Selected quad for the lemma: state_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A34349
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Considerations requiring greater care for trade in England, and some expedients proposed
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1695
(1695)
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Wing C5917; ESTC R18961
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10,283
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21
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about Sixty Years ago what stupendious Advances has she made And but for that Check given by the mistaken Politicks of extirpating Protestants how much greater might they not have been We might observe the same things of Portugal Florence Sweden and others but whereas they have been only under certain Princes and at certain Periods and followed by intervals of Relaxation besides that I suppose it no other Fate than has attended Common-wealths which have past their Zenith and declined I will observe that among the Princes of all those Nations before cited the wisest and bravest have given most Encouragement to Navigation and Commerce and in the Periods they have had their highest Ascendant Navigation and Commerce have rather contributed as a Cause than followed as an Effect only From all which Instances I infer there is nothing pertaining to the Essence of Monarchy which contradicts the Argument pleaded for As to England if Navigation be the Source of her Wealth and Wall of her Defence and after this War will be the only means of maintaining such a Fleet in readiness as can continue the Blessings of Liberty derived from our Ancestors and will be to us a better Security than Fortifications Garrisons and Armies and will establish on our Island the Glory of being the Balance of Europe 't is therefore concluded the greatest Interest we have to pursue and being no ways Injurious to Royalty we may promise our selves from His Majesty who has already acquired Heroick Immortality in our Rescue from Fatal Miseries whatever is needful to preserve us from the like in futurity And His Majesty's Gracious Concessions to Scotland in a late Act of Trade are a particular Pledge to us of his Royal Favour in any suitable Requests for England As I have referred the Reader already to several Books and Papers Printed of Trade to make some Computation of the Ballance of it so I must here to inform himself of the particular Incumbrances on it in general I beg leave to say that several Countries in Europe nay Monarchies give more Encouragement and study the Advancement of it more and if Traffick with us stand upon daily increasing Disadvantages in Comparison to other Nations 't is not like to remain long with us whether the Alteration of the Exchange lately to most Foreign Parts of near 20 per Cent. Prejudice to England be not a sad Symptom of her approaching Exit I leave others to Judge though if our own Naval Power and Wealth were to be continued without her that Consideration would have nothing of dismal in it 't is plain His Most Excellent Majesty sees clearly a Necessity of some new Provisions on this behalf by that Gracious Proposal of Laws for the Advancement of Trade in his Speech to this Parliament and for the Subject in cases wherein the usual Methods are not adequate to new Emergencies there our proper Remedy must be sought in Parliament The several disadvantages of Trade are not hereby proposed to be insisted on our Parliament is too Numerous a Body to have Particulars Examined Debated and Resolved the generality of her Members unacquainted with Trade the Houses taken up with multiplicity of Business besides a time of War is not seasonable for such a Disquisition howbeit some of her Grievances have already been touch'd and in part relieved by Parliament as in the Act appropriating 43 Convoys or Cruisers for Ensurance of Traffick near our Coasts during the War but alas there are most Conveniences in Port and those who buy Places are not over-officious to lose their Lives whereas the same under Direction of the Merchants might have saved probably above half our Losses The Sum of what is fit to be requested of our Representatives is for the Considerations herein before mentioned and for as much as the Ancient Boroughs of the Kingdom have desisted from the Original Scheme of sending Resident Members and no doubt in all regards except Trade more to the Kingdom 's benefit and it would be Interruption to other urgent Affairs in the Sessions of Parliament to descend into the detail of Merchantil That An Act might Pass to Constitute A Council of Merchants Sedentary at London and vested with Powers only adapted to Improvement and Security of home Manufacture and Foreign Trade for the future Only the allowable Passion of Love to his Native Soil and no particular Loss at Sea or Personal Interest in Traffick the Author no whit concerned dictates these Lines and he would rejoyce as much to see the End consulted by any other means as these here proposed I find on the Restauration King Charles promised to erect a like Council from his own Observation of the wonderful Benefit of such in Foreign Parts and need of it for the welfare of Trade in England In fine the Committees at Whitehall if composed of Merchants might have produced desired Effects The proper work of this proposed Council might be during War to offer Directions to the Admiralty for Assignation of the Convoys as best Judges of the dangers of Ships and prescribe time of Sailing to our most distant Voyages In Peace to enquire narrowly into the Balance of Trade with every Nation to examine due making of Manufactures to draw up Results and Methods for Improvement of Navigation and Commerce and intend studiously the welfare of them in every regard in some cases to determine of themselves in others to have recourse to the Privy-Council or Admiralty in others to digest Matters for Information or Sanction of Parliaments All which may be easily contrived to the vast emolument of the Kingdom without intersering I conceive with any part of our Constitution But if any love Contention I think whoever seeks an Interest for the People separate from that of the Crown and those who desire one in the Crown destructive to the People's are equally Publick Enemies and I wish there was in the Political the same Care Sympathy and Tenderness as is in the Members of a Natural Body It would be easie to accumulate particular Advantages from the Expedient mentioned to the King and Parliament distinctly besides the general ones already quoted and those peculiar to Tradesmen but suppose the Clergy and Nobility should not find herein any particular Interests yet the same Principles of Conscience and Honour which lead them in other things will direct to concur to the National in this and since it comprehends equal Provision for all Classes of Trade I exhort those concerned not to bury themselves so much in the welfare of their particular Companies or Personal Concerns as to despise or neglect that of others and future Ages no Man more auspiciously consulting Private Wealth by other means than by serving his Generation he may inward Peace and future Blessedness Wherefore let a Bill be tendred this Parliament with a Computation of Losses to the Port of London since the War as a Foundation of praying the above said Remedy and there is reason to hope Success since 't is no more than needs to set us on some tolerable Level with other Nations and perpetuate Wealth and Navigation which are the Security of England no more than right Reason dictates that Merchants should direct in Affairs of Traffick no more than the Nature and End of Customs warrant to expect no more than has been granted the Scots in their last Session of Parliament and His Majesty in his late Gracious Speech to ours invites to sue for and God forbid our chief Interest for preserving this Kingdom should through our own default be lost under the best King it has had some Hundred Years for however invaluable Blessings otherwise we enjoy under this Government they are all lodged in the Vessel of the Common-wealth and must Shipwrack with it FINIS Some Books lately Printed AN Essay on the State of England in Relation to its Trade its Poor and its Taxes for carrying on the War against France By John Cary Merchant in Bristol A Letter from an English Merchant at Amsterdam to his Friend at London concerning the Trade and Coin of England Sir Thomas Row's Speech at the Council-Table about the Alteration of the Coin in July 1640. With some Observations thereon Some Thoughts concerning the better Security of our Trade and Navigation and carrying on the War against France more Effectually Humbly offered to Consideration Some Remarks on a Report containing an Essay for the Amendment of the Silver Coins By Mr. William Lownds A New Discourse of Trade wherein is recommended several Weighty Points relating to Companies of Merchants the Act of Navigation Naturalization of Strangers and our Woollen Manufactures the Balance of Trade and the Nature of Plantations and their Consequences in Relation to the Kingdom are seriously discussed And some Proposals for Erecting a Court of Merchants for determining Controversies relating to Maritine Affairs and for a Law for Transferring of Bills of Debt are Humbly offered The Second Edition By Sir Josiah Child De Jure Maritimo Navali Or A Treatise of Affairs Maritine and of Commerce In Three Books The Fourth Edition By Charles Molly