Sk. VIII. 7.

Finances.

30 1

In the ftatute, are excepted; and a duty formerlypaid on exportation is continued, for encouragingfuch of our own manufactures as employ any ofthe articles fpecified. In Ireland , to this day ,goods exported are loaded with a high duty, with-out even diftinguilhing made work from raw ma-terials; for example, fifh , hops, butter, hornedcattle , wrought iron, leather and every thing madeof it, &c. &c. And that nothing may efcape, allgoods exported that are not contained in the bookof rates } pay five per cent, ad valorem.

When Sully entered on the adminiftration ofthe French finances, corn in France was at an ex-orbitant price , occafioned by negleCt of hufband-ry during the civil war. That fagacious minifterdifcovered the fecret of re - eftablifhing agriculture,and of reducing the price of corn, which is, toallow a free exportation. So rapid was the fuccefsof that bold but policic meafure, that in a fewyears France became the granary of Europe ; and,what at prefent may appear wonderful, we find inthe Englilh records, anno 1621 , bitter complaintsof the French underfelling them in their own mark-ets. Colbert, who , fortunately for us , had im-bibed the common error, renewed the ancient pro-hibition of exporting corn, hoping to have itcheap at home for his manufacturers. But he wasin a grofs miftake; for that prohibition has beenthe chief caufe of many famines in France fincethat time. The corn - trade in France , by thatmeans, lay long under great difcouragements; andthe French miniftry continued long blind to the