Vly, The great Consumption of Commodities among them from this Kingdom, which, though it Encreases our Trade, and makes it our Interest to Support that Kingdom, must be allowed to be a Prejudice to them. All which being laid together, it seems apparent to me, that the Ballance of their Trade must every Year grow more against them, till their Mony is drawn away, except some New Manufacture, fit for Exportation, be Encouraged amongst them. And I think none more proper than that of Linnen; which, besides the Employment it will give to their Poor, will also take up large Tracts of Land for Raising of Hemp and Flax; and being a Manufacture no way Interfering with our own, we may take it from them, in Barter for what they have hence, without any Manner of Prejudice to the Trade of this Kingdom. Besides, The People of _Ireland_, being Employed on the Linnen Manufacture, would by degrees be taken off from making so much Worsted and Woollen Yarn as they now do, which they send hither at Cheaper Rates than we are able to make ’em; The Price of Labour in all Places being according to the Prices of Privisions, and those according to the Rents of Lands, the Poor can afford to work there on lower Terms than it can be expected they shou’d do here; On the other side, if the low Labour of the Poor of _Ireland_, was Employ’d on Spinning of Linnen Yarn, it would be an Advantage to the Kingdom of England, to have it sent hither, because it would Enable us to make our Fustions, and other Manufactures, where it is used, Cheaper than now we do; whilst our own Poor might be Employed on Spinning of Wool; and we might Afford to give them better Wages, without fear of being Beat out of our Manufactures by any other Nation, provided Care was taken to keep our Wool at Home. The next thing to be Considered is, how this Work may be best carried on; which I am of Opinion, must be done by a Corporation, with a Joint-Stock, Sufficient, not only to buy up what Linnens shall be made, but also to furnish the Kingdom with Money on Easy Terms; which will likewise Encourage the Raising of Hemp and Flax. If the High Rates of Interest in _Ireland_ be considered, and the present State of the Linnen Manufacture there, ’twill not be Difficult to see, how Unlikely it is to be carried on by Private Stocks, who can make Ten _per Cent. per Annum_, by letting out their Money; ’tis true, the late Act hath reduced it to Eight, but that Act, having no regard to Incumbrances entred into before the 25th of _March_, 1704, I do not see, how it will much help the People of _Ireland_ at this time, when the Scarcity of Money does Disable them to Discharge Prior Engagements; so that private Men have Opportunities enough to settle theirs at Ten _per Cent._ which in all probability they will rather Chuse, than to lay it out in Linnens, unless they can be Assured of a far greater Profit, than they can make by letting it out.