An alarum to England to prevent its destruction by the loss of trade and navigation; which at this day is in great danger. Submitted to consideration in time.

THE PREFACE.

TIS certain that Trade in Ge∣neral is a Great Benefit to, and a Main Support of any Nation; and the Wollen Manufacture of this in particular: Therefore 'tis of Great Con∣cernment, to endeavour by all means pos∣sible, to preserve and increase it. But to our Sorrow, we have our Ears fill'd with daily Complaints of the great Decay of it; and the most effectual means to find out a Remedy, is to enquire into the Cause. I did in the Year, 1669. express my Fears to King Charles II. of a great Decay of our Wollen Manufacture; by what I Observ'd then, and by woful Ex∣perience we have found it come to pass.

I have in the following Papers endea∣voured to represent the Causes of it. And the General Cause I have observ'd to be, the Trading into those Parts, whither but little of our own Manufacture is exported; and the Returns of Forreign Commodi∣ties to us, are made by purchase with our Money. The Particulars of which, I have instanc'd in our Trade with France; which during the Two Last Reigns, gave them the Advantage of near Four Milli∣ons per Annum of our Money; while but little of our Manufactures was ex∣chang'd for theirs. The like is instanc'd in the East-India Trade, which is mainly carried on by our Money, and the Calli∣coes, &c. which are imported from thence; not only hinder our own Manu∣factures at Home, but lay a Foundation of the Loss of our Trade in the Wollen Ma∣nufacture, both with Flanders and Ger∣many. This Mr. T. Smith has hinted, in a Sheet he wrote the last Year, concern∣ing the East-India Trade; shewing how

prejudicial it was to our Silk and Wollen Manufactures, which at present are well setled among us. It tends to our Impo∣verishment, by taking away the Employ∣ment of our Poor; depopulates the Na∣tion, lessens the Value of Lands and Houses; and exposes us thereby to the Contempt of our Neighbours.