servir qu'il appartiendra fait passé à Rouen le 5. Janvier 1685. Pierre Locquet Jean Boucher Rob. Nouflard Eustache le Canu Jacques De Lamare Thomas Fulgent Loüis Bouffier Jean le Testu Anthoine Mallet Notaires Royeaâ—â—â— Gruchett le Peletier C Mr. GEORGE ROBINSON's Answer To the foregoing Present State The Commissioners of His Majesties Customs may please to take notice THAT Whereas it hath been suggested a sort of Coal was lately found in Scotland not much inferiour to the Coal of England and from thence Exported to France in French Vessels paying little or no Custom for the same and whereas it was also alledged by Letters from France and Holland c. That the Forein Markets were of late years extraordinarily supplyed with Coals from Scotland in Strangers Ships to the great prejudiee of the English Navigation and damage to His Majesties Customs here upon which allegations some of the Traders His Majesties Subjects of England in that Commodity humbly desired by proper application a seasonable remedy for such an Evil either by an equality of Duty to be paid by Strangers in Scotland or by some encouragement or favour to rhe English in the Duty here which suggestions and seeming good reasons made not only deep impressions but great inclinations to endeavour a present Abatement of the Custom on Coals Exported from England in English Shipping for a short temporary experiment till the Duty in Scotland could be raised higher if the King should so please Now having since farther well examined the Premises there seemeth nothing more certain therein than I. That the Custom in Scotland is indeed next to nothing and the defect such as it is there II. That there are no better Coals in Scotland now than in former and later years in which the Duties in both Kingdoms have been as now they are and yet the Exportation from England far greater than that of the last year from whence it seemeth evident that the greater or lesser Annual Exportation of this Commodity hath not been occasioned by any extraordinary Coal found in Scotland or the difference of the Custom but Peace War Plague c doth influence the same And some years the Forein Markets as well as London Markets are over stocked with this Commodity the Custom of Anno 1679. was better than 1678. about 5000 l. the year following was worse than that by about 2000 l. 1681. was near as good as 1679. 1682. was somewhat better than 1680. 1683. was about 1500 l. better than 1682. and Anno 1684. is not so bad as 1678. by near 2000 l. neither were the years before 1678. though not altogether so good as since less subject to variation and yet the Coals of Scotland and the Duties of both Kingdoms the same as now for any thing yet proved to the contrary III. That the advices from Holland of the encrease of this Scotch Trade now want Confirmation and the abatement from 8 to 6 s. per Chalder is chiefly projected by the Factors or Traders of France and that for accompt of the gross Farmers of the Customs of that Kingdom who as Strangers ought by the Book of Rates here to pay 14 s. per Chalder for Coals Exported in English Shipping so that instead of 2 s. this project will abate them 8 s. per Chalder IV. That by that sensible Letter to Sir John Buckworth of the ½ 2 2 Instant from Rouen touching this matter it seemeth apparent That if the French could be without our English Coal or the Scotch Coal were so good as is alledged and could be brought from Scotland in French Ships within 2 s. per Chalder as cheap as English Coal the French would not be so kind to our Navigation as to employ them in this Trade to the neglect of their own Shipping or on the other hand in the same Letter it would rationally be proposed that if French Ships may be permitted to fetch out Coal at English Custom they will be willing to pay the French Tonnage of 5 s. which will amount to 18 s. per Chalder a Newcastle Chalder being more than two Ton Now if the Market at Rouen will afford to pay that 18 s. per Chalder and produce good profit to the Merchant as the said Letter sets forth it seemeth not necessary to abate the Custom and to let them have a Commodity from us which they cannot be without for the reasons aforesaid at 6 s. per Chalder V. If it be said in favour of all Forein Markets as well as France that the cheapness of a Commodity supposeth an encrease of Consumption it will also be remembred that the supposition will utterly fail in Commodities not subject to Luxury If Salt were at a penny a Bushel it would not for its cheapness augment the Consumption And if all the English Custom on Coals were taken off it would not amount to above 1 d. ½ a Bushel in the price of Coals cannot make 6 d. difference in 5 l. worth of Manufacture and the dearer we sell a Commodity abroad which the Stranger cannot be without as aforesaid the more we bring back to inrich our own Nation VI. And as to the English Navigation the same will appear to be very little advantaged by the desired abatement to 6 s. per Chalder when it shall be computed that the whole Forein Coal-Trade is not â…• part of the Annual quantity brought only into London of which the bare Duties first and last amount to 6 s. 6 d. per Chalder and if the said abatement should take effect the French should not pay so much Duty as we The Parent is not kinder to Strangers than to his own Children VII Therefore it is conceived that if any advantage can accrue by the desired abatement it will be to the Coal Owner who knowing the necessity the French have of the Commodity will at least share by the raising the Price of the Coal in the profit of what the King shall please to abate of the Customs so prudently Established by his Laws VIII And for these Reasons and much more which might be said on this subject as I humbly conceive the said abatement not to be for His Majesties service or the benefit of the English Navigation so I find all my Partners with whom I am in Covenant now unwilling to joyn with me in any consent thereunto for what relates to the Lord Townsends Interest in the premises All which is humbly submitted Dated the 20th of Decemb. 1684. George Robinson D A Reply to Mr. George Robinsons groundless Answer to the Present State of the Forein Coal-Trade I. THat the Custom in Scotland is next to nothing as by the said Present State is set forth is owned by the Answerer so needs no further proof nor enlargement II. To say there are no better Coals now in Scotland than in former years is not denyed though a cunning insinuation But the best and richest Coal both in Englond and Scotland being the most fit for
TO THE Right Honourable and Honourable THE Lords Commissioners OF HIS Majesties Treasury Sir WILLIAM CREAGH of Newcastle upon Tine Most humbly sheweth THAT taking notice of the great inequality of the Customs in England and Scotland on COALS transported beyond the Seas by which His Majesties Revenue as to that Branch is much impaired the English Navigation in a great measure discouraged and that antient Corporation of Newcastle in danger of being ruin'd He thought it his Duty to let slip no opportunity whereby he might be instrumental to stop the current of so great Evils And though the fatigue of a long troublesom Journey from Newcastle hither might be a bar to his said undertaking yet he valu'd his Duty to the King and the Publick above all and came from Newcastle to London now the third time upon the same Errand The first time was in October 1684. and in November following he presented the Commissioners of His Majesties Customs with a State of the Forreign Coal-Trade herewith following the Letter A Together with the ensuing Authentick Certificate from France following the Letter B Both which being debated before the said Commissioners were afterwards sent up to the then Lords of the Treasury and made known to his late Majesty of Blessed Memory who together with the said Lords and Commissioners seem'd inclinable to grant the Abatement set forth in the said State till one Mr. George Robinson one of the Sub-Farmers of the 4s per Chalder under my Lord Townsend obstructed the same by disswading his Partners from consenting thereto and for his so doing he gave the Commissioners a Paper of groundless Reasons herewith following the Letter C Which are fully refuted by the said Creagh's Answer thereto following the Letter D However since the said Sub-Farmers would not bear their share of the Abatement the said Lords of the Treasury and Commissioners thought it not reasonable the King should bear the whole and they reap half the Benefit And thus the Business fell till February 1685 6. That the said Creagh seeing those Evils like to encrease and having an opportunity by Proposals made to him from France upon encouragement to improve that Branch of His Majesties Revenue very considerably he came the second time to London and presented His present Majesty with a second State of that Affair a Copy whereof is here annexed and follows the Letter E And of which another Copy was likewise delivered to my Lord Rochester then Lord Treasurer and the said Creagh being call'd out of Town before any Reference could be had upon it he left a Friend to sollicit the matter and though it was sent to the Commissioners after he was gone yet his Friend could get no other Answer to it than a Copy of the said Robinson's groundless Reasons This put him the said Creagh upon procuring stronger Proofs for what he asserted and after the Expence of Time and Money he at last got an Authentick Certificate from Scotland a Copy whereof follows the Letter F Which he hopes will be sufficient to shew what Prejudice the said Robinson's and Partners Obstinacy has done the King the Navigation and the Town of Newcastle which I doubt so small an Abatement will not now prevent after the Trade is almost setled in Scotland as it would do in the beginning when there was not much of that Insomuch that raising the Custom in Scotland to some equality with the Custom in England would prove more effectual and this is conceived may be done by the King and Lords Commissioners of the Exchequer in Scotland as appears by the Preamble to the Scotch Book of Rates whereof a Copy is also herewith following the Letter G Especially in a Matter that occasions so National a Prejudice But till that be done some Course is requisite to be taken to prevent the aforesaid apparent Evils And as an addition to the Ruine of that ancient and considerable Corporation of Newcastle upon Tine there is one of its own Members called Sunderland that contributes thereto in a high degree and that in the Custom saved in the difference of measure by which His Majesty loses 30 per cent of His Customs which the said Creagh is ready to make out of his own certain knowledg having loaded Ships there and found that every 7 Chalders in Sunderland made out 10 Newcastle Chalders and paid the Kings Custom but for 7 Chalders and as a further demonstration they sell their Sunderland Chalder of Coals most commonly for 14 s. and 14 s. 6 d. per Chalder when Newcastle cannot sell for above 8 or 9 s. per Chalder though as good or better Coals so that the Measure is apparent to be the cause by which a great share of that little foreign Coal Trade in England which otherwise would come to Newcastle comes to that Port which is like wise a great Prejudice to the Navigation by reason none but small Vessels come there whereas in Newcastle Ships of any Burthen may fitted There is one thing more burthensom to Newcastle in reference to its Members whereof no mention would be made if the said Members were not like to destroy the Head and that is the 12 d. per Chalder which comes to a considerable yearly Sum which is not in the least grudged provided the said Members paid the like and not have 30 per cent abated in the Custom more than the head May it please your Lordships Mr. Anthony Isaacson Collector of the Customs in Newcastle and one who hath had above Twenty Years experience in that Port is now in London who may if your Lordships please be interrogated as to the Premises to whose testimony and your Lordships consideration is referred what is here set forth by May it please your Lordships Your Lordships most Humble most Obedient and most Faithful Servant W. CREAGH LONDON April the 1687. A THE PRESENT STATE OF THE Forreign Coal-Trade Humbly offerred to the consideration of His Majesties Commissioners of the Customs BY WILLIAM CREAGH Of Newcastle upon Tine Merchant THE said William Creagh saith That a Company of French Merchants of the City of Rouen in the Kingdom of France about Three Months ago writ him that they made a Contract with the French Farmers to import great Quantities of Coals into the River of Rouen by English Shipping and thereupon gave the said Creagh orders to Freight with all possible speed as many English Ships as could take in 800 Chalders of Coals declaring that the next Spring and Summer they would import as many Coals to the said River of Rouen and continue yearly so to do as would supply the whole Kingdom of France whereupon and in pursuance of the said Order the said Creagh freighted Nine Ships of considerable Burthen and loaded them off but before he could compleat Shipping the said Number of 800 Chalders of Coals he receives a Letter from the said Company acquainting him that the Truce being then as good as ratified betwixt France and Spain their French Ships
Domestick use are the worse for Forein Consumption where no other use is made of that Commodity but for the Forge and Furnace therefore the question is not whether they be better or worse in the general but that a better sort of Coals for Forein use viz. a small Cakeing Coal and of less value than that called the best which is a large open burning Coal that will not Cake has been of late years found in Scotland purchased there on easie terms plentifully Transported from thence to Forein parts and there sold at as high a Rate as Newcastle Coals to the lessening His Majesties Customs and the English Navigation is what has been offered and proved by as Authentick a Certificate as could be devised whereof the Copy follows the Letter B. And as to the Answerers promiscuous way of jumbling the Encrease and Decrease of several years Product after the Rule of false Position it is no way pertinent but rather a blind to hinder Men from discerning the true State of the Case which is this I. His Majesties Revenue is diminished notwithstanding that later years have produced more than formers this may seem paradoxical but it shall be made out for what His Majesty might have by good management and lost by bad is a lessening of His Revenue good management might hinder so many Fleets to pass by for Scotland to fetch a Commodity which they might take up half way and thereby considerably encrease His Majesties Revenue therefore the want of that good management has diminished it II. As to the English Navigation the prejudice is apparent for instead of 30 s. that used formerly to be paid for the Freight of a Chalder of Coals from Newcastle to Havre de grace in France Ships may now be plentifully had for 16 s. per Chalder for the said Voyage occasioned purely for want of Employment since Scotland is able to furnish Forein Ships with Coals fit for their purpose and in a manner Custom free III. That the Advices from Holland want no confirmation if Letters may be Credited whence likewise Authentick Certificates may be had were it worth the Charge or that the Matter in question were put upon that Issue and as to the abatement it is all one by whom it is projected if it be proved to be for the good of the King and Kingdom IV. That the sensible Letter to Sir John Buckworth of the ½ 2 2 December 1684. from Rouen confirms the Certificate aforementioned as to the quantity of Scotch Coals Imported to the River of Rouen and nothing is more clear than that the French could be without English Coals since they may be furnished from Scotland upon such easie terms as is alledged And if so great a Work as the cutting of the River Eure were not set on foot which required a speedy supply and which of necessity in the beginning must Employ some English Ships to fetch English Coals the said Ships being of greater Burthen and the said Coals nearer hand but it is to be noted that at the same time their own Ships go for Scotland and that when they have once a Stock by them to keep the Men at Work then will they supply themselves from Scotland so as Newcastle shall hardly see any more of them or receive any further Orders to send them any more Coals in English Ships as to the French Ships being willing to pay 10 s. per Chalder Tonage provided they may pay no more than 8 s. per Chalder English Custom which would make in all 18 s. per Chalder It is confessed they would gain very well by it and four times more than by paying only 6 s. of the English Custom for it is to be noted that a French Ship pays in all 30 s. per Chalder whereof 10 s. being for Tonage they pay no fifty Solx per Ton at home which English Ships must do in France so the Tonage must be paid either in French Ships in England or English Ships in France therefore no benefit to the Merchant by that Article Now I leave any body to judg whether it were not better for the French to pay the full English Custom being 8 s. and the said Tonage than to pay the 20 s. remaining of the 30 s. though the desired 2 s. were abated of it and how Mr. Robinson can make it out otherwise is not understood V. How absurd it is to say that the Stranger cannot be without our Commodity when at the same time he may have it as good and a great deal cheaper from another place is obvious to the meanest capacity VI. As to the English Navigation his Argument bears as little weight as the former for if there be no encouragement to Trade there will be as little to Build Ships and if that encouragement fails Navigation in a small process of time must fall in Course which already appears in that antient Nursery of Navigation Newcastle where of ten Ships that used to be Built there is hardly one now there appeared no less decrease in the buying of Forein Bottoms even before the Act of Parliament so that this and the fall of Freights is a plain demonstration and though it is very true that it is the London Market that mostly governs our English Coal-Trade yet when that is at an ebb it is no policy to knock down all other helps for Company and therefore Mr. Robinson's witty home Charity is not so meritorious when the Parent starves himself and his Children by shutting out the Stranger that brings them Bread VII As to Mr. Robinson's Conception of the abatement desired to be for the benefit of the Coal-Owner it will be made appear to be a very false Conception and so incapable of bringing forth any thing that is good that it will prove Abortive for in the first place he himself owns that the Coal-Trade is governed by London if so it must be the London Market that causes a Rise or Fall in the Price of Coals therefore the Forein Trade being so inconsiderable as he makes it cannot be the cause It may be considered likewise that none that comes to Buy will give more than the Current Price which is publickly known but very often may Buy under the Current Price from necessitous Men who will undersel rather than want mony though contrary to the Orders of the Hostmen Company whereof they are Members and which by their Freedom Oath they are bound to observe that the Company may enjoy an equal benefit of the Trade And further that the said Sir William Creagh who deals most in the said Forein Coal-Trade may clear himself of this false suggestion he declares that he is not nor ever was Owner of any Coals that went over Sea otherwise than by paying others his ready mony for them after they were Shipped off and sent away so there is no room left to think him guilty of so foul a practice if any of Mr. Robinson's Acquaintance be it were fit he were