THE CASE OF THE RESPECTIVE ARTIFICERS Belonging to Their Majesty's Office of the Ordnance, etc.  
THE said Artificers being a Society of several sorts of People, who for many Years have made it their business in their divers Qualifications, to furnish the said Office with all manner of Stores, Provisions, and Utensils of War, viz. Great Guns, small Guns, great Shot, small Shot, Powder, Match, Cordage, Ship and Field-Carriages, and all sorts of Arms. Tents, Bedding, and near 2000 Species of other Stores, too tedious here to Enumerate, such as are daily adapted to the proper Service of the Crown in that Office; and in which Service are concerned the whole Body of Artificers, whose Callings have dependence thereon, and who have been at all times ready, to their utmost Power, to serve the Crown with their Estates and Fortunes; and are now left to bemoan their unhappiness of being deprived of their good Intentions of proceeding in their accustomed Methods in serving the said Office, being therein totally disabled as followeth, Viz.  
I. By a Debt left upon them by King Charles the Second for Stores served in, and Services performed by Direction from the Officers of the Ordnance, amounting to about 100000 l. which hath been frequently Solicited for, and often promised, though yet unpaid: Great part of which Stores have been Transferred to the Service of the present Crown, and all applied for the Service of the Nation.  
II. By Debts owing them from the said Office, contracted since their present Majesty's Accession to the Crown, amounting to about 150000 l. Which said great Debts having so Exhausted both the Stocks and Credits of the said Artificers, that they are left (though willing) altogether uncapable of proceeding any further in the Performance of the aforesaid Services, without a speedy Supply of Money.  
They therefore humbly Supplicate this Honourable House, to take into their speedy Considerations, the deplorable Condition of the said Artificers (Great part of those Instruments of War, which by them are to be provided, cannot be had at a Moment's warning, but at certain Seasons in the Year,) That some speedy Provision may be made to satisfy the late Debts contracted; As also the former Debt in this following Method, or any other way or means as this Honourable House shall think convenient, the better to Enable them to prosecute their Wont Vigour in serving their Majesties in the said Office, which otherwise they will be Compelled into an Incapacity of doing, and will prove the Ruin of them and their Posterities.  
WE are informed that SALT in several Countries pays a very great Duty, 
Forty pushels makes a Way and ●…ere is Imputed a●out 22000 Way in a 〈◊〉  as it has done here in former Years, and great Quantities being here Imported, there is laid upon it but 12 d. per Way, which, in truth, may bear 4 l. per Way; So that in some time, the Artificers may be paid the Debt owing to them in King Charles the Second time, if this Honourable House shall not Order some other way to satisfy it: And if this Duty be found convenient to be continued and appropriated to the Office of the Ordnance, it will go a great way in defraying the ordinary Charge of that Office; and this Duty will hardly be felt in Vending the said Commodity, computing how small a quantity a Family uses in a Year. The great Objection that has been made against laying a higher Duty on this Commodity, is the Fishery: To overcome that Difficulty, We pray this Honourable House, That all Salt, made use of for the Fishery, may be drawn back out of His Majesty's Customs, it will prevent the Ruin of many Hundreds of Families, and pay a just Debt, which, in Process of time, will be a greater benefit to the Nation, in encouraging the making of that Commodity.