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That this aftonishing increafe, from FOUR millions to nearly FORTY, has been the effect of the extended * commerce of Great Britain will obviously appear, fince the foreign linens have not decreased during the second period 1789, as they did during the firft from 1743, as has been juft ftated.

The value of foreign linens imported,

In 1789,
1796,

433,884
456,679

Thus we fee that they increased, which is in itself a proof of the effects of the increased commerce of Great Britain; but on the whole, it may be faid that they have preserved their level in the imports. As to the exports, their value

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Here we behold the fame effects from the fame caufes, and the fame arguments are applicable.

The Irish linens have an advantage over the foreign, to the amount of 251 per cent.And to this system of bounty and duty, they firft owed their increase; and to the unparalleled extenfion of British commerce, they now owe their extraordinary augmentation.

The linens imported from Ireland, on an average of the three years preceding January 1798, amounted to 2,600,421 4

Whereas the value of foreign linens imported during the fame period, amounted to but 414,719 /

Of thefe also there were exported to the amount of 119,263k

Therefore there were confumed in Great Britain; but, 299,456/

*See Tables D & E.

Whereas

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Whereas there were confumed in Great Britain Irifh linens to the amount of about 2,410,4217. As on the average of three years, about 190,000 l. is exported.

Such is the fuperiority which the Irish linens have over the foreign in the British market; beside on exportation, the Irish linens enter a foreign market, with all the benefits of a large bounty paid to them in Britain, and of English capital which can afford long credit. Whereas foreign linens enter the fame market after having left behind them in Britain, a certain part of the duties paid on importation, and after having paid fome other custom-house charges; fo that before they can be unfhipped, there is a difadvantage against them, equivalent to from five to fix per cent.

But the importance of British connexion, and the grow ing magnitude of Irish commerce through that connection, must be obvious to every man who reflects that the TOTAL value of the linen trade in Ireland, was,

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Whereas the linen trade, including yarn, with Great Britain alone, upon an average value of the three years end. ing 1798, amounted to 2,844,402 1. If, indeed, the Union which with refpect to the linen trade of Ireland, is precifely the fame in fubstance as the adjustment whereon Mr. Foftet used those emphatic words, (p. 108) "if it were to take away the benefit of the linen trade from Ireland, it would be a good cause for rejecting it: but as it for EVER confirms ALL THE ADVANTAGES we derive from the linen trads, and binds England from making any laws that can be injurious to it: furely gentlemen who regard that trade, and whole fortunes and rent depend on its profperity, will not

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entertain a moment's doubt about EMBRACING THE OFFER." And as the linen trade much exceeds all the reft of the commerce of Ireland, and as nine-tenths of it depend folely upon Britain, what then must be the refult were the system of bounties and duties, which constitute almost the principle of its existence, to receive a fhock? If the public revenues of Great Britain fuffer by this fyftem, if the private.confumer fuffers, by paying 25 per cent, more than he need; if the manufactures of Britain fuffer by reciprocal duties and restrictions laid on by foreign nations-if the interests of Ireland be different, and feparate from thofe of Britain, is it reasonable to suppose that the people of Great Britain will not infift on the fupport of her separate interefts? They have long and loudly demanded why they should be charged with this 25 per cent. on the confumption of Irish linens ; the linen trade, nay, I may fay, the entire trade of Ireland (as will appear hereafter) must be deftroyed, if this blind policy of separate interests be forced upon the British by the Irish nation. Ireland fhould at leaft reflect that the British market would, if the operation of bounties and duties ceafed, foon be cheaply filled, not only with foreign linens, but that Britain herself would foon fupply her own market, as in the cafe of the fail cloth manufacture, which Ireland loft. The foreign linens at this moment, with even 25 per cent. against them, not only fupport a competition with the Irish linens, but underfell them in fome branches. Three Provinces of France alfo, which manufacture more linens than all Ireland together, might struggle for this market; but as the home confumption of Britain would foon increafe, fo muft the home produce. And what the extent of this manufacture is in Britain, may be calculated upon the following comparative view of the exports of linens entitled to bounty.

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Thus it appears, that while the Irish manufacture increased from 40 thoufand yards, to two millions, the Britifh increased from 52 thoufand yards, to three millions, leaving out fractions. And this increase of the linen manufacture is daily becoming more confiderable in Great Britain

The increase in the exports of British linens not entitled to bounty, has also been as great in value, as that entitled to bounty. And the foreign linens alfo, which pay duties on exportation from Great Britain, have been able, befide the competition in the British market, to maintain a competition in the foreign markets with Irish linens, which receive a bounty on leaving the English ports for those markets. Thus, then, ftands the cafe of the Irish linen manufacture, with the whole fyftem of bounties and duties in its favour. But what would follow were that fyftem to ceafe?-Commercial death. And this fyftem must be broken and destroyed, if instead of Union separate interests exists; whereas new force muft be given to that fyftem by Union, and identity of interefts. One plain and obvious quefion will fhew to every man of what importance and benefit an Union must be to Ireland. It appears that the principal market for Irifh linens is Great Britain, and that four-fifths of the quantity imported, and those of the highest price, are confumed there; confequently the other one-fifth has been exported: Now we afk, has the Irish bill of bounties been able to direct the export of this one-fifth into her own direct commerce? Surely no ftronger proof can be ad

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duced of the fuperior advantages of British commerce and British capital; and, confequently, of an incorporative Union, with all thofe advantages. For, though the Irish exporter has at present an obvious fuperiority over the Englifh one (which is the cafe, though the bounties in both countries be equal) of five and a half per cent. paid for freightage, commiffion, warehousing, wharfaging, and other incidents attendant on the import of Irish linens into the British ports, for the purpose of export from thence; ftill there is not a decrease, but an aftonishing increase in the exports of Irish linens from Great Britain. Even in the laft year, which was a confused period of rebellion, the increase above the preceding year, amounted to 149,059 % This then, is an obvious teft of the effects of capital, which can afford long credit-of well afforted cargoes, of India goods, foreign linens, Manchefter, Birmingham, Norwich and Sheffield manufactures; all of which have refifted the operative advantage of five and a half per cent. in favour of the Irish exporter. Since here, then, is an unequivocal and clear conviction of the benefits of English trade, it may be afked Is Ireland difpofed to furrender thofe benefits at home and abroad, or to fecure them for ever?

Thofe advantages are no lefs numerous and extenfive, than they are fingular in their nature. For, in order to eftablish a reciprocity, "Ireland ought to give a bounty on the exportation of English linens, because England gives a bounty on the exportation of Irish linens."-Can any thing be more juft? faid Mr. Fofter. But what is actually the cafe? The annual bounties paid to Ireland by England, on an average of the four last years, amounted to 34,000l.; and the annual revenues from the trade of Ireland, during the fame period, amounted to 40,000 l.: therefore, the annual balance for the gain of the British revenue, or for the ninth part of its trade, was 6,000, which bears a proportion to its whole revenue, during that period, (5,734,525) as one

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