AN ANSWER TO THE Sugar-Bakers or Sugar-Refiners PAPER.  
THESE Gentlemen have petitioned the House of Commons; and have delivered a Printed Paper, entitled, The Case of the Refiners of Sugar in England. By which they mean, the Sugar-Bakers of London and Bristol: there being few of them elsewhere in England. 'tis the Sugar Bakers of London and Bristol that make all this Noise. But they thought there was great weight in those words, in England. As if the English Parliament did not take care of the whole English Nation: that is, of all the People of England, as well as of those in England. And as if the Plantations were not England to all Intents.  
They say in their Petition, that their Manufacture in England is of ancient standing. Whereas it is well known, that when our Plantations fell to making of Sugar, there were but four or five Refining houses in England. And forty years before, there was hardly one. Also they say, that they employ great numbers of People. But for one Man that the Sugar-Bakers employ, the Plantations employ a hundred, even here in England: beside the mighty Navigation. And yet these Men think to be favoured, against the Plantations.  
They say in their Paper, That formerly they exported great Quantities of White Sugar into the Parts beyond Sea: which Trade, for about ten years past, hath been taken away by foreigners. But what new thing happened about ten years ago, that brought our Sugar-Bakers into these ill Circumstances? Truly it was the Additional Duties upon Sugar, imposed by King James: a thing of their own contriving, and promoting, and procuring. 'twas these Additional Duties, that one the one hand ruined the Plantations,( more particularly Barbadoes; the most flourishing of all the rest); and on the other hand disabled our Refiners from exporting their white Sugars.  
Here two things may be demanded: First, what Inducement should the Refiners have, to drive on a Design so pernicious, to ruin the Plantations? Secondly, How the Additional Duties did hinder the exporting their own White Sugars?  
In answer to the First, 'tis plain they were lead by their Interest, and a violent pursuit of their own Profit and Advantage. They had a great desire to engross the whole Trade to themselves, of making Brown Sugars white, and fit for Use. That so, being sole Buyers of the Browns, and sole Sellers of the Whites, they might buy and sell at their own Prices. But they saw this could not be, as long as white Sugars were suffered to come from the Plantations. And therefore they must endeavour to shut them out. Not by direct Prohibitions,( for that had been too gross and too foul); but by high Duties: that is, higher in proportion upon the Whites, than upon the Browns. Which they thought with good reason would keep out the Whites. And this was their way before, in the Sugar-Duties of King Charles the Second: which these Men contrived likewise. They made the Duty upon the Whites more than triple to the Browns, when as their Price is seldom double. And because King Charles his Duties did not sufficiently keep out the Plantation White-Sugars, they got that heavy Addition of King James: by the help of Sir D. N. their great Friend, to whom( 'tis presumed) they were not ungrateful.  
As to the second Question, How those Additional Duties came to hinder the Refiners Exportations, it may have this general Answer. That as doubling the Excise lately( for one year) upon Beer and Ale, did cause such disorder and damage in that Affair, as perhaps will never be repaired. so the doubling the Duties upon Sugar for eight years,( and indeed they were more than doubled), did utterly rout and confounded the whole Sugar Trade. To the infinite prejudice both of particular Persons, and of the Kingdom in general. And therefore it is no wonder, if even the Sugar-Bakers, who had procured these Duties, did suffer by them in some respects. It being also found, that Projects extremely violent and gripping, do often meet with disappointments, and contrary Effects.  
But the particular Answer is this. King Charles's Duties were and are, eighteen pence per Hundred upon brown Sugar, and five shillings upon white,( to say nothing now of Refined); with a Draw-back of half upon Exportation. King James's Addition was, upon the Brown, seven groats; and upon the White, seven shillings: but with a Draw-back of the whole. Which great new Draw-backs gave such advantage to the foreign Refiners, that Ours were beaten out of the Trade of Exporting white Sugars. And so by grasping at a Monopoly of the Home Trade, they lost the foreign. But those Additional Duties being now determined, and the great Draw backs with them; nothing seems to hinder, but that the Sugar-Bakers of London and Bristol may recover their foreign Trade. They being now in the same Condition, that they were before those Duties were imposed. Only they must have patience till the Plantations be healed of those wounds which the Sugar-Bakers gave them by the Additional Duties, and Sugar becomes plentiful again.  
But to go on with their Case or Paper; They in it set down the several Duties that are now on Sugar. White Sugar, they tell us, pays inwards five shillings a Hundred, and Brown or Muscovado pays one shilling six pence. But they make no mention of Refined, or Loaf-Sugar: which( by their special Care and Contrivance) pays sixteen shillings per Hundred. By which terrible Duty these Men have got a Monopoly of that sort of Sugar. None of it is here sold but Theirs: and that of Barbados is quiter shut out. Tho the Barbados refined is the best in the World, and Theirs the worst: and tho that of Barbados, if it were permitted to come, would be afforded much cheaper. So that then we might clearly undersell both Hamburgers and Hollanders. But otherwise the French( whenever they have a Peace) will undersell us all: they refining upon the Place. They'll make us leave our Fooling, and go the nearest way to work.  
Then in their Paper they Note; That three Hundred weight of Muscovado when Refined, makes one Hundred of White. And so it does, and a good deal more▪ beside the Scum, Syrups, Bastards, and other Offal: which are considerable.  
And now they come to their Discouragements: whereof the first and principal is this. That the English Refiners paying the Duties on Muscovado inwards, and the half Duty being drawn back on Exportation; the foreigners pay but the other Half: so that the English Refiners white Sugar stands them in more than the foreigners. Here it is confessed, that there is that Draw-back on Exportation. But the question is, whether the Refiners pay those Duties inwards. And this is the Hinge on which their Case turns. If it be true, that those Duties are paid by the Refiners; they are under a great Discouragement, and ought to be relieved. But if this be a notorious falsehood,( as it is most notorious); they should suppress their Case for shane, and withdraw their Petition for shane: Begging pardon also of that Honourable House, whom they have endeavoured to abuse so grossly. Nothing is more notorious, than that the Importer( whether he be a Plantet or Merchant) pays those Duties. And if he be a Merchant, he had paid so much less for his Sugars upon that account, when he bought them in the Plantations. So that every way, the people of the Plantations bear the burden. But it may safely be affirmed, that all the Sugar-bakers of London and Bristol, put together, never paid one Farthing Custom for Sugars imported. And whereas these Men would insinuate, that foreigners have the advantage of the Drawback, it is no such Matter; For the Drawback is for the Ease and Benefit of them that paid the Duties: who are the English Importers. And if these sell their Sugar to Exporters, whether foreigners or English; they do not give away their Right to the Drawback; but they sell it, by having the better price for their Sugar.  
The Second Discouragement is, the high Duty upon Spirits drawn from Molosses. And this is a real Discouragement. But the Duty was laid in favour of Corn-Brandy. If the People in and of England might do their best, and had encouragement; they would make such Brandy, and afford it so cheap, as to beat the French Brandy out of the World. and so we should wrest from them one of their best Trades. But when we would Rival it with foreigners, we should not( with all humility be it spoken) favour some of our people by hindering others, but leave and encourage all men to do their best.  
The Remedies they propose are three.  
I. That they may draw back 2s. 6d. per Hundred, on the Exportation of their White Sugars. And truly it is but reasonable, that they should draw back half the Duties they have paid. Since therefore they have paid Nothing, let them draw back half that Nothing. But in good earnest, for them to expect a Draw-back when they have paid no Duties; is a strange piece of Confidence, to give it no worse a word. They do in effect desire a Law, that the King should give them half a Crown for every Hundred of White Sugar they export.  
II. That a Duty of five shillings a Hundred( no less than that of white Sugar) may be laid on Plantation Molosses. These Sugar-bakers cannot leave off their gripping monopolising humour. And they will play at small game, rather then sit out: as one said of the Devil, when he entered the herd of Swine. Since they cannot engross the Sugar Trade to their mind, they will try what they can do at Molosses. But they say, that this Duty will much help their Molosses. Thats very true. And so a good Duty upon the Provisions of Essex that come to London Market, would be a great help to the Provisions of Middlesex. If all other Molosses were kept out, they might sell theirs at their own Price: They would then have a Monopoly of Molosses. Further they say, that this Duty will not hurt the Plantations. But the People of the Plantations know, that it will hurt them. Then they Note, that the Dutch prohibit the importation of foreign Molosses. But that which comes from their own Plantations, they do not account foreign.  
III. That a Duty of eighteen pence per Hundred be added to the Duty on Clay'd Sugar under the degree of White. Here they are at Monopolies again. As Cacus of old breathed Fire, so these Men breath Monopolies. Their Monopoly upon Refined Sugars has been complete these many years: and upon the best Whites pretty well. And it grieves their hearts that the Course Whites should escape them. But a little Addition of Duty would bring that sort likewise into their Net; which they are now endeavouring to accomplish. But how doth this, or the other Project upon Molosses, remedy the Evil complained of: which is, that their Trade of white Sugars exported, is lost to foreigners? Truly not at all: it only advances their Home Monopoly. And it seems these Men are more intent upon that, than upon recovering their foreign Trade.  
As for the Course Whites before spoken of, they are made by the People of the Plantations, and likewise by the Sugar-bakers. The Planters work by Spring water, soaking gently( from fine day) through the Sugar, and carrying the Dross and Molosses away with it. The Sugarbakers▪ work by Fire, tormenting their Sugar in Stoves and Ovens: whence they have the name of Sugar-bakers. But whereas the Planter gives his Sugar a colour, by purging it; the Sugar-baker give His a colour, without purging it: and leaves it as foul as it was before. as any one may see, that puts some of it into a Glass of Water. And this filthy Balderdash they impose upon unskilful people. which also to put off the better, they would now have the Clay'd Sugar( which is so clean and wholesome) kept out by high Duties.  
But 'tis humbly hoped that a Project so unreasonable will never be suffered to take effect. 'tis hoped likewise, that the Plantation Refined will be permitted to come in, paying the Duties of other Whites. The Sugar-bakers got it shut out by a high Duty, because it might be afforded cheaper then theirs, and is likewise much better. It goes almost twice as far, sweetens almost twice as much, and its Relish is much more delicious. It hath therefore been a strange self-denial in the People of England, that when a Commodity that is so useful, and so great a means of good living, might( from their own people) be had cheap and good, they would have it bad dear. And all to set up the Sugar-bakers of London and Bristol.  
As matters now stand, the coming of Refined Sugar from the Plantations seems highly needful; in regard it is so good and so sure an Expedient for restoring that Trade, which the Sugar-bakers have lost to the Nation. Let the Sugar-bakers, if they can, show some other Expedient: so it be not that which they have offered already, that themselves should have a Drawback when they have paid no Duty. for that is abominable. In the mean time a Proposal will be made, which will give them a good Title to a Drawback. The Proposal in short is this.  

I. That the present Duty on Brown Sugar, which is eighteen pence a Hundred 〈◇〉 with a Drawback of the half, be made twelve pence a hundred without a Drawback.  
II. That the Duty upon White Sugar( whether in Loaf or Powder) being five shillings, may be equally divided between the Planter and Sugar-baker. To be paid by the Planter( or the Importer which is all one) at the Importation, and by the Sugar baker at the Making it white. With a Drawback of four fifths on Exportation. that each pays half a Crown per hundred for Duty, and has a Drawback of two shillings.   
Note, that the Sugar-bakers share of the Duty will be very easily Collected: like the Duty on Salt.  
By this means our Trade of Exporting White Sugars will be restored and preserved, the King will be a Gainer, the Plantations no Losers, and the Sugar bakers will have no just Cause to complain. And these things are offered to Consideration, with all humility.  
FINIS.   

London, Printed and are to be Sold by E. Whitlock. 1695.