The Case of the Refiners of England, with reference to Foreign Imported Molossoes, a Duty intended to be laid on the Spirits drawn from our own Molossoes.  
REfining of Sugars has been a very Ancient Art and Mystery in this Kingdom, and has (by former Encouragements from the Government) been always esteemed very profitable thereunto; In that this Trade gives a livelihood not only to great numbers of menial Servants therein employed, but to some thousands of Subjects, who in their respective Callings have their dependence thereon, whereby they have occasioned the Expense of at least Fifty Thousand Pounds per Annum in this Kingdom.  
And great Estates have been expended, in erecting many large Sugar-works in this Kingdom for that purpose.  
Vast quantities of Coals are consumed in this Trade, when in full work, which pays a great Duty.  
And not only by the employ of Shipping in the Coal Trade, but the increase of our Shipping in the Plantation Trade, by Importing Brown Sugars, our Navigation, the Strength and Glory of this Kingdom is much encouraged.  
The French and Dutch being sensible hereof, have most studiously promoted this Trade within themselves, and consequently our discouraging thereof will tend to the transplanting of it.  
But of late years it has very unhappily lain under great discouragements in this Kingdom, partly by the vast and increasing Importation of wrought Sugars from our own Plantations, and partly also by the great advantage which the Foreign Buyer has had of the Home Refiner; for the whole Duty upon unpurged Sugars is three Shillings and ten pence per hundred, out of which, the Foreign Buyer draws back three Shillings and a penny, and leaves the King possessed but of Nine pence. The Refiners of this Kingdom Expending Annually in their usual Working about Fifteen Thousand Tuns of unpurged Sugars, which at 3 s. 10 d. per Hundred, pays the King Fifty Seven Thousand Five Hundred Pounds; but if the said Fifteen Thousand Tuns of Brown Sugars be Exported (by reason of the discouragement given to the working of them here) they draw back Forty Six Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty Pounds, 
57500. 46250. 11250.  and leaves the King possessed only but of Eleven Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty Pounds, and were Encouragement given to this Trade, the Revenue would grow up with it; whereby our own Plantation Sugars are wrought cheaper in Foreign parts, than they can be by the Home Refiner; which has so discouraged this Trade in this Kingdom, that the generality of the Refiners have been necessitated greatly to abate their works; and had not the price of Molossoes, commonly called Treacle, yielded them some small Encouragement, they must have wholly declined their Trades.  
But so great are the quantities of Molossoes, which are now daily Imported into this Kingdom from Foreign parts, that the generality of the Refiners are forced wholly to desist their working, and can have no rational hope of reviving their works; unless some proportional Additional Duty be laid upon Foreign Imported Molossoes, and Encouragement given to the Distillers' Consumption of our own Molossoes: It being a Commodity of so great use to the Distiller, in making palatable the Spirits drawn from Corn, and other English Materials, to supply this Kingdom, in the room and stead of French Brandies, that the Distiller cannot Draw so Clean a Spirit from our own Corn to Imitate Brandy without the help thereof.  
This Commodity not being (as some have very weakly apprehended) the Dross, Filth, Scum, and Dregs of Sugar, but the clean, pure, and clear part of the Sugar, which through weakness will not come to Grain, and be Embodied, and is to all intents as wholesome as the Sugar from which it comes, as can be made appear.  
Whereupon it is most Humbly hoped that nothing will be determined, by the Honourable the Commons of England now Assembled in Parliament, in Prejudice and Ruin of this Ancient Trade, by charging a greater Duty upon Spirits drawn from our own Molossoes than upon Spirits drawn from Corn; the Encouraging of the Expense of Molossoes being the only true way to Encourage the Expense of Corn in Distilling; and thereby to secure both the Revenue to the Crown, and Encouragement to the farmer.