The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

The following Letter was lately wrote to a
NOBLE LORD. by an eminent Merchant
in London, who has on all occasions, shown
himself a true Friend to these Provinces
which justly entitle him to the esteem of all
that love their Prosperity.

My LORD,

The Inhabitants of America and Merchants here, who are connected with
them, still look on your Lordship as
their Patron : who have the welfare of the
Colonies at heart : from a just sense of their
Importance to their Mother-Country.

Although your Lordship is engaged in a
more extensive Service you will not be an
unconcerned Spectator of the Hardships the
Colonies must suffer if the new regulations
concerning their Trade are carried into execution ; and the Damage that will thereby
accrue to Great-Britain.

Waving the consideration of the Privileges
of Englishmen. for the preservation of
which intire and uncontrouled. the Forefathers
of the present Inhabitants preferred an inhospitable Desart to their native Soil and the several Charters which were the Condition (under the Sanction of Royal Authority) of the
settling those Colonies : of all which they are
exceedingly and justly tenacious and jealous,
tho' as zealously affected, and as loyal subjects.
to his Majesty as any in his Dominions.

I will only consider how these new Regulations if put in execution or not repealed will
operate on our Commerce.

That any difficulties should be put on the
Sale, of American Lumber is unaccountable,
when that Country is covered with Timber.
and cannot be cultivated until that is cut
down and disposed of, but must become an
incumbrance intead of an useful acquisition,
this is stunting the growth of the Colonies by
the Growth of which only we can reap advantage by an Accesion of Territory.

Rather open all the Markets that can be
found for American Timber as well as the
whole produce of that Continent, and allow
a Bounty for importing it into Great-Britain,
who now pays large Sums of Money for Timber from the North.

Which is the Interest of Great Britain ? to
pay a Bounty to her own Subjects in America,
or the whole value of the Timber to Foreigners?

The Duty on Wine will immediately affect
the Fishery. as they are purchased of Popish
Countries bv their Consumption of Fish, and
in what ever measure they affect the Fishery
in that proportion they affect the source of
our Riches and Naval power.

The Prohibition of Foreign Spirits and the
large Duty laid on Molases is also a tax on
the Fishery.' which in those cold Countries
cannot be carried on without the use of Spirituous Liquors ; whatever therefore renders
Spirituous Liquors dear. is a Burthen on that
Trade which is of more value to us than. the
Mines of Mexico and Peru ; is it not an unaccountable mistake in Politicks to clog the
greatest source of our Riches and Naval Power.

What the particular Difficulties are. which
this new regulation will bring on the Provinces you will best learn from their several Memorials ; but this is evident it will diminish
their Commerce to England, for want of a
capacity to pay for the Goods they would otherwise take ; and put them on Manufacturing necessaries for themselves.

The Goods I export to America yearly
employ 2,000 men, women and children, supposed in the City of London there are thirty
Merchants who in Common export the like
Quantity and many export much more, :our
exports then from London at a modest computation mut employ 60,000 pair of hands,
how amazing then must be the whole number
of Manufactures employed by the exports
from Bristol. Liverpool and all the out Ports
added together.

Is such a Commerce to be trifled with and
endanger'd? (I may say the most advantageous
lost to Great- Britain) which employs at least
100,000 Poor, who if unemployed must be
reduced to one of these destructive necessities.
either to fall on the Lands of the Nobility
ind Gentry for support or go to America and
set up their respective Manufactures there,
which reckoning 200 working Days to the
Year, and estimating their Labour at one
Shilling a Dav. would be an annual loss to
Great-Britain of 1,500,000.

Laying any Difficulties and Burthens on
the Continent and Islands of America,is giving
the Cramp if not the Dead Palsy to their
Commerce and Navigation, and the Dead
Palsy in a limb mut inevitably affect the
whole Body.

It is not to be supposed this destruction of our
Commerce will come on us immediately, or at
once. No! Trade will die by gradual consumption.which will be as fatal and certain as
a sudden Apoplexy : and when Trade is once
got out of its old Channel, it is like the course
of a River that never returns more.

Your Lordship will say. what are the advantages that must compensate for all these
destructive Evils ? I know of none but that
the Lumber bv having but one open Market
mav come cheaper to the Islands, and the Materials for Rum being advanced to the Continent. the Rum also of the Islands will bear a
better Price. but this is distressing the Continent to support the Opulency and Luxury of
the Islands, which notwithstanding the affected Epithet of Poor Planters, is- undeniably
exceeding.great.

The avow'd advantage is bringing a Sum
of Money into the the Treasury. which will
in the operation be found a Deception : for
the support.of a sufficient number of Officers
and Cruisers to prevent Smuggling. on that extensive Coast. will devour the whole duty. and
one penny per gallon on the Molasses collected
with the good will of the People, will produce
more neat money than three pence collected
by the Dint of Officers : for it is always found
in fact, raising the Duty lessens the Revenue.

But upposing this fum should arife to the
most sanguine expectation of the Author of
these measures. can it compensate for the
noncultivation of the wild Country of America ?

Discouraging the Fishery of America our
most valuable Treasure ?

Creating fears and jealouies in the minds
of thousands of. his Majesty's most faithful
and loyal Subjects, on a tract of Land above
1,000 Miles extent? and

Hazarding the gradual los of a Commerce
that circulates a Million and half yearly, and
prevents 100,000 Manufacturers from either
falling on the landed Estates for support, or
leaving their native Land to seek employment
where Trade will be encouraged ?

Sure these Considerations will rouse your
Lordship's attention, and engage your influence with the Ministry, to adopt a System of
Politicks which will promote the mutual advantage, esteem and affection that ought always to subsist between the Colonies and their
Mother-Country : to which I may venture to
say they are strongly attached, so strongly that
nothing but oppression will ever weaken.

Colonies seated on so large a tract of Land
as if Markets were found for their produce,
the Inhabitants would improve and cultivate
to the encreasing and unspeakable advantage
of Great-Britain. The importance of the
Affair will I-hope be a sufficient apology for
this trouble given your Lordship by Your
Lordship's

most obedient humble Servant.