THE Irregular and Disorderly State OF THE Plantation-TRADE Discussed, and Humbly Offered to the Consideration of the Right Honourable the LORDS and COMMONS in Parliament Assembled.  
THAT the present Parliament Assembled together with Resolutions to Promote Trade, was the Apprehensions of most, and the frequent Considerations about it, by the Lords and Commons, since this Session began, confirms the Truth of it; and whilst they are taking Care of some particular Branches of the Trade of the Kingdom, I humbly take leave to Recommend another Branch of its Trade not yet considered of, and which, when well weighed, and enquired into, may possibly be found to deserve the Regards of a Parliament as much as the East-India, or any one other Branch whatsoever; and that is, The Trade to the Plantations.  
To have this Trade settled on a Regular and Sound Foundation, I humbly conceive concerns England very much, in regard Colonies Abroad are Planted, Maintained and Protected at a very great Expense of Treasure; and a Specimen of that may, I presume, be seen by the Accounts of the present Charge of the War, now lying before the Honourable the House of Commons, and which doubtless must swell very high: But that which Affects the Kingdom as its greatest Treasure, and of which there is no Account kept of its Disbursments, is the Expense of our People, a Treasure which can no way be compensated, nor satisfied for, but by such a way as may conduce to supply the Kingdom with People for our People; for else, were our Plantations so many Mines of Gold and Silver, yet should we be weakened and impoverished by the having them.  
Spain is a lively Instance and Proof of this, who from the greatest Monarchy in Europe, is declined to what it now is, and who have commenced their Declension gradually from the time they Dispeopled Spain to Plant in the West-Indies; all the Treasure of the Indies which they have in their power, and fetch yearly to Spain, not being able to Recompense the Loss of their People; and this instance may serve to confirm the Truth of a Position that is already agreed on by all, as far as I know at least, as unobjectionable.  
That all Kingdoms or Governments are Strong or Weak, Rich or Poor, according to the Plenty or Paucity of the People of that Government.  
And that England may not split upon the same Rock Spain hath done, should be not only every English Man's good Wish, but aught to be as much their Endeavours; and I can hearty say, it is the only Motive that draws me to cast in my poor Mite as an Essay towards it, and as a Necessary Consequence of the before-going Position.  
All such Means as tend to draw our Hands from us, and which at the same time creates not Means by which we may be supplied with as many, or more Hands, in the room of them, are pernicious, and as they shall obtain, may in the Issue be Destructive.  
Manufacture in the Plantations, is that very Means by which the Kingdom is drained of its People, and is so far from giving us the Means by which it may be replenished with People in the room of them, that it deprives us of that only Means that's left us for it.  
Manufacture promoted in the Kingdom, is the only Means by which the Kingdom may be replenishd with People in the room of those sent to the Plantations; for as the Prey to the Eagles, Manufacture is to the People; where that is, there they will be gathered together.  
On these Two Heads I beg leave Humbly to suggest some few Considerations, to show the Prejudices and the Disorder, Manufacture of Sugar in a part of Barbadoes, doth occasion at present, to the Essential Interests of the Kingdom, and the further Mischiefs it will bring, as it shall obtain and increase.  
And then to show the Benefits and Advantages that would accrue to the Kingdom, by Discouraging or Suppressing it, and by injoining all Commodities that are the Growth of the Plantations to be Imported in their first Product.  
Manufacture in the Plantations, (even as Manufacture) doth need, and draws more People than is necessary for Product, and is a Motive to our People to leave the Kingdom, and indeed puts a Necessity upon them so to do, for it thereby deprives us of Manufacture at Home, by which they are Employed.  
Manufactures of Sugar in Barbadoes, altho' but to the degree it hath already attained, is such an Error in the Foundation of the Interests of the Kingdom, as respecting the Plantation Trade, that no Structure of Good, or Benefit to the Kingdom, can be Built upon it, and is the Cause that the Navigation is very much lessened Homeward; and by despoiling us of Manufacturing in the Kingdom, prevents a Navigation and Trade Outward, of Sugar Manufactured wholly and entirely, and which once we had to a very great degree, and is the chief Cause that the Manufactory and Navigation (which are the only Fruits proposed, as the Returns and Repayment of all Charges upon the Plantations) is conveyed to the Dutch and Hamburghers without any Charge to them; without Charge did I say? Nay, they are well paid for it; as for instance, There was Exported from the Port of London only, from Midsummer 1687, to Midsummer 1688, as the Custom-house Books will show, Six Thousand Four Hundred Seventy Four Tuns of Sugar, which was Navigated in their own Ships, as they usually do; and they drew back out of the King's Revenue 19448 l. 19 s. 6 d. and I question whether the whole Duty on Sugar for this last Year amounts to so much; and stood them in so much Cheaper than the English Manufacturer could Buy them in our own Markets. And by the Advantages of Navigation, Manufacture and Trade to most parts of Europe, of this After-Manufactured, may be guessed the Loss the Kingdom hath through the want of it.  
Manufacture of Sugar in Barbadoes, is not more Injurious to the Manufacture and Navigation at Home, then it's Mischievous to that part of Barbadoes, and all the rest of the Islands who do not Manufacture their Sugar; for as they are Obliged, as indeed they ought, to bring their Sugars into the Kingdom, they find their Disappointment of a Market here, by reason of the Discouragement their Buyers lie under from the Barbadoss Manufacture, for they must have more or less Money for their Sugars, according as the number of their Buyers are, many or few. And to give one instance of this also, the Refiners in the Year 1690, through a Surprise of a quantity of Barbadoss Manufactured Clayed (not Refined) Sugar and Molosses, brought in one Fleet from Barbadoes, Lost not less than Twenty Thousand Pounds in about Thirty Sugar-houses in and about London; and I am apt to think it could not be less than Fifty Thousand Pounds to the Importers of Unmanufactured Sugar; for the Refiners ceased working for near Twelve Months after, and the Importer all that while depended almost wholly on the Courtesy of Foreigners for a Price for their Sugars.  
If Manufactory of Sugar in Barbadoes be permitted, then will it be not only a Motive, but a strong Invitation to the rest of That, and all the other Islands, to do the like.  
And the Indulgency of Manufacturing of Sugar, will induce and persuade to a Manufactory of cotton-wool, which Now is a Manufactory that Employs possibly some Hundreds of Families in the Kingdom,; and this is begun already in Fact, in some measure.  
And as an Attendant on that, will follow the Manufactory of Dying also, that is another great Manufactory in the Kingdom; for the Wool and Materials for Dying, such as Indigo, Logwood, Fustick, Nicarague-Wood, are all the Growth of the Plantations, and places adjacent thereto; and the Dying-Woods being Imported at present in great quantities, as well as Sugar, Employ a great number of Ships yearly.  
I shall not strain the Point, if I add, there is danger of Losing the Navigation almost entirely, for there is not the least degree of any Manufacture that is used upon the Plantations, but to a proportionable degree to what it doth obtain, the Navigation is diminished; and if all their Products be Manufactured there, then New-England, who now do in a great measure share with us in the Navigation already, may possibly Engross the whole in time; they Building Ships, and Trading not only with the Plantations, but directly for Spain; with Fish, etc. at present, it cannot be doubted, that they do, or will deny themselves of carrying any Plantation Goods there, or elsewhere, where it stands with their Interest so to do. It's far from me to grudge the Advantages of any, especially English Men, in what part of the World soever they be; but that Old England shall be made to depend upon the New, or any of its Colonies or Plantations, or that they should be Enriched, to the Exhausting the Kingdom of its People, which are its Riches and Strength; or Navigation, which are its Walls and Defence; or that the Lesser should be preferred to the prejudice of the Greater, cannot be the Desire of any Honest Man.  
Objection, But why is the Loss of this Manufactory laid at the Door of the Barbadoss Manufacturers, when as the Refiners had some Exportation Trade, before the late Impost Duty was laid, and which gave the Foreigner 2 s. 4 d. Draw-back? And since that it was, that the Exportation Trade was lost, and therefore that must be the true Cause.  
Answer, It's true, that this was an accidental Cause, and yet the Barbadoss Manufacture, the Main and Original Cause, for that (as Worms or Vermin that destroys the Roots of a Tree, makes it liable to be blown down by every blast of Wind) weakens this Interest of Manufacture at home, so as every Foreigner may wrest it from us; but had there been no other 'Cause than this Draw-back, then might the Exportation Trade have been Retrieved, since this Cause is removed; but it is evident it is not so, nor never like, whilst the Original Cause remains; and which is the Cause that there are not above Fifty Sugar-Houses in England, although we have Six Islands that are Sugar-Plantations; and Holland hath about One Hundred Sugar-Houses, and Three of them, as big as Twenty of the biggest we have, and Employ Seventy Thousand pounds' Stock each, and yet hath but one Plantation of its own; and Hamborough hath about Fourscore Sugar-Houses, and not one Plantation of its own, and both depend upon England and Portugal for their Supplies: And yet Sugar which is the Growth of our own Plantations, is as much in our Power as Wool is, which is the Growth of the Kingdom; and I doubt not but in time, it will be thought to deserve as much our Care to preserve for Manufacture; and the rather, because Navigation will be more promoted by this, than that of Wool.  
I humbly hopes, that enough hath been said to show that the Plantation-Trade in the State it now is in, is Irregular and Disorderly, and that the Charge of it is England's, and the Fruits thereof is Reaped betwixt the Hollander and Hamburgher on the one Hand, and the Barbadoss Manufacturer on the other; and the Kingdom, and all the rest of the Plantations, are the Sufferers. The next thing to be considered of, is,  
How the Plantation-Trade may be settled on such a Regular Foundation, as that it may be reciprocally Advantageous to the Kingdom, and all the Plantations in general; and I humbly conceive the Methods to be used for it are very easy, provided the Gentlemen concerned in the Interest I have been speaking against, would be content to come into the general Interests of the Kingdom, and set up Sugar-Houses in the Kingdom, instead of those in Barbadoes; let them enjoy the Houses set up there, as Planters; and those set up here, as Refiners or Manufacturers; and why not? They will then stand upon an Equal foot with the rest of the Plantations there, and with the Manufacturers here, and so make up one Family as it were, one United Interest; they will then be provided for equally with all the King's Subjects; and for these Gentlemen to expect to be privileged above all, I presume will be thought to be too much; and to be privileged to go on with an Interest that stands in Opposition to, and poisons all the Interests of the Kingdom in its Manufacture, Navigation and Plantations, is unreasonable to desire, even to a Crime.  
I wonder not, that there are so few Sugar-Houses in the Kingdom, but rather that there should be any, under the Difficulties they have always struggled with; and were they not a Frugal Industrious People, they could not continue a Being in the Kingdom, although Refining of Sugar hath been here before ever we had Plantations, and had then, their Supplies for Manufacture from Portugal and the East Indies; but I wonder, that some Gentlemen should so despise and contemn them for their fewness, always arguing, that they are not worthy of being considered, because few, and a small Interest, although made so purely by themselves: I am well assured they are not few, as being a Monopoly or Corporation; for they are none, and their Trade is open and free to all, and were there due Encouragements for it, there is no doubt, but there would be enough of it, and why England may not have as many Sugar-Houses added to what now is, as there are Sugar-Houses in Holland, Hamborough, Flanders, etc. that depend upon the Water of our own Fountain, the Sugar of our Plantations for their Supply, I know not, and those in Barbadoes added to them; the Key of this Fountain is in the Hands of our Conservators; and who will, I doubt not, as soon as they see these Streams have run waste, or upon Strangers so long, turn them towards the Kingdom at last.  
The Methods, that with all Submission, I would propose for making the Interests of the Kingdom and Plantations, to be Mutual and United, are,  
That the Manufacturers in Barbadoes, may be obliged to Import their Sugars unmanufactured, as all the other Islands now do, viz. Jamaica, Nevis, Antegoa, St. Christopher's, Monserrat, and a great part of Barbadoes.  
By Importing their Sugars thus, they give us an entire Navigation homeward, which now is greatly lessened; they will take away the true cause why this Manufacture is so little in the Kingdom, and wrested from us by Strangers, and give us an opportunity by increasing this Manufacture, to replenish the Kingdom with People in the Room of those they want from us; and as by some necessary Laws to encourage it above Foreigners, this Manufacture may be wholly in the Kingdom; and thereby multiply Buyers at home, which is the Interest of the Plantations, erect a new Navigation with Sugar Manufactured to all Parts of Europe, not only to the East Country, Spain, Italy, Turkey, Flanders, where, in some measure, we once had; but even to Holland and Hamborough itself, who now have both the Navigation and Manufacture of it from hence; and thus England may be made the Mart of Sugar for all Europe and its pity that a small Fly; of a Manufacture in Barbadoes, should spoil this great Pot of sweet Ointment: And that I may show how Practicable this is, it may not be amiss to represent how useful this would be, by the tastes of Exportation we have had to the places above mentioned, as I am very well informed.  
The East Country Trade was pretty considerable, and to whatever Value there was of Manufactured or Refined Sugar Exported there, saved so much Silver in the Kingdom, for the Balance of that Trade is against us, for we must have our Stores for Ships, and they will have our Silver, since they like not our Commodities; Sugar was a Commodity they did like, but the Dutch could supply them Cheaper, by reason of the Draw-back, as already mentioned.  
As the Trade to the East Country saved our Silver, so that to Spain brought us Silver in the lieu of Sugar; and that to Turkey and Italy, Silk, Grogoram Yarn, Oils, etc. Commodities that create and help on Manufacture in the Kingdom, which Employs many thousands of Hands.  
By the tastes we have had of the Exportation-Trade, may be seen what may be done much more; I do not know, but that next to the East-India Trade and Fishery, this Manufacture and Benefits arising from it, makes the third great Article of Trade to Holland above all other; and that they which are such known Judges of Trade, should so esteem this, as with all their Might and Cunning, to grasp at it, should quicken us, as much in our endeavours to preserve it to ourselves; and this may be Noted, That they do not suffer any Sugar to be Manufactured on their Plantations, but that it shall be brought home unmanufactured; and all that, is not above Ten or Twelve Sail of Ships a year.  
Objection, But will not the giving over of Manufacture of Sugar at Barbadoes, give encouragement to the Dutch and French, etc. to Manufacture theirs on their Plantations, and so be able to under-sell us at Foreign Markets?  
Answer, If the French, Dutch, or any other will be so Impolitic, as to Weaken and Impoverish their Kingdom, and Destroy their Navigation, (as by setting up Manufacture in the Plantations they certainly must) I do not know why we should fear that, for England will be the better able to deal with them upon any Difference; but I presume there is no grounds for such Fears; and the only Instance we have of such a Method of Trade, is Portugal, whom, although they were the first that settled Sugar Plantations in Europe, have not yet grown Rich by them, neither in People nor Navigation; nor never can, in such an Irregular Method as Manufacturing on the Plantations; Nay, they are in a manner, beat out of the Sugar Trade, and their Examples must be avoided, unless we would be content with the same Success; but were it not thus, yet is there neither Dutch, French nor Hamburgers that have the Advantages we have of so many Plantations; shall we not be able to out-sell the Dutch that hath but one Plantation, and the Hamburger that hath none, when we have Six Islands that are Sugar Plantations? Besides, the Objection is weak, and at best, is but an Argument of the Slothful; There is a Lion in the way, says he: Such Counselors, if they had an Interest in Namur last year, as now they have in Barbadoes, with as good grounds might have advised not the taking of Namur, for fear the French should take it from us again; for to forbear Improving our Trade, for fear others should take it from us, is giving of it, for fear we should lose it, and that when there is no danger neither.  
I hope none will insinuate, as if I designed to persuade, from laying out our Treasure and people to all the occasions of the Plantations; those especially, who have not, neither from the Motives of Profit by Manufacturing, nor by reason of their loss in having their Buyers at home balked, been drawn from their Duty in Importing their Sugars unmanufactured; and they are five of the six Islands, and part of the sixth; they have done their part, and will always deserve the Care and Helps of the Kingdom whilst they persist; and it is the Barbadoss Manufacture alone, that spoils the Harmony in the Interests of Kingdom and Plantations.  
It's so usual in treating of a general Interest, to aim at a particular one; That I may possibly have raised some Expectation of wondering what mine is, and to satisfy such, I have only this to say, As I have Treated of the General Diffusive Good and Advantages of the Kingdom; if that takes place, there is no good Englishman but shares in it, either in his Estate, or in his Content and Satisfaction; if mine does not lie in the Kingdom's Interest, I am content to go without it; I have delivered nothing but what I believe to be true, and from the Impression it had upon may own Apprehension, it's possible I may have delivered matters in too conclusive a Style; but with all Humility and Submission, I desire to present them to the Consideration of the August Assembly of Parliament, as Humble Suggestions only; from which possibly may be gathered by Their Great Wisdom, something as a Grain of Wheat from amongst a great deal of Chaff, that may through Improvement in Their Hands, be of use to the Kingdom and Plantations.  
I think I can hearty say, That no By-Ends could have prevailed with me to give or take this trouble, but a sincere Zeal for my Country, which hath a great many Doors by which goes out its Disbursements, and whilst I did know of any shut against its Reimbursements, of this high Moment, I could not be silent: I am told, it's a Cause that wants Friends, to Recommend it; and I did then conclude it wanted Friends, because it wanted being made known: I have according to my poor Endeavours, Represented it as Intelligible as I could; and doubt not, but some Worthy Patriots will take it up and promote it, even for its own sake, or rather for the Kingdom's sake.  
FINIS.