TIIK NATURK AND CAUSKS OF

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EVery different order of citizens is bound to contribute tothe support of the sovereign or commonwealth. A tax offive, or even of ten shillings upon the exportation of everytod of wool, would produce a very considerable revenue tothe sovereign. It would hurt the interest of the growerssomewhat less than the prohibition, because it would notprobably lower the price of wool quite so much. It wouldafford a sufficient advantage to the manufacturer, because,though he might not buy his wool altogether so cheap asunder the prohibition, he would still buy it, at least, five orten shillings cheaper than any foreign manufacturer couldbuy it, besides saving the freight and insurance, which theother would be obliged to pay. It is scarce possible to de-vise a tax which could produce any considerable revenue tothe sovereign, and at the same time occasion so little incon-veniency to any body.

The prohibition, notwithstanding all the penalties whichguard it, does not prevent the exportation of wool. It isexported, it is well known, in great quantities. The greatdifference between the price in the home and that in theforeign market, presents such a temptation to smuggling,that all the rigour of the law cannot prevent it. This illegalexportation is advantageous to nobody but the smuggler.A legal exportation subject to a tax, by affording a revenueto the sovereign, and thereby saving the imposition of someother, perhaps, more burdensome and inconvenient taxes,might prove advantageous to all the different subjects of thestate.

The exportation of fullers’ earth, or fullers’ clay, supposedto be necessary for preparing and cleansing the woollen ma-nufactures, has been subjected to nearly the same penaltiesas the exportation of wool. Even tobacco-pipe clay, thoughacknowledged to be different from fullers’ clay, yet, on ac-count of their resemblance, and because fullers’ clay mightsometimes be exported as tobacco-pipe clay, has been laidunder the same prohibitions and penalties.

By the 13th and 14th of Charles II . chap. 7. the exporta-tion, not only of raw hides, but of tanned leather, except inthe shape of boots, shoes, or slippers, was prohibited; andthe law gave a monopoly to our boot-makers and shoe-makers,not only against our graziers, but against our tanners. Bysubsequent statutes, our tanners have got themselves ex-empted from this monopoly, upon paying a small tax of only