Trade and Manufactures of the Province, 1708. LORD CORNBURY TO SEC. HODGES. [Lond. Doc. XVI.] The Trade of this Province consists chiefly in flower and biskett which is sent to the Islands in the West Indians, in return they bring Rum, Sugar, Molasses, and some times pieces of Eight and Cocoa and Logwood; to Europe Our people send Skins of all sorts, Whale Oyle and Bone, which are the only Commodity this Country sends to Europe, of its own produce as yet, but if they were encouraged, the people of this Province would be able to supply England with all manner of Naval Stores, Pitch, Tarr, Rosine, Turpentine, Flax Hemp Masts and Timber of all Kinds and Sizes, and very good in their Kinds. When I said on the other side that if the people were encouraged they would be able to supply England with all manner of Naval Stores, I mean (by encouraged) if they had a certain sure market for their produce; for as the Case now stands, they apiy their land to Corn of all sorts, but chiefly Wheat, because they have a` certain Market for that in the Islands, but if they had a sure market for Hemp and flax in England, they would greedily fall to the planting of hemp & Flax, because they want Commoditys, to make returns to England for the goods they take from thence. Besides if part of their lands were imployed to those uses, their Corn would fetch a better price; besides the want of wherewithall to make returns for England, sets mens witts at work, and that has put them upon a Trade which I am sure will hurt England in a little time; for I am well informed, that upon Long Island and Connecticut, they are setting up a Woollen Manufacture, and I myself have seen Serge made upon Long Island that any man may wear. Now if they begin to make Serge, they will in time make Course Cloth, and then fine; we have as good fullers earth and tobacco pipe clay in this Province, as any in the world; how farr this will be for the service of England I submit to better Judgments; but however I hope I may be pardoned, if I declare my opinion to be, that all these Colloneys, which are but twigs belonging to the Main Tree (England) ought to be Kept entirely dependent upon & subservient to England, and that can never be if they are suffered to goe on in the notions they have, that as they are Englishmen, soe they may set up the same manufactures here as people may do in England; for the consequence will be that if once they can see they can cloath themselves, not only comfortably but handsomely too, without the help of England, they who are already not very fond of submitting to Government would soon think of putting in Execution designs they had long harbourd in their breasts. This will not seem strange when you consider what sort of people this Country is inhabited by. MR CALEB HEATHCOTE TO THE BOARD OF TRADE, 3 AUG. 1708. [Lond. Doc. XVII.] My Lords-This comes chiefly to ask pardon for all the trouble I have given your Lordships in my severall letters relating to the Naval Stores. What I aimed at chiefly therein was the service of my Nation & I do assure yor Lordships (notwithstands I may have been otherwise represented) is very dear to me. And what in the first place I aimed at by my proposals was, to have diverted the Americans from goeing on with their linen and Woollen Manufac torys & to have turn'd their thoughts on such things as might be usefull & beneficial to Great Britain. They are already so far advanced in their Manufactoryes that 3/4 of ye linen and Woollen they use, is made amongst 'em; espetially the Courser sort, & if some speedy and effectual ways are not found to putt a stop to it, they will carry it on a great deal further, & perhaps in time very much to the prejudice of our manufactorys at home. I have been discoursed with by some to assist them in setting up a manufactory |