An essay upon the ways and means of supplying the war

Of the New Customs and Duty upon Tunnage.

SOme People, who contemplate the greatness of England, and the Figure it made in the World during the former part of Queen E∣lizabeth's Reign, and some time be∣fore, are led to think we were stronger without Trade than with it.

Perhaps Trade in General may have been hurtful to Mankind, be∣cause it has introduced Luxury and Avarice, and it might be better with us if we still liv'd in the Innocence and plainness of our Fore-fathers.

But the Circumstance of Time, and and the Posture other Nations are in, may make things absolutely necessa∣ry, which are not good in their own Nature.

War is the occasion of Cruelty, Wickedness, and Injustice, yet an unwarlike Nation can enjoy no safe∣ty.

Since France, Spain, Italy, and Hol∣land have addicted themselves so much of late years to Trade, with∣out that Naval Force which Trade produces, we should be continually exposed to the Insults and Invasions of our Neighbours.

So that 'tis now become indispen∣sably our Interest, to encourage Fo∣reign Commerce, and inlarge it as much as possible.

Instead of loading that part of our Strength, we ought to court and nurse it up with all imaginable Art and Care; 'tis a coy and fantastical Lady, hard to win, and quickly lost.

With high Customs we spoil In∣dustry, discourage the Merchant, and may in time drive Trade to take some other Chanel; and there is

hardly an Instance to be given of a Nation, may be not of any single City, that having once lost Trade, could ever recover it.

War, and the Scarcity of Money, are sufficient Discouragements to Foreign Commerce, without bur∣thening it with new Impositions.

And perhaps it may be worth while to consider, whither hereafter, in time of a profound Peace, if part of the Customs were taken off, and some Excises given in their room, such an Exchange might not be very beneficial to the Nation.

If the Stock of the Merchant were greater, he would be in a Condition to have a bigger Trade. If it were not for the great Duties that must be paid for Customs, the same Stock would carry on double the Trade.

'Tis true, that excises would have the appearance of affecting Land more than Customs.

But 'tis, because the Views of Men are short, and generally confined to their own narrow Interest; and they do not duly consider how much their private Concerns depend upon the publick Welfare of Trade, and how much the Value of Land is improv'd since our Trade has augmented, even from Twelve to Twenty four years Purchase; nor how much more of their Product and Manufactures would be exported, if Trade wore free without Clog, and in its full Prosperity.

'Tis granted that Excises would something affect the Landed Man, who is the first Seller, but if the Customs were lessened, the Price of all Foreign Goods would diminish to the Buyer; and considering how great a Part that is of every Man's Expence, the Country Gentleman would get in the Shire what he looses in the Hundred.

In Nations, where the Govern∣ment cannot subsist without charg∣ing every thing, they lay perhaps great Customs; but, wherever the Publick can otherways be maintain'd, the Customs are low, for the En∣couragement of the Merchant, who deserves all Favor, as being the best, and most profitable Member of the Common-Wealth.

Of all the new Impositions, no∣thing is thought to lye so heavily on Trade, as the Duties upon the Tun∣nage of Ships. It seems to pull down at once a great part of what the Nation had been so carefully rearing up by the Act of Naviga∣tion.

And that Tax is an Instance, how much Compassion for private Cases does more prevail in this Country, than the Sense of Publick Good. For it was once designed to raise the Money, which was wanting at the latter end of the Sessions, by laying a

new Duty upon Wine; but be∣cause that was complained of as ve∣ry burthensome to the Spanish and Portugal Merchants, a Charge upon Tunnage was pitched upon, which in its Consequence may prove very per∣nicious to the General Trade of all England.