Essays on trade and navigation in five parts / by Sir Francis Brewster, Kt.

Of Exports of Foreign Importations.

HAving said so much against Free Ports, which is with good reason, accounted to be the only way those Countreys have to make a Trade that want Funds, Men, and Ships of their own.

I now come to that which I conceive may sup∣ply the want of Free Ports in these Kingdoms; and that is, Liberty for Exports of such Commo∣dities as have payd Customs Inwards: That I call Liberty, is to have all the Duty repay'd up∣on such Exports.

This at first sight may be thought making the whole Kingdom a Free Port, after I have been declaiming against having any; I confess that I shall here propose, will do the Work of a Free Port for the benefit of our own Trade, but not for those that have too much Advantage of us already.

That then I humbly offer in this matter is, That whereas now there is by Law Repayments of part of Customs upon Exporting of Commo∣dities that payd Inwards; that for the future, the whole Money payd Inwards be Repayd upon Ex∣porting, without any defaliation upon these Tearms following.

1. That no Repayments shall be made, but on such Goods as were Imported in English Ships and Men.

2. That no Repayments be made, but on such Goods as shall be Exported by English Ships and Men.

3. That no Repayments be made, but on such Goods that have been more than Twelve Moneths landed

4. That no Repayments be made on any Goods damnified, or decayed. With these Reservations, I think it is the Interest of the Nation to admit

any Foreigners the same Priviledge, so that our own Ships have the Carriage in and out.

To this I foresee the Common Custom-House-Objections, What will become of the Kings Cu∣stoms? Merchants will find wayes to make their Exports pay for most of their Imports.

To this I Answer, No doubt there will be Arts used by some; but it is as certain, that ways may be laid down to prevent them, and much easier on the Exports, than was at first upon the Impor∣tation: Let that be well looked to, and Frauds upon Exports cannot easily be Committed; for the Trick will lye as it doth in some Cases at this time: The Merchant saves suppose one third of his Duty, and then Ships out one third of what he payd Duty for, and by that means payes but half Dutyes, two thirds being Sold; and he pay∣ing Duty but for one, and to drive this Trade, it may be worth a Merchants while to Import, with design at least, one third more than he In∣tends to sell in the Kingdom: But though this is an Inconveniency, and may be some Prejudice to the Revenue, yet I do not think it is of that Va∣lue, as to obstruct a much greater Advantage to the Publick: But it will be further objected, that to Repay all the Duty payd Inwards upon the Exports, is unreasonable; something at least to defray the Charge of the Officers should be allow'd, and that is allowed where there is the greatest Freedom: To this I Answer, That the Design here is to Incourage our own Navigation, and to retrieve our lost Trades in Russia and the

Sound: To effect which, there may perhaps be more Incouragement than this given. The Par∣liament upon other occasions have thought fit to give Money to Incourage the Exports of the King∣dom, as that of Corn: And though I shall not presume to direct, yet perhaps there may be found necessity to do something of that Nature, to lay hold of Trades we have lost: I have often thought there was the same reason for a Nation to lay out a Stock of Money to Introduce some Trades, as there is for a particular Person; and though that Objection which some make, That Publick Funds are alwayes Imbezled, be true; and that no Private Person will receive any Return for what he pays towards a Publick Benefit; Yet if the Money be Imployed in Manufactoryes, or Navigation, though the Original Money be sunk, yet every Individual Man in the Nation is the better for it, even to the Cobler in his Stall. I might Inlarge on the many Advantages these Re∣payments on Exports would bring to the Nation, but I shall summ them all up in,

1. It will Increase the Customs, if that be a Profit to the Nation in General, which to me is a Question; but however, it is that which is ac∣ceptable to the Government; and that a Liberty of Exporting, without any Charge, what Mer∣chants cannot dispose of, will certainly Incourage to greater Imports, than when Men are liable to loose both Goods and Customs, as now they in many Cases are.

2. It will bring a very considerable Advance to our Ships and Seamen; and in this there is more than at first sight appears.

By the Act of Navigation, it is wisely provi∣ded, That every Nation might Import into Eng∣land the Commodities of their own Countrey in their own Ships: This Liberty was fair and equal Dealing in matter of Trade; That every Countrey should have the Command of their own Trade, and so gave no Offence; nor could we advance our own Navigation by it more, than what each Countrey had not Ships of their own to carry their Commodities; but this Liberty of Foreigners bringing their Commodities to seek a Market, and if they do not meet it, may Ship out what they cannot sell, and have all the Duty Re∣payd, so it be Imported and Exported in English Ships; this will put them upon Imploying our Ships, that so they may be Intitled to make our Harbours Free Ports, and it will be a very great Incouragement to them in their Trade, and as great to us to have the Carriage there, being more clear and certain Gain by the Navigation part of Trade, than by the Merchantine part of it.

These Bill Repayments upon Exports, will not only supply us with all sorts of Foreign Com∣modities on easie Tearms to compleat Cargoes for the Northern Trades we have now lost, but also be a means to Increase the Exports of our Woollen Manufactoryes; of which we shall send Quantities abroad to places we cannot now, for want of other Commodities, to make up Car∣goes for several Markets.

Upon the whole, I conceive this Freedom will ••n all respect the Benefit of Free Ports, with this Advantage of terminating in the Increase of our Ships and Seamen.