The CASE of the ROCK SALT, AS It now stands burdened with a Higher Duty than the other sorts of English made SALT.  
'tis Certain, That the Rock Salt ought to be looked upon as a Treasure and a Blessing to this Kingdom, in its being so happily discovered in a Time of War,( whereby the Price of that Commodity hath been moderated, which in former Wars was wont to be Excessive) and in such Quantities, as that we have now no more need of buying Salt from foreigners, but may in some time be in a Condition to Transport it to foreign Parts. And 'tis evident, that the Persons concerned in the other Salt works, do use their utmost Endeavours to bring this under all the Discouragements and Difficulties they can, to no other Intent, but that either by quiter ruining the Rock Salt, or at least making it dearer, they may keep up their own to higher Prices upon the People; which is a Design that can never be intentionally countenanced by an English Parliament: Besides that, it's plain that the Revenue will be lessened, and the Funds prejudiced, by the Decrease of the expense, which necessary follows the Dearness of Commodities, by every ones spating the Use, and saving the Waste of what is neglected when they are cheaper.  
There are two Reasons pretended by the Owners of the Brine-pits, why the Rock Salt should be discouraged, or at least made to pay a higher Duty than the other: The First is, Least the Rock being worked out in time, the Brine pits should be spoyled, by their Water's losing it's strength. The Second is, That the Rock Salt may afford to pay a higher Duty, because they have their Coals much cheaper.  
These are sufficiently answered, if there were no more to be said, than that all Governments permit their Subjects to enjoy the utmost benefit of what Nature gives them; and there was never any such thing heard, as that a Man should be hindered by a Law, from making his best Advantage of a Rich led Mine newly discovered, for the sake of his Neighbour, who had an ancienter one, which was much more Chargeable to Work, and yet yielded less Oar.  
Yet there is no room for even these weak Objections; because, First, There's more probability of working out the Coal-Mines at New Castle, than of these Salt Mines; in some of which, the Veins of the Mineral Salt are twenty five yards thick: But then if it were possible to work them out, the Brine-pits would not be prejudic't thereby, if as is generally believed, the Saline Petrefaction is caused by a Salt Water, and not the Brine-Springs impregnated by the Mineral Salt. For the Second, 'tis true, that the Workers of the Rock Salt have their Coals cheaper in some Places; but then the digging, landing, and bringing the Rock Salt to the place where it must be melted into Brine, costs manifold more than it doth the Brine-Workers, for they have no more to do than to pump it out of the Brine-Pit into the Pan for boiling, and they are thereby sufficiently over recompenc't for the difference of the price of Coals.  
If the Refining of Rock Salt shall be wholly discouraged, the Owners of the Salt Mines will be greatly injured in their Properties; divers Persons that have been engaged in that Business will be wronged, not only in being hindered from making a reasonable Improvement by, but even quiter losing great sums of Money, which they have laid out upon an Undertaking, not only Lawful, but also of public Conveniency to the Kingdom; many hundreds of Work-men will be thrown out of their Work, and deprived of the means of maintaining their Families; Employment for many sail of Ships will be lost, and the Western Countries will be much incommoded, who have been for many Ages well furnished with Salt from Bristol, and other Ports of the Seavern, where they formerly refined upon foreign Salt, but that being now in Effect prohibited, they make all their Salt out of the Rock Salt, and their Trade hath been so much increased, since they have been able to supply the Place of French Salt, that they have much increased their Workhouses, and multitudes depend upon so considerable a Business; on whom 'twould be unreasonable to put so great a hardship, as to deprive them of their way of Living at once.  
'tis therefore Humbly hoped, that when the Honourable House of Commons, shall be rightly informed in this Matter, they will, according to their declared Intention in the first Salt Act, ascertain that all kinds of Salt whatsoever, made fit for use, shall pay alike Duty; and that the whole Duty, first secured at the Pits upon all the Rock Salt, shall be return'd when it hath paid the full Duty for all the refined Salt that hath been produced from it.   

The CASE Of the ROCK SALT.