1703； the pitch and tar company of Sweden endeavoured to raise
the price of their commodities to Great Britain； by prohibiting
their exportation； except in their own ships； at their own price；
and in such quantities as they thought proper。 In order to
counteract this notable piece of mercantile policy； and to render
herself as much as possible independent； not only of Sweden； but
of all the other northern powers； Great Britain gave a bounty
upon the importation of naval stores from America； and the effect
of this bounty was to raise the price of timber in America much
more than the confinement to the home market could lower it； and
as both regulations were enacted at the same time； their joint
effect was rather to encourage than to discourage the clearing of
land in America。
Though pig and bar iron too have been put among the
enumerated commodities； yet as； when imported from America； they
were exempted from considerable duties to which they are subject
when imported from any other country； the one part of the
regulation contributes more to encourage the erection of furnaces
in America than the other to discourage it。 There is no
manufacture which occasions so great a consumption of wood as a
furnace； or which can contribute so much to the clearing of a
country overgrown with it。
The tendency of some of these regulations to raise the value
of timber in America； and thereby to facilitate the clearing of
the land； was neither； perhaps； intended nor understood by the
legislature。 Though their beneficial effects； however； have been
in this respect accidental； they have not upon that account been
less real。
The most perfect freedom of trade is permitted between the
British colonies of America and the West Indies； both in the
enumerated and in the non…enumerated commodities。 Those colonies
are now become so populous and thriving that each of them finds
in some of the others a great and extensive market for every part
of its produce。 All of them taken together； they make a great
internal market for the produce of one another。
The liberality of England； however； towards the trade of her
colonies has been confined chiefly to what concerns the market
for their produce； either in its rude state； or in what may be
called the very first stage of manufacture。 The more advanced or
more refined manufactures even of the colony produce； the
merchants and manufacturers of Great Britain choose to reserve to
themselves； and have prevailed upon the legislature to prevent
their establishment in the colonies； sometimes by high duties；
and sometimes by absolute prohibitions。
While； for example； Muskovado sugars from the British
plantations pay upon importation only 6s。 4d。 the hundredweight；
white sugars pay L1 1s。 1d。； and refined； either double or
single； in loaves L4 2s。 5 8/20d。 When those high duties were
imposed； Great Britain was the sole； and she still continues to
be the principal market to which the sugars of the British
colonies could be exported。 They amounted； therefore； to a
prohibition； at first of claying or refining sugar for any
foreign market； and at present of claying or refining it for the
market； which takes off； perhaps； more than nine…tenths of the
whole produce。 The manufacture of claying or refining sugar
accordingly； though it has flourished in all the sugar colonies
of France； has been little cultivated in any of those of England
except for the market of the colonies themselves。 While Grenada
was in the hands of the French there was a refinery of sugar； by
claying at least； upon almost every plantation。 Since it fell
into those of the English； almost all works of this kind have
been given tip； and there are at present； October 1773； I am
assured not above two or three remaining in the island。 At
present； however； by an indulgence of the custom…house； clayed or
refined sugar； if reduced from loaves into powder； is commonly
imported as Muskovado。
While Great Britain encourages in America the manufactures
of pig and bar iron； by exempting them from duties to which the
like commodities are subject when imported from any other
country； she imposes an absolute prohibition upon the erection of
steel furnaces and slitmills in any of her American plantations。
She will not suffer her colonists to work in those more refined
manufactures even for their own consumption； but insists upon
their purchasing of her merchants and manufacturers all goods of
this kind which they have occasion for。
She prohibits the exportation from one province to another
by water； and even the carriage by land upon horseback or in a
cart； of hats； of wools and woollen goods； of the produce of
America； a regulation which effectually prevents the
establishment of any manufacture of such commodities for distant
sale； and confines the industry of her colonists in this way to
such coarse and household manufactures as a private family
commonly makes for its own use or for that of some of its
neighbours in the same province。
To prohibit a great people； however； from making all that
they can of every part of their own produce； or from employing
their stock and industry in the way that they judge most
advantageous to themselves； is a manifest violation of the most
sacred rights of mankind。 Unjust； however； as such prohibitions
may be； they have not hitherto been very hurtful to the colonies。
Land is still so cheap； and； consequently； labour so dear among
them； that they can import from the mother country almost all the
more refined or more advanced manufactures cheaper than they
could make for themselves。 Though they had not； therefore； been
prohibited from establishing such manufactures； yet in their
present state of improvement a regard to their own interest
would； probably； have prevented them from doing so。 In their
present state of improvement those prohibitions； perhaps； without
cramping their industry； or restraining it from any employment to
which it would have gone of its own accord； are only impertinent
badges of slavery imposed upon them； without any sufficient
reason； by the groundless jealousy of the merchants and
manufacturers of the mother country。 In a more advanced state
they might be really oppressive and insupportable。
Great Britain too； as she confines to her own market some of
the most important productions of the colonies； so in
compensation she gives to some of them an advantage in that
market； sometimes by imposing higher duties upon the like
productions when imported from other countries； and sometimes by
giving bounties upon their importation from the colonies。 In the
first way she gives an advantage in the home market to the sugar；
tobacco； and iron of her own colonies； and in the second to their
raw silk； to their hemp and flax； to their indigo； to their naval
stores； and to their building timber。 This second way of
encouraging the colony produce by bounties upon importation； is；
so far as I have been able to learn； peculiar to Great Britain。
The first is not。 Portugal does not content herself with imposing
higher duties upon the importation of tobacco from any other
country； but prohibits it under the severest penalties。
With regard to the importation of goods from Europe； England
has likewise dealt more liberally with her colonies than any
other nation。
Great Britain allows a part； almost always the half；
generally a larger portion； and sometimes the whole of the duty
which is paid upon the importation of foreign goods； to be drawn
back upon their exportation to any foreign country。 No
independent foreign country； it was easy to foresee； would
receive them if they came to it loaded with the heavy duties to
which almost all foreign goods are subjected on their importation
into Great Britain。 Unless； therefore； some part of those duties
was drawn back upon exportation； there was an end of the carrying
trade； a trade so much favoured by the mercantile system。
Our colonies； however； are by no means independent foreign
countries； and Great Britain having assumed to herself the
exclusive right of supplying them with all goods from Europe；
might have forced them （in the same manner as other countries
have done their colonies） to receive such goods； loaded with all
the same duties which they paid in the mother country。 But； on
the contrary； till 1763； the same drawbacks were paid upon the
exportation of the greater part of foreign goods to our colonies
as to any independent foreign country。 In 1763； indeed； by the
4th of George III； c。 15； this indulgence was a good deal abated；
and it was enacted； 〃That no part of the duty called the Old
Subsidy should be drawn back for any goods of the growth；
production； or manufacture of Europe or the East Indies； which
should be exported from this kingdom to any British colony or
plantation in America； wines； white calicoes and muslins
excepted。〃 Before this law； many different sorts of foreign goods
might have been bought cheaper in the plantations than in the
mother country； and some may still。
Of the greater part of the regulations concerning the colony
trade； the merchants who carry it on； it must be observed； have
been the principal advisers。 We must not wonder； therefore； if；
in the greater part of them； their interest has been more
considered than either that of the colonies or that of the mother
country。 In their exclusive privilege of supplying the colonies
with all the goods which they wanted from Europe； and of
purchasing all such parts of their surplus produce as could not
interfere with any of the trades which they themselves carried on
at home； the interest of the colonies was sacrificed to the
interest of those merchants。 In allowing the same drawbacks upon
the re…exportation of the greater part of European and East India
goods to the colonies as upon their re…exportation to any
independent country； the interest of the mother country was
sacrificed to it； even according to the mercantile ideas of that
interest。 It was for