Sk. VIII. 7.
Finances.
32?
propofed: but will not that benefit be more thanbalanced by the encouragement it gives to foreignmanufactures? By the late peace, we have ob-tained the monopoly of gum-fenega; and propermeafures have been taken for turning it to the beltaccount: the exportation from Africa is confinedto Great Britain ; and the duty on importation isonly fix pence per hundred weight: but t’he dutyon exportation from Britain is thirty {hillings perhundred weight "; which, with freight, commiffion,and infurance, makes it come dear to foreigners.Formerly, every beavers fkin paid upon importa-tion feven pence of duty; and the exporter receiv-ed a drawback of four pence ; as if it had beenthe purpofe of the legiflature, to make our ownpeople pay more for that ufeful commodity thanforeigners. Upon obtaining a monopoly of beaver-fkins by the late peace, that abfurd regulation wasaltered: a penny per {kin of duty is laid on impor-tation, and feven pence on exportation By thatmeans beaver-{kins are cheaper here than in anyother country of Europe . A fimilar regulation iseflablilhed with refpedt to gum-arabic. A hundredweight pays on importation fix pence, and on ex-portation L. 1, 10 s. “ As the foregoing articlesare ufed in various manufactures, their cheapnefsin Britain , by means of thefe regulations, will pro-
*° s' Georg? III. cap. 37.
y 4