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A88298 Seasonable observations humbly offered to his highness the Lord Protector By Samuel Lambe of London, merchant. Lambe, Samuel. 1657 (1657) Wing L229; ESTC R225308 27,318 26

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are seldom ensured But if any English Ship of force go the same voyage such single Dutch Ship went seldom any insurance is made except she be missing or her safety doubted because they usually go safer being better provided of men and other necessaries for defence against the danger of Enemies and bad Weather and also before the said Act the Hollanders served us with the Commodityes of other Nations in their own Ships both in England and in our Western Plantations while our English Ships lay in harbour for want of employment till they were inserviceable and our Marryners took employment of the Hollanders to saile their Ships to get their lively hoods to the great loss and dishonour of the English Nation and since the said late Act how diligent the Hollanders have been notwithstanding the same that to their cost a whole Fleet of them together were surprized trading at the Barbadoes and forfeited according to the penalty of the said Act which shews how well they like Trading with us with forreign Goods in their own Ships that though they dared not bring any for England fearing the penalty of the said Act yet they would run so great an hazard to serve our Plantations peradventure intending to over-awe the penalty of Confiscation by continually having a greater power in Shipping there than we had that if a seizure had been attempted by the English there they might have over-powered them and made such an attempt of no effect not once dreaming that a Fleet of Men of War would stop there to seize them in their way to Sancta Domingo and Jamaica Now although the said Act hath breathed some refreshing to the decaying Trade of the English Nation yet it hath not altogether cured her of her disease as will be shewn hereafter besides the present abuse not look't into as ought to be in entring Strangers Ships in English mens names in the Custome house It hath been also observed how industrious the English Nation are and have been not only in contriving and building convenient and strong Ships for burthen swift sayling and of force but also in mannaging the same as well in single fights in Trade for defence against Pyrats and in Fleets in publick Wars with a forreign Enemy to their perpetuall honour and terrour of their Adversaries Witness the many single fights at Sea against the Turks to whom it is beleived the Dutch lose ten Ships for our one and the remarkable Sea-fights against the Hollanders themselves in the late Wars wherein many Merchants Ships from about 300. Tuns to about 500. Tuns did engage against the Enemy with the States Ships and Frigots to our great advantage which at that time would have been much wanted if they had not been built The Enemy notwithstanding much overnumbring us every fight in Ships and Tunnage and yet supplyed their loss of Ships daily taken and destroyed by us assisting their Men of War still with their Merchant Men of equall force and burthen and some bigger such as they usually send to the East Indies which foregoing passages shew the excellent use of English Shipping and the necessity of increasing them which cannot be done no way so well as by Trade for War is known to be chargeable hazardous and bloody therefore how ought Trade to be cherished maintained and increased with all power diligence and invention that can be contrived Secondly If we take into consideration the state and condition our Trading-Shipping were in before the late Wars in England we may find by the East India Companies account that they alone did employ in that trade at once 15000 Tunns of Shipping which were accounted to be of the best sort of Trading-Shipps belonging to England of the burthen of about 300 Tunns to about 600 Tunns But the old Company were at last so decayed in their shipping through the discouragement of Trade and undermining of the Dutch and other casualties that they had hardly one good Shipp remaining at their giving over So the last new Company thought it better to freight shipps for their employment which they alwayes did rather than build any But now if the new established Company will freight Ships also not build they will finde very few of force and burthen fitting for that employment For I cannot hear for about these ten years past that a Trading-ship of about 400 Tunns hath been built in England those few that have been built within that time seldom were so big as 200 Tuns but I believe ten for one of less burden which with other slight Ships that are usually ensured do supply that little Trade the Dutch have left the English Nation in the Straits which in former times used to employ by estimation not less than about 80. or 100 sale of good Ships of about 3. and 400. Tunns burthen each Ship and upwards but now the English Trade will not maintain and employ Ships of such burthen and defence which is the reason so many small ones have been taken by the Spaniards of St. Sebastians Majorca and other places And I have formerly known many Ships of the like burthen built and equipped in England purposely to send to Venice to let out to that State for Men of War to serve them against the Turks but the Hollanders soone eate us out of that employment also by serving them with Ships of equall burthen with ours for less freight than we could with our Ships which they might afford to do for the reasons hereafter declared And whereas the Company of Merchant Adventurers trading for Hamburgh used yearly to send about twenty good Ships thither chiefly laden with the Manufactures of England the Vent whereof gave great employment to many Tradesmen besides the poor but this year they have sent onely one Ship from London the last shipping and the Goods of that Ship will not go off neither and the Wooll that makes these Manufactures that usually sold for about 10 d. per pound is sold now as I heare for 6 d. or 7 d. which shews a great alteration and deadness of Trade which at this time is the generall and daily compliant of all Tradesmen of what profession soever the like might be instanced in our shipping-Trading for the East Countrey and other places where we send one now formerly we sent ten at least the continuance whereof will much decrease the strength of the English shipping and is an apparent signe of the generall decay of the forreign Trade of England which ought to be so well mannaged and incouraged without delay as that we should equall if not exceede all other our Neighbour Nations so if any one Nation grow greater in power than another so as the weaker become subject to the conditions of that one greater Nation either in State-affairs or government of Trade how ready then will other Nations be to endeavour to make their own termes or to be ready to make a prey of such a declined people and if the case were ours would
their conveniencie and ease to attain riches Also those that would be thought to be rich will for the same reasons and both to gaine support and increase their credit To the second it is hoped that his Highness the Lord Protector to further so good a Worke will be pleased to consent to a Law to be made as aforesaid that no supream Governour may seize molest or disturbe the Bank upon any occasion whatsoever under a great penalty That till a Bank be setled and take such effect as is hoped it may to remedye the evills before mentioned that a capable honest person be appointed by his Highness the Lord Protector to reside at London to take Account of the entryes of all Ships there and also to take care that no strangers Ships be entred as now dayly are contrary to the Act for increase of Navigation and that the said Officer do over-see and keep account of all the entryes of all ships in all other Ports throughout England And also prevent as much as may be transporting English wool and Fullers earth and entring Strangers Goods in English mens names which is a great prejudice to the English Nation and the said Officer to have such fitting Sallary allowed him by the Commissioners of the Custome house as shall be appointed or such other allowance to be paid by the Master of each Ship as formerly they did and do now desire to do without charge to the State according to a Table of Fees as was usually paid by them before Colonell Harvy was a Commissioner A POST-SCRIPT IT is objected that the East-India Company trading into the East-Indies is unprofitable to the English Nation because they send out of England so much money thither to drive that trade that it hath wasted the English coins and impoverished the Land It is answered that if the Dutch do not disturb the English in that trade it is probable they may be furnished from their Factory at Cormanteen on the gold coast in Guienne and from China with gold enough also from Japan with silver to carry on that trade as the Dutch themselves do and then there will be no occasion to send any out of England to the prejudice thereof But admit the said Company should have occasion yearly to transport forreign coins thither out of England they should but imitate the painful husband-man who sowes his seed in the ground that he may reap it again with advantage in the harvest when the earth liberally returns her grateful crop For admit they send out of England into East-India to the value of 1000 l. in silver gold or both which there they invest into the Commodities of that Countrey as Indicoe Spice Callicoes Salt-peter Drugs c. And when the said Commodities do arrive in England which cost the Company the said 1000 l. in probability they may yield here about 2000 l. clear of all charges which the said Company or other Merchants that buy that Commodity of them do send into Spain in time of Peace Italy or other Countries for England cannot spend all that they bring in and when the said Commodities are there sold peradventure the said 2000 l. worth may yield about 3000 l. ready money which from thence hath been usually brought into England for returns in specie so that instead of the 1000 l. transported about 3000 l. is imported and so proportionably for a greater or lesser summe to the great profit and advantage of England besides the imployment of so much war-like shipping as they send thither maintaining many trades belonging thereunto the increase of so many Marriners as they breed up and imploy in that shipping and the vending English Manufactures and return of others imploying many trades here and increase of the revenues and customs For It is presumed that that Nation which hath most warlike shipping and Marriners will command in chief at Sea and he that commands the Sea may command trade and he that hath the greatest trade will have the most money which is of such value that it doth command all worldly things both in War and Peace In the former besides the procuring all necessaries thereunto how many Garrisons hath it opened and relieved how many battails hath it helpt to win and what secrets hath it not discovered out of the inwardest counsels of great Princes In the latter as it doth maintain Commerce so the want of it doth decay it as sad experience doth manifest in England since there hath been so little left and so much transported as may appear by the great payments in Holland in half crowns and there and in France in 20. and 22 s. pieces that now at London 20 s. in gold will cost 22 s. in silver and that little silver that is remaining and passing in the Countreys so clipt and fil'd that most of it wants near a fift penny in weight And as money is the sinew of War so doth it appear to be the life of trade all Commodities being valued by it and in both as useful in the body Politick as blood in the veins of the body natural dispersing it self and giving life and motion to every part thereof so that the preservation and increase thereof doth speedily deserve the serious and grave consideration of the highest Authority in England for as the case now stands who will import any bullion into England to coin when they may have a better price for it in another Countrey and if any be imported who will sell it to the Mint while it is lawfull for the Gold-smiths or any other to give a better price for it than the Mint can and when the Gold-smiths have bought it do they not sell it again to Transporters or others to work into Manufactures as gold and silver spangles wyre c. which is no small consumption yearly in such trades so that little is Minted to increase the coins but on the contrary it is suspected to be dimininished by culling out the heaviest money to work into plate and the like Manufactures above mentioned By which it may appear that the East-India Company have not wasted but rather increased the English coins for they use none of it to transport in any Manufactures and if they had sent any so far off it would not have been had again so plentifully in the same kind in our Neighbour Countreys as now it is But it may be suspected that the common Transporters of Bullion out of England do raise this report to keep themselves from suspition while they secretly make it their trade to send it away till it be so near consumed through want of a fitting course to cause the bringing of it in and good Laws to prevent carrying it out and care in executing them for how easily may the intent of many of our Laws of light penalty be abused by any that is resolved to break them without they were made more severe especially in matters of so great concernment It being accounted a great scandal
to any of credit to inform against any that breaketh them though it be never so much to the prejudice of the whole Nation and if a needy person do it a small bribe in hand with a few fair promises of friendship will easily take him off the troublesome and chargeable prosecuting for his proportion due to him by the Law so broken And to avoid this charge and danger how many do purposely imploy their confidents who may peradventure be concerned in the same breach to make or enter an Information of the matter only and there cease resolving not to prosecute any further least he indanger his own or his friends safety and this may be done before hand only to prevent any that shall really attempt to inform of it afterwards Besides the practice suspected to be now used to imploy Dutch shipping as much as ever to bring home Spanish goods by colourably making bills of sale of them in trust to the Freighters to secure them against the Act for increase of Navigation But in a good government of trade these inconveniences may be prevented according as occasion requireth and restrain that too much freedom in trade by some desired which is the way to destroy all trade and bring in confusion For As Discipline in Arms so Government in Trade preserves good Orders and prevents confusion for which purpose Armies are divided into Regiments Troups and Companies Squadrons and Divisions and to keep them in better order they have By-laws distinct and apart from the standing Laws of the Countrey for which they serve So in Trade the Merchants of London trading in several parts of the World are divided into several Companies who respectively have By-laws and Orders among themselves for their better Government in which capacity they are best able to understand what quantities of Commodities are sent to the place where they trade and knowing how much will vent may accordingly supply the market at reasonable rates and modest profit with so much as is necessary That neither by sending too little of English Manufactures as by their scarcity to advance the price at too dear a rate thereby causing the buyers to learn and indeavour to make themselves of the same kind at a lower price or have them from another Countrey which may in the end hinder making them in England if not totally ruine the trade to that place Nor by sending more than can be uttered to clog the market as in former ages till prevented and so disparage and undervalue the English Manufactures to the Merchants loss by dishonourably offering them to sale in shops at an under rate as hath lately hapned in Holland with other inconveniences since some have taken too much liberty to interlope in the trade of the Merchant Adventurers Company And as their ancient continuance in a thriving condition commends their good Orders and Government so the ratifications and confirmations of their priviledges by several Princes and Authorities since their first institution not without much opposition declares the necessity of their incorporation for their better Government and venting English Draperies But as for forreign Commodities transported or such native Commodities as are no where else to be had of the same kind but from England the more is gained by them the more the Merchants are inriched in recompence of their painful labours and dangerous adventures and consequently the whole Nation for besides the danger of the Seas they many waies run great adventures by bad debts imbargoes c. giving more credit generally in goods to other Nations than they do to us In this the Dutch are a good example to us who have served almost all Europe with East-India Commodities to their great profit and advantage having much of them cheifly in their own hands as Nutts Cloves Mace and Cinamon bringing such quantities home as by their experience they guesse will yearly serve this Quarter of the World and feed the Market therewith as their ruling price And by their late practice at Bantam in seizing three English Ships there with their loading peaceably trading thither It may be suspected they intend to get all the Pepper also into their own hands if not the whole East-India Trade and then we may be weakened by so many Ships and Marriners as may be employed thither they well knowing how advantageous that trade may be to us being so prudently managed as now it is that thereby we may be able not only to serve our selves with those Commodities but other Nations also on as good tearms as themselves Moreover the orderly management of Trade by Companies will make an easier discovery yearly which exceeds the Import or Export which in a confused trade nor incorporated is not so soon discerned as in the Trade with Spain at this time by importing such great quantities of Fruits and Wines at a dear rate to the enriching of our Enemies and exporting so few English Manufactures and those sold at a low rate and which the Spaniards have prohibited since the Wars that instead of bringing Bullion thence for returnes from Cales and St. Lucar it is carryed thither as is suspected into his Dominions to pay for part of those Commodities at Malaga c. to the impoverishment of our selves For where the forreign goods imported exceed the native expotted the ballance must be made up with money transported or by exchange which is a loss to the Nation not only by the money so transported but by the want of vent of so much native Comodities as should be exported to answer the value of those imported which may be compared to a man having an Estate of 1000 l. per annum and spends yearly above it As the affairs of Princes do alter and change according to time and advantage so doth the course of trade and the better to inspect the course of trade some Princes in tender care thereof have an Officer residing in their Courts to give an accompt yearly thereof as hath been done formerly in England or so often as called the●eunto and as occasion requireth and also to hear complaints and move for redresse in the Merchants just grievances making it his businesse to intercede for them at convenient opportunities without making way by a favourite with a chargeable reward for where many men are interessed in one matter it is often times known to miscarry through neglect which makes good the saying that every mans business is no man's business Besides which if it be thought fitting that such a Council for trade of Merchants exercised therein with some Statesmen or Civillians conjoyned as in my foregoing proposals is described they may with Gods blessing on their endeavours regulate and restore trade by preparing and setling if impowered thereunto such fitting remedies for all grievances therein as may exceedingly enrich and advantage the whole Nation By setling and managing a Bank not only for the usefulnesse but rather necessity thereof as is before related and also to countermine the Dutch in their governing the price of Exchanges by the power of their Banks to the great prejudice of the English who with a Bank may rule it as well as they To hear and have power to determine controversies arising among Merchants in matters of trade To report their opinions whether it be needfull to raise the value of the English coins equal or above the rate of what they are in our Neighbour Countreys or contrive other waies to encourage the bringing of them in again and set the Mint to work To consult about strengthening the Laws against transporting Bullion English wool and Fullers earth the Law for increase of Navigation and all other Laws concerning trade and put them in effectual execution To strengthen the priviledges of the respective Companies of Merchants already established and if it be thought fit to incorporate the Merchants trading respectively into several Countries not yet incorporated To find out a way for better vent of raw silk and other Commodities imported which much imployes many people besides Silk-weavers whose Families are much impoverished for want of imployment by the importation of much riboning out of France since the Peace And many other for encouragement of Trade besides what is before mentioned which they may discover to be advantageous to the whole Nation and do deserve to be enlarged by a more skilful hand Printed at the Authors charge for the use and benefit of the English Nation and to be considered of and put in execution as the High Court of Parliament in their great wisdoms shall think meet January 27. 1657 ERRATA PAge ● l. 6. r. that p. 3. l. 14. r. it p. 7. l. 45. r. in trade p. 10. l. 46 r. unmercifully p. 12. l. 1 r. consigned p. 13. l. 21. r. caused l. 45. r. a publick