1756. 369 JOURNAL of the PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES in the POLITICAL CLUB, continued from p. 321. The next that spoke in the Debate begun in your loft was L. Virginius, whofe Speech was in Subftance thus. Mr. Prefident, SIR, I land, yet we have never heard of any complaint, that multitudes of our British spinners have been thereby thrown out of employment, which is, I think, a demonstration that our great woollen manufacturers have A been thereby enabled to fet up a greater number of looms, and to fell for exportation much larger quantities of woollen manufactures yearly. C F we were to allow nothing to be called a material for manufacture but what is in its original native form, even flax itself could not be called a material for manufacture; for it is never imported in its original native form, but muft al- B ways undergo fome fort of manufacture before it can be imported, or transported any where from the place of its growth. This muft convince us that feveral things may be called materials, notwithstanding their having undergone fome fort of manufacture, elpecially when by a further manufacture the value of them may be very much increased; and for this very reason yarn of all kinds has always been confidered by the legislature as a material for manufacture. The exportation of woollen D yarn has, we know, been prohibited ever fince we first began to prohibit the exportation of our wool, which is a proof of its having been always deemed a material for manufacture; and notwithstanding the regard we have always had, and always ought to have, for the publick revenue, yet in the 12th year of his prefent majefty's reign, we found it neceffary for the encouragement of our woollen manufacture to abolish all the duties payable upon the importation of woollen or bay yarn from F Ireland, which is another proof of our legiflature's having always looked upon woollen yarn only as a material for our woollen manufacture; and tho' great quantities of woollen yarn have been fince imported from IreAugust, 1756. E Now, Sir, if woollen yarn is to be confidered only as a material for our woollen manufacture, I fhould be glad to know why linen yarn is not to be confidered as a material for our linen manufacture. I am fure that by weaving, bleaching, and dreffing, a much greater addition is made to the value of linen yarn, than is generally made by weaving, dying, and drefling, to the value of woollen yarn, because it requires much more time and labour to bleach linen, than to dye any fort of woollen cloth, and the materials neceffary for the former coft as much as the materials neceffary for the latter, if we except fome few of the most expensive colours; therefore all forts of raw linen yarn ought to be looked on as a material for manufacture, rather than any fort of woollen yarn, and confequently the importation thereof deferves more the indulgence of the legislature; which is confirmed by the practice of all our neighbouring countries, and even of thofe where the nature of trade and manufactures is best understood. In France the exportation of their linen yarn is exprefsly prohibited, and the importa tion of linen cloth of all kinds is in a manner prohibited by the heavy duties that are laid upon it; but as to linen yarn they not only allow but encourage the importation of it from A a a لله 370 PROCEEDINGS of the POLITICAL CLUB, &c. C Aug. all countries. In the Auftrian Ne- it ought to be allowed, if we find therlands large quantities of linen that it cannot be produced in fuffiyarn are yearly imported, which are cient quantities by our own people. manufactured into linen cloth for The only fact therefore we have to their own confumption as well as for inquire into upon this occafion is, exportation, and alfo into chequered whether our own fpinners have hiand ftriped linens for the Spanish A therto been able to produce fuch and Portugal trade, or into bed-ticks quantities of linen yarn as were fuffifor exportation to Britain and Irecient for anfwering the demand of land. And in Holland they are fo all our linen manufacturers; and the far from difallowing or difcouraging great quantities of foreign linen yarn the importation of linen yarn, that that have been yearly imported, even confiderable quantities of linen cloth under the prefent high duties, is an are yearly brought thither from Ger- B inconteftable proof that this question many, and after being there bleach- muit be answered in the negative. ed and dreffed, are exported, and What was the reafon why we forfold in foreign countries under the merly granted bounties upon the exname of what we call Dutch Holportation of home-made linens ? lands; for the Dutch are fo wife as Was it not becaufe we found, from to catch at every manufacture by the great quantities of foreign linens which their people can make an ad- yearly imported, that our own linen vantage, and when they cannot in- manufacturers could not, or would grofs the whole of the manufacture not, fell their cloth fo cheap as foof any particular fort of commodity, reign linens, or could not make fuch they content themfelves with as much quantities as were fufficient for our of it as they can lay hold of, which home confumption, and much lefs we had fome years fince a notable for antwering the demand of our inftance of in the cafe of our white merchants who trade to Africa, Amewoollen cloths, which were export- rica, Spain, and Portugal ? Thereed to Holland, and after being dyed fore to induce more of our people there, were exported to other coun- to engage in that manufacture, we tries; and this practice became fo granted thofe bounties. And is not frequent, that at laft, in the year this the reafon why we are now to 1708, we were forced to lay a duty revive thofe bounties? But is it pofof 55. upon every white woollen fible to fuppofe, that our linen macloth, called broad cloth, that thould nufacturers can make greater quanafterwards be exported to foreign tities of linen, without being fupplied with greater quantities of linen yarn? Or that they can export any of their linens, if they pay a higher price for the yarn than can be made good to them by the bounties they are to receive upon exportation ? countries. D E In fhort, Sir, I believe, there is no country in Europe beides this, where raw linen yarn is prohibited to be imported, or loaded with any duty upon importation; butin France it is exprefsly prohibited to be exported, and in Ruffia it is prohibited to be exported without a licence from the government; from whence we muft conclude, that in all our neigh-G bouring countries it is looked on as a material for manufacture; and confequently, according to one of the, rules laid down by the Hon. gentleman himself, the free importation of 1756. PROCEEDINGS of the POLITICAL CLUB, &c. 371 quently if you increase the quantity muft hereafter confume. Having thus fhewn, Sir, that if the advanced price paid by the Britith manufacturer for his yarn, exceeds the bounty he is to receive upon the exportation of his homemade linens; the bounties now propofed to be granted can be of no fignification, the next queftion we are to confider is, whether this advanced price will exceed the bounty; and this, I think, cannot be made a queftion, if the prefent duties upon foreign linen yarn are to be continued, at least with respect to all linens of 5d. a yard, or under, which makes the principal branch of our linen exportati on to our own colonies in America, or to Spain and Portugal for their colonies in that quarter of the world, as this is the only fort made ufe of for covering the negroes. Now fuppofing, that a yard of this fort of linen will require Lut half a pound of yarn, the duty upon that half pound of yarn is a halfpenny, to which we must add the expence of bringing the yarn into this kingdom, and this upon fuch coarfe yarn we may reckon a farthing more. Thus the British manufacturer of coarfe linens must pay three farthings for every half pound of yarn he makes ufe of, more than is paid by the foreign manufacturer for an equal quantity of the fame fort of yain: I fay, for every half pound he makes ufe of; because if he could purchafe homefpun yarn cheaper than foreign, he would ufe none of the latter, and the preffing demand for the former will always keep it up at as high a price as the latter can here be fold for. Confequently, fuppofing he could have weaving and bleaching as cheap as it can be had abroad, yet every yard of his linen will coft him three farthings more than it costs the foreign manufacturer; and as he is to have but a halfpenny bounty upon exportation, it is evident, that the advanced price paid by the British manufacturer for his yarn, exceeds the bounty he is to receive upon exportation; which excefs, being at leaft a farthing upon every yard, will be upon all fuch linens at leaft five per cent. coft, more than foreign linens are loaded with; and this additional coft will render it impoffible for him to full his linens fo cheap at any foreign market as foreign linens of the fame fort may there be fold, which of course will prevent its beGing rouble for our British manufacturers to export any of their homemade linens, if the prefent duty upon fuch foreign linen yarn be continued. F Aaa z But, 372 PROCEEDINGS of the POLITICAL CLUB, &c. Aug. But, Sir, if you abolish this duty, and allow raw linen yarn to be imported duty free, the bounty propofed to be granted will have exactly the contrary effect: It will give to the British manufacturer an advantage of at least five per cent. at all A foreign markets, upon his linens of 5d. a yard, or under, and a much greater advantage upon all his linens of above 5d. and not exceeding 18d. a yard; and confequently all our home-made linens not exceeding 188. a yard, may be fold B at all foreign markets at least five per cent. cheaper than fuch foreign linens can be fold at fuch markets. This will of courfe induce fuch numbers of rich people to engage in the linen manufacture, and fuch a rivalship will by their numbers be C created among our linen manufacturers, that we may probably in a few years be able to fupply not only all foreign markets, but also all our own confumption, with all forts of linen, woven, bleached, and dreffed in Britain or Ireland; and I muft D obferve, that befides the weavers, there will always be great numbers of aged people and children employed in winding the yarn for the warp, and in winding quills for the loom, befides thofe employed in bleaching and dreffing the linen after it is woven. E Therefore, Sir, if it were to be fuppofed, that the free importation of raw linen yarn fhould diminish the number of our own people employed in fpinning, that diminution will be more than compenfated by F the additional number of perfons that will be employed in weaving, bleaching, and deffing the increased quantity of our home-made linens. But, Sir, I am far from thinking that there is the leaft ground for any fuch fuppofition: On the contrary, G I think, that we have good reason to expect an annual increase in the number of our fpinners. What is it that makes the people of any country induftrious? It is the furnishing them with a ready vent for the produce of their induftry, and convincing them by examples how much their happinefs may be increafed by an increase of their induftry; for otherwife the poor will never think of providing themfelves with more than the abfolute neceflaries of life from day to day. How is this vent to be furnished? How are thofe examples to be made? Never by the poor themfelves; but by fome of the rich engaging in trade, manufactures, or improvements, by which they give employment to the poor, and then the moft induftrious of the poor foon become examples to the reft. How was the woollen manufacture established in this kingdom: Before the reign of Edward III. most of our wool was exported to Germany or the Netherlands, and brought back to us in cloth of all forts: We had no weavers or spinners, but a few of the pooreft fort, and that only for their own immediate confumption: And it would to this day have remained fo, if no method had been taken, nor accident happened, to give a turn to the fpirit of the people. But that wife and great king, in the 11th year of his reign, got two laws pailed in parliament, by the firft of which it was enacted, that no cloths made beyond fea fhould be brought into the king's dominions, on pain to forfeit the fame, and to be further punished at the king's will; and by the other it was enacted, that all foreign clothworkers who fhould come into the king's dominions, fhould have the king's protection, dwell where they pleated, and have convenient franchifes granted them. By these two laws, Sir, fome of the rich foreign manufacturers were induced to come to fettle and fet up their manufacture in England; and |