The Interest of England in the Preservation of Ireland, Part 2
The Advantage to the Trade of England.
Hitherto I have endeavoured by a few ſhort Hints, to repreſent the many valuable Benefits and Advantages accruing to the Kingdom of England in general, by the Conjunction and Preſervation of Ireland. I ſhall now proceed to ſet down how palpably and remarkably it doth contribute to the Advancement of Trade, which is the Glory, Strength, and Security of the Engliſh Nation; the Fountain and Source of the Riches, Wealth, and Plenty, which render it the Envy and Aſtoniſhment of all the Neighbouring Kingdoms: and without which, it were impoſſible to provide Suſtenance for the innumerable Company of Inhabitants, wherewith the Country is ſufficiently furniſhed, and the Cities and Towns are abſolutely crowded. It is Trade that preſerves the Body Pelitick in health, by Recreation and Exerciſe; by Evacuation and Repletion, carrying off ſuch Things as are unneceſſary and redundant, and bringing in a conſtant ſupply of whatſoever is uſeful and profitable. It is Trade that ranſacks the Indies, joins remote Iſlands in an imaginary Contiguity with England, and makes the whole World but a large Mart for Negotiation and Traffic. Trade is the Blood that Circulates in the Veins and Arteries of the Commonwealth, and diſperſeth the animal Spirits to all the Limbs and extreme parts of the Body.
This ſo neceſſary an Ingredient to the Honour and Felicity of England, has been ſignally augmented and improved by the Trade of Ireland co-incident with it, will ſuffer a mighty Detriment by the preſent Obſtruction of Commerce, and will as eminently gain by its Revival and Recovery. The Advantage to Trade ariſing from Ireland is demonſtrable by theſe Particulars.
1. The Scituation.
2. The Exportation.
3. The Importation.
4. The Ingenuity of the Inhabitants.
5. The Benefit to the King.
I. The Scituation.
In the Deſcription of Ireland I might expatiate in recounting the many Benefits and Advantages which it enjoys in Common with her Neighbour Countries, and the ſeveral Immunities which God and Nature have indulged to it in peculiar above other Places; in its exemption from poyſonous Inſects, and noxious Vermin, as Frogs, Toads, Snakes, and Adders, Neuts, Effs, and hurtful Spiders; but above all, in the Freedom from Moles, which are the Epidemical Nuſance of England, and are ſo ſenſibly injurious to Orchards, Gardens, Medows, and Paſtures; in a temperate and benign Air; in an infinite number of Fountains, Springs, Loughs (or Lakes) and freſh Rivers; in an incredible ſtore and variety of Land and Sea-Fowls; (among which I would mention the incredible Number of Woodcocks, and how the Parſon of Clowniſh farms the Tyth of the Woodcocks catcht in his Pariſh at thirty Pounds per annum; where they are generally ſold at Twelve-Pence per dozen; the innumerable Flocks of Swans and Barnacles that haunt the River of Loughfoyl, but that it would exclude the wonder due to the reſt.) But becauſe theſe Priviledges are inherent to the Soil, and not communicable to the Uſe and Benefit of the Neighbours, I ſhall paſs over the further commemoration of thoſe Matters, and apply my ſelf to the Rehearſal of ſuch Particulars only, as render Ireland in its happy Scituation a moſt deſirable Countrey, and highly advantageous in its Acceſſion to the Crown of England.
Poſſibly there is not a Country in the whole World ſo admirably accommodated with convenient Bays, ſafe Harbours, large Havens, and uſeful Creeks; and that not only in ſome Sides and Corners, but quite round the Iſland. To deſcribe the Harbours of Carlingford, Strangford, the Lough of Carricfergus, Donaghadee, Loghlern, Raghlin, Portruſh, Lough-foyl, Lough-ſwilly, Sheep-Haven, Castledow, Killebeggs, Ballyſhannon, Sligo, and Black-Sod in the North and Weſt Parts; Galway, Lymerick, Trallee, Dingle, Kilmar, the Great Bay of Bantry, (including Bere Haven, and many others) Ship-Haven, Crook-Haven, Baltimore, Caſtle-Haven, Caſtlemain, the matchleſs Haven of Kinſale, the noble River of Cork, Yoghal, Dungarvan, Waterford, Slade, Wexford, Arclo, Dublin, &c. in the South and Eaſtern Parts; beſide almoſt innumerable Creeks, Ports, and commodious Landing-Places, would take up more room than I have allowed to the diſcharge of this brief Narration; my Purpoſe is only to mention them, referring the Account of their Beauty, Strength, Security, and Conveniency, to Hiſtorians and Geographers. I ſhall only take notice, that as they are moſt advantageouſly placed for the proper Trade of that Kingdom; ſo they are upon many Accounts a ſecure Refuge and Safeguard to their Friends and Allies, which is briefly demonſtrated in this, that none of the Neighbouring Countries can manage a Trade into the South, North, or Weſtern Seas, but they muſt be under great Danger of Ireland, if they be Enemies to England, or be beholding to it if they be in Amity; where upon every Turn they may meet with a ſafe Retreat from Storms and Tempeſts, and a ready Protection from Pirates and Robbers; it being ſet as a Watch-Tower in the Sea, within whoſe view all Ships muſt come that ſail and trade that way to any part of the World; an Iſland commodiouſly ſeated for the Dominion of the Seas, ſo long as ſhe is in one Intereſt with England.
It is beyond the Power of Expreſſion to repeat the Advantages ariſing to the Engliſh Trade by the relief and ſhelter of the Iriſh Harbours, where the ſeveral Fleets bound for the Streights, and for the Eaſt or Weſt Indies, or returning from thence, meet with Refreſhment and Security from all ſorts of Danger. This the Merchants find in their daily Voyages: This the Commanders of the Kings Ships can evidence upon frequent Experience; but I ſhall produce only one undeniable Inſtance, how highly and indeſpenſably it imports the Safety, as well as Trade of England, to preſerve Ireland to themſelves: That in the time of King Charles II. when England was imbroyl'd in an unlucky War with the States of Holland, not only a Fleet of Merchantmen, conſiſting of an hundred Sail or thereabout, bound homeward from the Weſt-Indies and the Streights, but alſo forty Men of War (under the Command of Sir Jeremy Smith) after that unfortunate Buſineſs at Chatham, came all into the Habour of Kinſale, where they continued in that Safety and Security, which they could not promiſe to themſelves in any Harbour or Port of England.
2. The Exportation of Iriſh Commodities.
As Ireland is placed as an Out-guard to watch all Interlopers in the Trade of England, ſo lately it was a Store-houſe and Magazine to furniſh it. It ſent over yearly vaſt quantities of Wooll, ſhipt from the ſeveral Ports in Munster and Lemſter, which mightily ſupported the Staple in England, by the old and new Draperies, and other woollen Manufactures wrought and made in the Weſt Countrey: whereby not only a numerous Train of Families were fed and maintained, but an extraordinary addition was made to the Kings Revenue, by the Importation of it, when raw and unwrought, into England, and the Exportation of it, after it was wrought, into ſeveral Countries, to the great inriching of Merchants and Adventurers.
The Iſlands and Plantations in America are in a manner wholly ſuſtain'd by the vaſt quantities of Beef, Pork, Butter, and other Proviſions of the Product of Ireland: from whence an unſpeakable Benefit redounds to England by the vaſt Cargoes of the Goods of the ſaid Plantations returnd thither, and the Great Conſumption of thoſe Goods being ſhipt out of England into Ireland, than which nothing more evidently tends to the inriching the Merchants who trade into thoſe Parts, or to the increaſe of Shipping, or encouragement to Navigation.
The mighty Quantities of Tallow, Hides, tann'd Leather, Skins of ſeveral ſorts, Yarn, Hemp, Linnen-Cloth, Cony-Skins, and other Furrs, yearly ſhipt from Ireland, and exported into England, ſupply that Kingdom with the ſaid Commodities at very reaſonable Rates (which otherwiſe would prove exceſſive dear) to the great conveniency of the Inhabitants in general, and the particular Advantage of the Merchants and ſuch as trade in them.
The Cargoes of Salmon, Herrings, Pilchards, (and thoſe the beſt and faireſt to be had in any Part of the World) Eels, and other Fiſh made up yearly in Ireland, and tranſported into ſeveral Parts in Spain, to Venice, and all the Ports in the Mediterranean Sea, would ſtartle common Belief. I have heard from faithful Relation, and I ſpoke of it before, that in the South of Ireland, they have made in a year near Eight hundred Tuns of Pilchards: A Perſon of great Quality, (whoſe Judgment and Credit no man will diſpute) did aver to me, that in one Seaſon 16000. l. was paid for the Pilchards taken on the South ſide of Cork, and the moſt of it by Sir John Frederic of London. That in one Port in the North, called Dunfanaghan, they have made in one Seaſon Two thouſand Tuns of Herrings. And I was told by a very honeſt and intelligent Perſon, (who in the Reign of Charles the Second was Collector of the Port of London-Derry) that in that one Place there was ſhipt off in one Seaſon 450. Tuns of Salmon, 400. Tuns of Herrings, and 80. Tuns of Eels: The Benefit and Profit of all which accrues to the Merchants of England, on whoſe ſole Account almoſt all the forementioned Commodities are ſhipt off and ſent away, to the great increaſe of their Shipping, and the manifeſt incouragement of Navigation,
Theſe things being undenyable, and perfectly true in matter of Fact, and which I am conſtrained by the neceſſity of the Argument to mention over again, it is evident beyond Contradiction, that the Trade of Ireland is of ineſtimable Advantage to the Trade of England, highly contributing, if not wholly ſubſervient to it.
3. The Importation of Engliſh Commodities.
The great multitudes of Goods and Commodidities continually exported out of Ireland into England, did not more apparently tend to the Advantage of Trade there, than the continual Importation of all kinds of Wares and Merchandiſe from thence. The People of Ireland did not deal like Niggards, or Rooks, to vend and put off the Product of their own Country, and not be inſtrumental to promote the Conſumption of what their Neighbours had to ſpare; on the contrary they maintain'd a conſtant Correſpondence, and an univerſal Commerce, and hugely advanced the Trade of England.
The Wooll which they from time to time ſent into England, they received again (and perhaps with it much of the growth there) transformed into the old and the new Drapery, and all ſorts of Woollen Manufactures, and thereby doubly advanced the Engliſh Trade, by the Outlet, and by the Return, by ſelling the one, and buying the other
Silks wrought, and un-wrought; Gold and Silver Lace; Buttons; Ribbands, &c. all ſorts of Grocery, Spicery, Haberdaſhers and Milliners Ware; Beavers and other fine Hats; Tobacco cut and dry'd, in Rowl, and in Leaf; white Salt; Coals; and many foreign Commodities, were daily and hourly brought into all the Ports of Ireland, being purchaſed by the Merchants there from the Merchants of London, Briſtol, Cheſter, Leverpool, Plymouth, and other Towns and Cities in England; the Quantities whereof muſt be prodigiouſly great, to ſupply not only the Neceſſities, but the Vanity and Luxury of ſo populous and opulent a Kingdom, (the Rate of whoſe Expences was no way regulated by the inſtinct of Thrift, or Parſimony) and conſequently the Gains and Profit redounding to the Engliſh Merchants muſt in reaſon bear ſome Proportion with the Vent and Conſumption; the eſtimate whereof in a few years is beyond Credit, if not paſt Numeration.
I could appeal to particular Men by Name, whoſe Books and Accounts will juſtifie my Poſition, that England received incredible Advantage by their Trade with Ireland, and their ſenſible diſappointments in the preſent Ceſſation of Trade from thence, do too unhappily confirm it; but I will not do that prejudice to them, to diſcover the Secrets of their Dealing, or raiſe a Spirit of Envy at their proſperous Proceedings: I honour them for their Ingenuity; I applaud their Induſtry, and heartily wiſh them reinſtated in their former Courſe of Traffick, that all Men may be convinced by their Experiment, how advantageouſly the Trade of Ireland co-operates to the Advancement of the Trade of England.
4. The Ingenuity of the Inhabitants.
I am now brought to a hard Dilemma; I muſt either renounce the Country, from whence I came, or retract my Aſſertion: For when I go about to illuſtrate the Ingenuity of the Inhabitants, I confute my ſelf, by a Diſcourſe ſo void of it. But there is no general Rule without ſome Exceptions; and I hope that my particular Defects ſhall not be imputed as a derogation from the Credit of the reſt.
It is an ungrateful Imployment to make Compariſons, and I do not in the leaſt intend any unkind Reflection upon the Common People of England, when I alledge, that the ordinary and vulgar ſort of the Britiſh Inhabitants in Ireland are much more Ingenious and quick, more docible, more intelligent in the Laws and Cuſtoms of the Country; more active, ſedulous and inquiſitive; diſpoſed to handle the Sword as well as the Plough, and notably capable to ſerve upon Juries, and to diſcharge the Duty incumbent on them at Aſſiſes and Seſſions. But I ſhall only inſiſt on that Qualification which is more proper and pertinent to the Argument in hand, viz. their natural Diſpoſition to Trade, and an undefatigable Induſtry in promoting it, and all for the advantage of the Trade of England. For the Petty Chapmen, Traders in ſmall Towns, and Country Dealers, are only Hawkers, Procurers, and Brokers for the greater Merchants in Cities and big Towns; and they ordinarily make themſelves Factors for the Merchants in England; ſending over to them the moſt Part of what they gather; or bringing back from them the Commodities of England in return of what they adventure, and gain upon their own Account. Thus I have obſerved the Chapmen in a ſmall Village (belonging to my ſelf) with great Art and Ingenuity negotiating with the Neighbours about them, making up many Tuns of Butter, and Tallow, gathering great quantities of Yarn, Linnen cloth, Salt, Hides, and Tann'd Leather; which ſoon after they ſell to the Merchants in the next City or Sea-Port, who either deal by Commiſſion from the Merchants in England, or export them on their own Account, but certainly bring home the Produce, in the Wares and Merchandiſe of England, (and I know one particular Man, who in one Town in one Seaſon, made up Eleven hundred Tuns of Butter by Commiſſion, and as a Factor for ſome Merchants there) but which way ſoever it be, the Ingenuity and Diligence of the Inhabitants of Ireland does indiſputably advance the Trade of England, and the whole Labour of the one centers in the Benefit of the other.
5. The Benefit to the King.
Tho' I propoſe the Kings Benefit in the laſt Place, yet it is not the leaſt of my Care and good Wiſhes; and I perſwade my ſelf that the Loyal and Loving Subjects of England will on that very Conſideration (if there were no other Motives to incite them) account Ireland worth the keeping, and accordingly will employ their Wealth, and exert their Courage and Strength for the ſpeedy Reduction and Reſtitution of it. To inforce this, I need produce no other Arguments, than the repetition of what was before remonſtrated; That the annual Revenue of Ireland coming into the Treaſury and the Kings Coffers, amounted to Three hundred and forty thouſand Pounds, out of which, beſide the neceſſary Exhibition; for ſupporting the State and ſafety of the Kingdom, a very conſiderable Sum was yearly laid at the Kings Feet, therewith to gratifie ſuch Servitors and Favourites in England, as the Revenue there would not reach to ſupply. To which let me add, that though under Charles the Second, the proteſtant Intereſt in Ireland received as little Incouragement as could be expected under a Proteſtant King; yet thriving by their Pruning, taking deeper Root by their being ſhaken, and growing more ſtrong by their Depreſſion; they had, beyond all Doubt, added before this time a very valuable Augmentation to the Publick Revenue, by their Trade and Improvements, had not Popery nipt them, and Arbitrary Power blasted them.