A Discourse on Trade, and Other Matters Relative to itCary, John
History
A Discourse on Trade, and Other Matters Relative to it
Cary, John
Great Britain -- Commerce -- Early works to 1800; Great Britain -- Commercial policy -- Early works to 1800
Among the several Trees that adorn our Fields, the Oak, the Elm, and the
Ash, are the chiefest; these not only serve in Building our Ships and
Houses, but also furnish us with materials, wherewith our Artificers make
many things fit for Commerce: And it were much to be wish’d, that
better Care was taken to preserve our Timber, for the Benefit of
Posterity.
[Sidenote: Manufactures.]
The third Part of our Inland Trade is our Manufactures, whereby our
Products are improv’d in their Values and made useful in sundry
Manners, both for our selves and others, by the labour of our People; and
fitted for such Services, as of their own Natures, without the help of
Art, they could not have been proper; and those to suit the Necessities
and Fancies, both of our own, and also of foreign Countries to which we
export them; where they yield a Price, not only according to the true
value of the Materials and Labour, but an Overplus according to the
Necessity and Humour of the Buyers: And this adds to the Profit, and
encreases the Wealth of the Kingdom.
These Manufactures, as they employ Multitudes of our People in their
Making, so also in Exporting them, and importing foreign Materials to be
used with our own, such as Oyl, Dye-stuff, Silk, Wooll, Cotton, Barillia
and many others, which are either manufactured here by themselves, or
workt up with our own Product.
[Sidenote: Sheep's-Wool.]
And first to begin with Sheep’s-Wooll, whereof either by it self, or
mixt with Silk or Linnen, we make Variety of pretty Things, fit for all
Climates, and proper for the Wearing of both Sexes; wherein the Invention
and Imitation of our Workmen have been so great, that they have out-done
all that went before them. From a strong Cloth, fit to keep out Cold in
Winter, they have turn’d their hands to a fine thin sort, which will
scarce keep warm in Summer; from hence they fell on Perpets, Serges,
Crapes, Stuffs, Sayes, Ratoons, Antherines, and many other Things, fit
both for outward Garments, and inward Linings; of various Colours,
Stripes, and Flowers, some of them so fine and pleasant, as scarce to be
known from Silk: Besides those Multitudes of coarser Cloth for the Poor;
also Rugs, Blankets, and all sorts of Furniture for Houses. And such a
Progress have they made in these Manufactures, that a Man may have his
Picture wrought at the Loom, with the same Exactness as if drawn with a
Pencil; one Work-man vying to excell another, they make Things to answer
all Occasions. And as for Arras and Tapestry, I believe it will be
allowed, that they do not fall short of those from whom they first had
the Art: Add to these, Hats, Stockings, and many other things, which are
both worn at home, and exported abroad.
[Sidenote: Cotton-Wool.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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