"than on a fictitious one, which might deceive us." And as to the reason why this mode was adopted now, it was because it could not have been adopted fooner; for the value being taken from the declaration of the merchants. exporting the goods under the Convoy Act, and that aft having only paffed in the previous feffion, fuch declarations were never made before. From these accounts Mr. Fofter makes the following ftatements. Imports into Britain from Ireland, on a three years Raw Materials, provifions, i. e. butter, beef, pork, bacon, corn, &c. Value. £2,600,101 2,910,724 5,510,825 101,864 £5,612,689 Value. From this account it appears, that ftating the whole of the imports and exports to and from each country, including foreign products and manufactures, there is a balance in favour of Ireland, amounting to £2,056,824, which muft do away any impreffion which could have been made by the first statement, where the balance was ftated at but £95,623. Mr. Fofler being fully aware of this, found it neceffary for his argument, to ftate that this was bet but an apparent balance in favour of Ireland; and to fupport this affertion, he fays, "that on examining the nature and amount of the feveral articles, we shall find on a "comparison of mutual benefit, the balance is much in "favour of Britain;" and to shew this, he states the trade in three points of view. 1. As it regards manufactures. · 2. As it regards raw materials, or articles of prime neceffity; and 3. As it regards foreign articles. As to the first article, viz. Manufactures, he afferts" that "there is no kind of manufacture exported from Ireland "to Britain, except linen;" at the fame time he includes in the manufactures exported from Britain to Ireland, all Eaft Indian and Colonial produce; alleging that much of them are really manufactures, and the reft, he says, may be deemed fuch, on account of the employ of labour in the colony and in the fhipping Upon thefe principles, which we shall by and by examine, he makes a ftatement thus: Raw materials fupplied by Ireland, including articles of prime neceffity; as beef, butter, pork, bacon, and corn, Do. fupplied by Britain, including coals, hops, falt, and bark, Excefs of fupply by Ireland, £2,910,724 447,477 £2,463,447 3. FOREIGN ARTICLES. Foreign articles taken by Ireland from Britain, £1,468,173 Do. taken by Britain from Ireland, Excess taken by Ireland, 101,864 £1,366,309* Mr. Foster then states, that in the first article, viz. manufactures, the account is nearly equal; that in the fecond, or articles of neceffity, or raw materials, the balance of fupply is very great to Britain; and in the third, or foreign articles, the gain to Britain is prodigious. He afferts that he has detailed thefe ftatements accurately, from the printed report of the accounts laid by Mr. Irving before the Lords of England, and he boasts of the advantage of arriving at truth by fuch detail; for if the grofs amount only of thefe imports and exports had been stated, without attending to the nature of the articles, it would appear that the trade was greatly against Britain. I shall now endeavour to fhew with what degree of accuracy and fairness these statements have been detailed from the printed accounts. Mr. Fofter has taken his ftatements from three feveral accounts, laid before the Houfe of Lords of England by Mr. Irving, and marked by him, No. 4, No. 5, and No. 6; copies of which are annexed, and marked with the numbers. 1, 2, and 3. The first of thele accounts is entitled, "An account of "the value, according to the prices current of the imports into Great Britain from Ireland, on an average of the "last three years, diftinguishing the principal articles; and "alfo diftinguifhing, as far as the fame can be done, the "products and manufactures of Ireland, from those articles "which are not the products and manufactures of that king"dom." This account, as will be feen upon inspection, fets forth the feveral articles in two fchedules; the one containing fuch as are, the other fuch as are not the product, or manufacture of ireland: Nete. I have throughout adopted the figures of Mr. Fofter, although they are inaccurate; I fuppofe through burry. The The former, amounting in value to The latter, to Total, £5,510,825 101,864 £5,612,689 The fecond is a fimilar account of the products and manufactures of Britain exported to Ireland, and diftinguifhed into manufactures and raw materials: The former, amounting in value to Total, £1,640,195 447,477 £2,087,672 The third is entitled, "An account of the rated value, "and of the value agreeable to the prices current, of the "foreign merchandize exported from Great-Britain to "Ireland, on an average of the last three years, diftin"guishing the principal articles;'' amounting, according to the prices current, to £1,468, 173. From these three accounts, the plain and natural conclufions to be drawn would be, that on a comparison of the value of the imports from Ireland into Britain, with the exports of the manufactures and raw materials of Britain to Ireland, the account would stand thus: Amount of imports from Ireland into Britain, £5,612,689 Amount of exports from Britain into Ireland, 2,087,672 Balance in favour of Ireland, £3,527,017 And if it were fair that the amount of the value of foreign merchandize should be added to the value of Britifla manufactures and raw materials fent from Britain to Ireland, then the account would stand thus: Amount of imports from Ireland to Britain, £5,612,689 Amount of exports from Britain into But Mr. Irving, as if he had forefeen that an attempt would have been made to pervert his meaning, has taken care care to put that out of doubt; for in two fubfequent ac counts, marked by him No. 15 and No. 16, and in the accounts hereto annexed 8 and 9, he has again ftated the matter thus: No. 15. "An account of the true value of the products and ma"nufactures of Ireland, imported annually into Great Britain, on an average of the three years preceding the 5th of January, 1799; and alfo an account of the true products and manufactures of Great Britain, exported to "Ireland, for the fame period; with the amount of the "excefs or balance in favour of each country. MARCH, 5, 1799. THOMAS IRVING, In peator-Gen. of the Imports and Experts of Great Britais: No. 16. "An account of the true value, taken on an average of "the three years to the 5th of January, 1799, of the Irish products and manufactures, and of the foreign merchan"dize annually imported into Great Britain from Ireland; likewife an account of the true value of British products and manufactures, and of foreign merchandize, exported "from Great Britain to Ireland, on an average of the fame "period; with the amount of the excefs or balance in "favour of either country. Total Value of Imports Total Value of Exporte Excess, or Balance of into Great Britain from Ireland, £5,612,689. MARCH 5, 1799. from Great Britain to Ireland, Trade, in Favour of THOMAS IRVING, Apperly-Con of die Ingerts and Experts of Great Britan. From |