wifh'd for its Deftruction upon no other View, but to affume to themfelves alone all the Commerce of the Auftrian Low-Countries and of all Germany, being apprehenfive that • other Nations might fhare thofe Two Bran'ches of Trade with them, in cafe the Har'bour of that Town were preferv'd, because it is the only Harbour on the Coalt from Oftend Weftward by which Commodities from foreign Countries may be brought into those • Provinces, which they defign to furround, as < it were with a Wall of Brafs, in order to fe" cure to themselves all the Trade thereof by the Scheld, the Lys, and the Rhine. And as it highly concerns Great Britain not to be ex⚫cluded from thofe Two Branches of Trade, · fo it very much concerns Great Britain to pre'ferve the Harbour of Dunkirk, by which means ' alone Great Britain can maintain its Com'merce in the faid Provinces.

Secondly, Suppofing that your Majefty's Subjects might, in fpite of the Defigns of the Dutch, carry on their Trade in the Auftrian Netherlands, by the Harbours of Oftend and Newport, yet they will not be able to hold it long in Competition with the Hollanders, both by reafon of the Conveniency and lefs Expence which the latter will find in carrying on their Commerce by the Scheld and the Lys, and the round about · way the other will be oblig'd to go. Whereas by preferving the Harbour of Dunkirk, the English would have that way Conveniencies almof equal to thofe the Dutch have; especially if your Majefly would, as you easily may, • obtain from the King a free Paffage Cuftom'free for all Commodities from England, from • Dan

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"Dunkirk to the Austrian Low-Countries, by 'the Way of Life and Douay.

Thirdly, If according to your Majefty's Re'folution the Harbour of Dunkirk be fill'd up, 'your Majesty's Subjects will thereby be excluded not only from the Trade of the Austrian Nether lands, but alfo from that of French Flanders, Hainault, Artois, and Part of Picardy, because they will have no other Harbour on all that Coaft, to import their Commodities into thofe Four Provinces, that of Calais being unferviceable to that Commerce.

" Fourthly, If the Demolition of the Harbour of • Dunkirk fhould not difcourage your Majesty's Subjects from the Trade of French Flanders, Hainault, Artois, and part of Picardy, and they 'fhould endeavour to fupply it by the Harbours of Oftend and Newport; they will however undergo infinite Inconveniencies to carry on that Trade, and thereby render their Commodities unmarketable, by reafon of the Ex6 pence of Carriage that will be treble, and by the treble Cuftoms and Duties they must pay, viz. to the House of Auftria upon their Entrance into thofe Harbours, to the Dutch in their Paffage to Furnes, Ipres, Menin, and other Towns in their Poffeffion, and to the King at their Entrance into his Dominions : Whereas by entring thofe four Provinces by the way of Dunkirk the Expence for Carriage will be finall, by reafon of the Conveniency of Canals, and they fhall only pay the fingle "Duty of Importation to the King.

Fifthly, By the Treaty of Commerce con⚫cluded between your Majefty, and his most Christian Majefty, the Tariff of 1671 has been

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⚫ preferved in the conquered Countries. This Tariff is far more favourable than that of 1664, which is to be obferved in all the other Harbours on the Western Coaft of France, and confequently the Commerce of your Majefty's Subjects is very much concerned in the Prefervation of the Harbour of Dunkirk, < fince that Harbour will make enjoy the Be'nefit of that Tariff for all the Commodities they fhall import there for the Consumption of the Provinces of Flanders, Artois, and 'Hainault; whereas if the fame Merchandizes 'be imported by other Harbours, they must pay the Duties according to the Tariff of · 1664.

Sixthly, To confirm to your Majefty how C advantageous the Harbour of Dunkirk is to 'the Trade of your Majesty's Subjects, the Sieur Tugghe has the Honour to present to your Majefty a Lift of Two hundred and Eighteen English Ships, which from the 15th of Auguft 1712. to the th of May, 1713. have · come into that Harbour, and unloaded their Cargoes there to the Value of above 'Two Millions of French Livres; praying at the fame time your Majefty to obferve firft, "That France being, during thofe Nine Months, in War with Holland, thefe Commodities could not be carried into the Auftrian Pro'vinces poffefs'd by the Dutch, and must have 'been vented and confumed only in the French.

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Provinces of Flanders, Hainault, and Artois, " and that in Time of Peace the faid Confump"tion, and confequently the Trade of England there, will very much encreafe. Secondly, That as the Dunkirkers could not furnish in

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Return or Exchange for the Commodities imported there, during thofe Nine Months, either any Manufactures or Commodities of their own Growth, because they have none, they were obliged to pay the whole Value of the fame in Money, and muft ever pay for 'them in fame manner, which is a moft confiderable Advantage in all forts of Traffick.

Seventhly, As it is not impoffible that in procefs of time, there may happen fome Rupture between Great Britain and Hol land, fo Great Britain in fuch a Conjunature, which God avert, will find it felf entirely deprived of the Trade to French Flanders, Hainault, Artois, and Part of Picardy, ⚫fince at fuch a time it will not be in the Power of your Majesty's Subjects to carry on the faid Trade by the Harbours of Oftendor Newport, not even under all the Inconveniencies and. Expences to which thofe Two Harbours do. naturally fubje&t them, because their Commodities could not from thofe Two Harbours. ⚫ be carried into the French Provinces, but by going through Places poffefs'd by the Dutch, who in all likelihood would not give them free Paffige. Thus in fuch a Conjuncture, · at least the Prefervation of the Harbour of • Dunkirk would be neceffary for the Trade of your Majefty's Subjects.

Eighthly, The Freedom of the Port and. Town of Dunkirk, in cafe your Majefty will • vouchsafe to alter the fevere Refolution you have taken against its Mole and Dykes, will enable your Majefty's Subjects to carry on. their Commerce with more Conveniency than. any other Nation in the Auftrian Provinces,

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of Flanders, Hainault and Brabant; in the • French Provinces of Flanders, Hainault, Artois and Picardy; and even in Germany by the. Staples and Store houses they may erect there, and which will facilitate their anfwering the • Demands of Commodities from all those re-, spective Countries pun&tually, and at proper • Times and Seafons.

Ninthly, Suppofing that the Oppofition which the Eighth and Ninth Articles of the • Treaty of Commerce concluded by your Majefty with France, has met with in the Houfe, of Commons of your Parliament, should take place, and deftroy the Arguments above alledg'd in favour of the British Trade by the "Way of Dunkirk, into the French Provinces;. yet the Reasons relating to the faid Commerce by the Way of Dunkirk, into the Au-. ftrian Low Countries and into Germany, by. means of a free Paffage, without paying any. 'Cuftom or Duties, would ftill fubfift, and may 'fuffice to let your Majefty fee, that the Prefervation of that Harbour, with its bare Mole and Dikes, defpoil'd of all manner of Forti'fications, will not only be most beneficial and advantageous, but even abfolutely neceffary to the Trade of Great Britain.

Tenthly, All fuch as have any tolerable Skill in Navigation know that Ships that are at 'Sea, can never have under the Wind too many Places of Retreat, either to shelter themselves against Storms when they happen to fall into them, or to repair their Loffes and, ' refit after they have fuftained ill Weather. The

Harbour of Dunkirk is one of thofe defirable, 'Retreats for Ships that fail to, or come from, • the

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