent of English manufactures and commodities; rendering the navigation to and from them more fafe and cheap, and making this kingdom a flaple, not only of the commodities of the plantations, but also of the commodities of other countries and places for the fupply of them, it being (continues the preamble) the usage of other nations to keep their plantation trade to themfelves."

Ten

* The defign of this act, says Poftlethwaite, was to make a double voyage neceffary, where the colonies used any commodities

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Ten years after this, another act paffed (25 Cha. CHAP. II. c. 7.) impofing duties on fugar and other com- III. modities exported from one colony to another,

*

and the following is affigned as the reafon : "that the inhabitants of fome of the faid colonies, not content with being fupplied with thofe commodities for their own ufe, free from all customs, had, contrary to law, exported confiderable quantities to divers parts of Europe, and did likewise vend great quantities to the fhipping of other nations, to the great injury of the trade and navigation of the parent state." For the prevention of this inconveniency in future, the duties in queftion are laid on the export of thofe commodities from the plantations; unless security be given to transport them directly to England, Berwick, or Wales. The duties were the fame, I believe, as were then paid in England on moft of thofe commodities imported for home confumption.

This act was foon found to require explanation and amendment; for the payment of the aforefaid duties having been confidered in the colonies

modities of the growth and manufacture of Europe but British : for if they could not be shipped in Great Britain, they must first be brought thither from the places of their growth and manufacture, and Great Britain would confequently have the benefit, not only of that freight, but of as many ships and failors as must be employed in bringing them from thence. It is remarkable that by this act, Ireland was indirectly deprived of the benefits allowed that kingdom by the act of navigation, for it is required, that none of the enumerated goods shall be carried from the plantations to any country or place whatfoever, until they have been first unladen and put afhore in some port or haven in England, Wales, or Berwick. By a fubfequent act this intention was avowed, and Ireland was exprefsly fhut out from a direct trade with the plantations.

White fugar 5s. and Mufcovado is. 6d. per cwt. ; tobacco Id. cotton-wool d. indigo 2d. cacao id. per lb.; logwood 5. ginger 1s. the cwt. ; fuftic, &c. 6d.

VOL. II.

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