wearing of Silks which are Manufactured here of such Raw Silk as are the Returns of our Woollen and other Manufactures Exported as the Italian and Turkey Silks are is much more Beneficial to this Kingdom then if we wear them not for by this means we imploy double the number of People we should do if we were Clad in our own Manufactures Obj. That if we take not these Goods the Indians will let us have no Salt-petre Muslins White Calicoes Pepper Drugs Raw Silks and other Goods we want Answ This is such an Objection as scarce ever was made before by Mankind 't is just as if we should say we will not let the Venetians and other Nations we Trade with have our Lead Tynn c. because they will not take our Cloth The French have Prohibited all their Silks and Painted Calicoes above ten Years past yet have ever since Traded with the Indians for these Commodities and we believe never yet wanted Salt-petre c. and why they should refuse us these Goods is hard to imagine Obj. If this Bill pass it will be to the Advantage of the Scotch and Dutch who will bring in these India Goods among us at a much dearer Rate Answ One would think in common Reason there cannot be a more effectual Course taken to hinder that than by Prohibiting the wearing of them For if they may be freely worn the Scotch and Dutch will have a great Advantage because they pay little or no Duty to what our East-India Merchants must pay and the very hopes that the Persons who were concerned in promoting the Scotch Company had of vending the Wrought Manufactures in England was as we have good Reasons to believe one great cause for the setting-up that Trade For this is certain that some of the most zealous Promoters of that Company are the greatest Sticklers against this Bill Obj. That the Passing this Bill will discourage Navigation Answ This is a very strange Objection For one Ship of 500 Tons Freighted with these Goods will bring in above 1,000,000 l. worth at but 20 s. per pound which is a moderate Value many of these Silks being worth 3 and 4 l. per pound so that if this single Freight were worn here it will ruine above twenty times as much Shipping which is employed in the Coasting Trade to furnish the English Manufacturers and their dependance with Coles Corn Butter Cheese and other Necessaries as is easie to be more fully demonstrated Obj. If there be a multitude of Hands want Work the Herring Fishery would employ them Answ The Men Women and Children that are employed in the Woollen and Silk Manufactures are very unfit to catch Fish But since it is objected That if this Bill pass it will discourage Navigation here 's a proper Salvo for that Sore let the Merchants employ their Stock and the Seamen their time to catch these Herrings and then we are very sure they would be much better imployed for the Advantage of the Nation than they now are Obj. That if the East India Manufactures did greatly prejudice our own it is not adviseable they should be Prohibited in this time of War because of the Companies great Losses and Misfortunes and their want of Money Answ That the Company have met with great Losses must needs be grantâ—â— and that so great a Treasure fell into the Enemies hands has been of very Ill Consequence to the Nation and none knows but such Misfortunes may again attend them and therefore the less Trade of this kind in so dangerous a time the better for the Nation If they want Money so do the English Manufacturers and whether the Money we now have to Trade with shall be sent out to purchase Goods fully Manufactured for our own Consumption which may fall into the Enemies Hands or imployed to carry on our own Manufactures we think with humble Submission is no hard question to be resolved for nothing is more visible than that the East India Manufactures that have been lately Imported takes away great quantities of our Money which would otherwise be imployed in the purchasing of our own Silks and Stuffs and thereby give Imployment and Incouragement to many Thousand Families who are now in a starving condition Obj. The Clause in the Bill which lays the Proof on the Retailers is very unreasonable Answ Without this the whole Bill will be rendred ineffectual and therefore the like Clauses has been incerted in all Acts of this Nature as in our Prohibition of French Silks c. Obj. That if this Bill pass it will destroy the Credit of the Nation and greatly Injure those who have lent Money upon the Customs of the East India Goods Answ The Customs that are given for the Security of Moneys lent by the persons complaining which for the most part are Linnen Drapers and East India men consists not only of East India Goods but also of Wines Vinegar Brandy Tobacco all Linnens Wood Iron Oyl Flax Hemp Paper and abundance of other Commodities too numerous to be here incerted and the whole East India Trade has hitherto raised but a very inconsiderable part of the said Customs yet the Security has been well answered Now in case the Customs should be increased by a greater quantity of East India wrought Silks which must be worn here they will destroy our own Manufactures and thereby Impoverish not onely our Manufacturers and their dependants but the Nation in general by which means they will be disabled from consuming the Wines Brandy Tobacco and other Merchandize which will as we have great reason to believe much more weaken the same Security then this Bill can do And not only so but much lessen the Excise of Beer and Ale and other the Revenues and Taxes which are given to support a Just and Necessary War for the preservation of our Lives Liberties and Properties AN ANSWER to the most Material Objections against the BILL For Restraining East-India Wrought Silk c.