broad cloths; add to this, that the fame competition which would be ferviceable in higher branches, by rendering the goods cheap, muft here be prejudicial, because the original low price of the commodity would fink the neceffary reduction of profits beneath the merchant's confideration. An effort made at Penryn, in Cornwall, about 30 years ago, proved unfuccefsful for want of proper encou ragement, and almoft ruined the patriotic projector *. Ireland indeed, by being admitted to the advantages of the Methuen-Treaty, might in time, perhaps, be enabled to fupplant France in the drugget trade. But the circumftance of being underfold is not the only ground of apprchenfion for the fafety of trade, with thofe who draw their arguments from a comparison between the value of labour in different countries. The danger of emigration has been largely infifted upon, and fears have been fuggefted that manufactories will be transferred from a dear country, to one where the means of fubfiftence are cheap. It would be lofs of time to fhew the fallacy of fuch a fuppofition, and the abfurdity of conceiving that artificers of any clafs would voluntarily exchange high wages for low, or, in other words, would quit good provifions and comfortable habitations, for meagre fare and wretched hovels. In fact, the high price even of the neceffaries of life, has feldom been injurious to the progrefs of induftry, nay, in fome inftances it has been the means of calling forth new and fuccefsful exertions of labour and skill, and has led to very important difcoveries in arts and manufactures. It was when the Piedmontefe were oppreffed by the taxes and exactions of the SFORZAS, who for fome years perfifted in heavy affeffments of their harvests, and their markets, that they firft carried their fabrics of filk to a degree of refinement and expedition, by the introduction of mechanism into fome parts of the process, that no European country was able to enter into competition with them +. It is not difficult in fhort to conceive, that in a state where the balance between the prices of labour and of wages is left to regulate itfelf, and is never made the object of civil policy, the rate of common subsistence and of the conveniences of life may be fo low as to prevent any improvement in manufactures, if not

I will not fuppofe fo little virtue to be in that part of England, as the author of Propofitions for improving the manufactories, &c. of Great Britain, in 1763, would infinuate, when he fays, "this gentleman was almost ruined, becaufe he thought it his duty to vote against the prefent reprefentatives of the borough of Penryn, at the last general election," p. 32.

MURATORI, Differt. VII. Tom. III. It is through them we are indebted to this circumftance, perhaps, for LoмBE's ftupendous Machine, on the river Derwent, near Derby. He procured a model of it in Piedmont, by working under the difguife of a common weaver. -By 5 Geo. II. c. viii. Sir T. LOMBE obtained 14,000l. as a reward for this fervice to the ilk manufactory. The machine contains 26,586 wheels, and 97,746 movements, which work 73,726 yards of organzine filk thread every time the water wheel goes round, which it does thrice in a minute. Its erection in this country was confidered as fuch an injury to Piedmont, that an Italian artist, it is faid, was fent over to England to affaffinate the proprietor.

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entirely

entirely to exclude them. In opulent countries fuperior skill may often countervail the effect of high wages. This is obvious in all thofe articles where labour and materials are the leaft part of the value, and may be exemplified in most of the articles in the warehoufes of Manchester and Birmingham.'

As the general merit of this treaty, and the various objects of it, are now under national confideration, where all interefts, all hopes, and all apprehenfions, will unite in fo important a difcuffion, we leave the fubject, after giving our opinion that this Writer offers many hints neceffary to prepare his readers for forming an unbiaffed idea of the expediency of cultivating a good commercial underftanding with our neighbours. N Art. 28. Helps to a right Decifion on the Merits of the late Treaty,

&c. 8vo. IS. Debrett. 1787.

This writer is an advocate for the treaty, and offers fome points of confideration that are totally overlooked by thofe who view the meafure through the medium of popular prejudice. If it be only as matter of curiofity, let us fee what he has to fay on the subject of our antipathy to our next-door neighbour.

Those who are fo fond of giving Great Britain a natural enemy in the Houfe of Bourbon, ought, one would think, to find her fome natuval friends among the other powers of Europe; and it is much to be regretted, that none thought fit to difcover themselves when the ftood fo much in need of them in the courfe of the laft war: Where was the grateful Houfe of Auftria? our firm allies the Dutch and the moft faithful King of Portugal, in the hour of our diftrefs? The truth is, we have been too long the dupes of our own prejudices, and of the artifices of fuch as called themselves our friends, and it is high time we recovered our fenfes.

If France has been hoftile to us in her negociations fince the peace of Utrecht, it was we who made her fo, by treating her as our enemy: when we were allying with Auftria against her, and fubfidizing every little prince in Germany, to hold troops in readiness to attack her; was the to blame for ftirring us up enemies in Afia and America, or finding us work at home? What but the moft determined prejudices could have hurried us into the war of 1739 with Spain, which was the forerunner of the French war in 1744; at the merchants cry of no fearch of their illicit traders, and the patriots yell for the lofs of Jenkins's ears which were never taken from him? And who will now be hardy enough to affert, that it was the interest of Great Britain, to make fettlements beyond the Allegany Mountains in America; or that we had any bufinefs to interrupt the French in eftablishing a communication by water between their provinces of Canada and Louisiana? Yet what other grounds were there for the war of 1755?'

He thus extenuates the fupport given by France to the Americans during the late revolt:

France certainly entered into the laft war without the fhadow of justice on her fide; but while we admire and applaud the wisdom of our Elizabeth, in abetting the Dutch in their revolt from Spain, becaufe that power was deemed then her natural enemy; ought we not to allow it equally wife in France to avail herfelf of a like opportu nity

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nity to weaken Great Britain, who had held herself out to her in the fame character? I mean not to palliate, much lefs to juftify the breach of faith and unprovoked hoftility in either inftance; but I with my countrymen to reflect, that however France may merit the epithet of faithless, plain honest John Bull is not perfectly immaculate.'

On the fubject of the commercial regulations at Utrecht, he obferves, that the Utrecht treaty made no ftipulation for the admiffion of our woollens into France; but that important article of our exports was left to the chance of a future negociation, which is not the cafe in the late treaty, as their admiffion is effectually provided for in the tariff. And our trade with Portugal, which was facrificed by the Utrecht treaty, will probably be revived by the provifions in the prefent, refpecting that kingdom; for we have moft wifely referved the power of giving her wines the full benefit of the Methuen treaty, on the condition of her reftoring to us the advantages it ftipulated in favour of our manufactures; and which fhe in fo many inftances has moft flagrantly contravened,

These are effential differences between the two treaties, and intitle the latter to the fulleft approbation of Parliament, although the former was justly reprobated.'

The particular merits of this treaty he deems it needless to enter into further, as it is now taken up by the Chamber of Manufacturers, in whofe hands he leaves it, with a wifh that they may confine their publications to their refolutions. N. Art. 29. The Neceffity and Policy of the Commercial Treaty, &c. confidered. By Anglicanus. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Richardfon. This appears to be the production of a fenfible, well informed writer, as far as we can judge from the internal evidence of an anonymous publication. After a retrospective view of the American war, and the lofs of the exclufive trade with our late colonies, the writer pleads the neceffity of opening new channels for our manufactures, and fhews that France offered one into which they now actually force themselves, even under all prohibitions. Among other clandeftine transactions, he inftances our trade in cambrics. An attempt,' fays he, has been made to excite a clamour against that article which allows of the importation of cambrics into England under certain restrictions;-an article which merely legalizes what is every day committed with impunity, and which cannot be prevented. Every linen-draper's fhop in England abounds with this commodity, imported in defiance of law; and furely much praise is due to the minifter, who converts an unavoidable evil into a public benefit. Those who imagine that a yard of cambric will be imported, more than what has been hitherto annually fmuggled, must have but a very flender knowledge of this branch of trade, and have paid very little attention to the conftant and enormous demand of this article among all ranks of people.-The poor deception which the cunning of trade employs to evade the vigilance of the revenue, is too grofs to impofe even upon the most illiterate tide-waiter-we all know that long-lawn means cambric; but call it by what name you pleafe, the fact of its having been a commodity prohibited by the laws, will always exift.

Its importation being authorized, will neither injure the revenue nor the manufacturer: no more of it will be imported than what would have been, had the prohibition continued; confequently the revenue becomes benefited, at all events, by the reftriction being taken off. But if the manufacturer at home wishes, for the encouragement of his own, to have the prohibition of foreign cambrics continued, let his ingenuity and induftry be ferioufly directed to render it as fine as thofe from Cambray; and this will operate more forcibly in his favour, and difcredit foreign cambrics more effectually, than all the penal laws that intereft and refentment can devife.'

With regard to the woollen trade, he relates an anecdote very flattering to our fuperiority in that article:

The King of Sardinia, a very fhort time fince, directed his minifter at the Court of Verfailles to bespeak a piece of the best superfine blue cloth that could poffibly be made in France for his own wear; and no pains were neglected to render it worthy of his royal approbation; but, as every thing is known in that country, it could not remain a secret at court: and his moft Chriftian Majefty defiring to fee it, he found it of fuch exquifite fineness, that he had not only a coat cut off from it for himself, but alfo for the Count d'Artois and Monfieur; after which the remainder was dispatched to Turin, with an apology for the toll that had been taken. The cloth, on its arrival at the Sardinian court, was univerfally admired, and acknowledged to be the very perfection of human art by every body to whom his Majefty fhewed it, except a nobleman, high in his confidence, and who had refided fome time in England. He declared, without ceremony, that English cloth furpaffed it in point of colour, fineness, and ftrength of texture; and that he would engage to produce a piece of fuperior quality, and without faying for whom it was intended, or ordering it exprefsly to be made. This was declared to be prejudice, and he was commanded to put his affertions to the proof.

A piece of broad-cloth was accordingly fent for from London, and its fuperiority was fo evident, that his Majefty defired to have part of it; and what added to his aftonishment was, that after the duty on importation was paid, the freight to Nice, and land-carriage afterwards to Turin, it cost one-third less than the French cloth, which came free of all expences.

• This anecdote, fo flattering to our woollen trade, was communicated to me by the Sardinian nobleman, whofe love of truth, and affectionate attachment to this country, induced him to contraft the manufactures of England and France, and convince his fovereign of the fuperiority of thofe of the former over thofe of the latter.'

A table is fubjoined of the annual imports of English goods into the Auftrian Netherlands, and alfo of what paffes through the Low Countries into other foreign states, with the duties exacted on each article; leading to an idea of what we may expect when the intire kingdom of France is opened to us.

Anglicanus is a lively writer, and indulges him felf freely at the expence of Meffrs. North, Fox, and Sheridan.

Art. 30. A View of the Treaty, &c. 8vo. 2s. Debrett." In a great national queftion, which has for its object the converfion of hereditary feud into amicable intercourse, it may be hoped

the

the liberality of the age that dictated the negociation, will not allow low popular prejudices to have the leaft weight in the determination. If the ruling powers on each fide begin to think it better to cultivate a friendly understanding, than to maintain perpetual hoftility, fhould the trial be over-ruled by the vulgar cry of No, No! Damn the French? Cut away; we are natural enemies, and Great Britain will be ruined, if we venture even to shake hands with them! The only question then that remains, is the establishment of equitable and prudent terms to regulate the intercourfe; and this is referred to the only parties competent to the truft, the reprefentative body of the whole nation. As to political caution against a powerful neighbour, that will remain to operate as ufual against all the powers of Europe, without requiring the bitterness of unmanly fpite against any one.

The fpirit with which the prefent Writer views the treaty in queftion, may be conceived by his declaring, that a fenfible Briton would do noble justice to the French. Penetrated with their confequence, he would refpect their virtue-but while he revered their merit, he must regret their power. A Frenchman in private life would have his efteem and love; but the French nation he would perfecute in every quarter of the globe! Any benefit France gained, though it were in Lapland, he would deem an evil to Great Britain; and any direption of ftrength or influence from that nation, as o much acquifition to his own."

To all readers who adopt this fentiment we may venture to recommend the pamphlet in which it is avowed; and the Author will agree with us in thinking the view he takes of the treaty will be amply fufficient, without looking any farther. But as fome may incline to pause a while before they fubfcribe to fuch doctrine, we fhall proceed a little for their farther fatisfaction.

After premifing the maxim, that trade will find its own proper channel, he reviews the attempts of Charles II. and James II. to open a trade with France; and he decides upon the events that the market of France does not appear to be the proper channel for the trade of Great Britain:-and yet, is it not known that there is a channel fufficiently wide, occupied by fmugglers on both fides * ?

The tranfitory poffeflion of fuperiority in manufactures forms another objection to the treaty but are we then not to avail ourselves of prefent advantages, becaufe they may not be permanent? The treaty is not like a law of the Medes and Perfians, never to be altered.

In brief, according to the prefent writer, the French are to drive us out of every branch of our trade! And, in fober truth, this may be done, if they furnish us with other commodities at the fame rate as, according to him, they do cabinet ware. Our cabinet ware has but little profpect indeed of a market in France; but runs in reality no flight risk of being itself confiderably injured at home, by the importation of theirs; which look fo beautiful, and are perhaps one hundred per cent. cheaper t.' Affuredly there is no ftanding a competition with a nation who, perhaps, can afford to give their goods away gratis!

*See pamphlet, p. 84. 116.

Pamphlet, p. 62.

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