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to sell very cheap。 This； however； till within these few years；
had always been the policy of Spain； and the price of all
European goods； accordingly； is said to have been enormous in the
Spanish West Indies。 At Quito； we are told by Ulloa； a pound of
iron sold for about four and sixpence； and a pound of steel for
about six and ninepence sterling。 But it is chiefly in order to
purchase European goods that the colonies part with their own
produce。 The more； therefore； they pay for the one； the less they
really get for the other； and the dearness of the one is the same
thing with the cheapness of the other。 The policy of Portugal is
in this respect the same as the ancient policy of Spain with
regard to all its colonies； except Fernambuco and Marannon； and
with regard to these it has lately adopted a still worse。
Other nations leave the trade of their colonies free to all
their subjects who may carry it on from all the different ports
of the mother country； and who have occasion for no other licence
than the common despatches of the custom…house。 In this case the
number and dispersed situation of the different traders renders
it impossible for them to enter into any general combination； and
their competition is sufficient to hinder them from making very
exorbitant profits。 Under so liberal a policy the colonies are
enabled both to sell their own produce and to buy the goods of
Europe at a reasonable price。 But since the dissolution of the
Plymouth Company； when our colonies were but in their infancy；
this has always been the policy of England。 It has generally；
too； been that of France； and has been uniformly so since the
dissolution of what； in England； is commonly called their
Mississippi Company。 The profits of the trade； therefore； which
France and England carry on with their colonies； though no doubt
somewhat higher than if the competition was free to all other
nations； are； however； by no means exorbitant； and the price of
European goods accordingly is not extravagantly high in the
greater part of the colonies of either of those nations。
In the exportation of their own surplus produce too； it is
only with regard to certain commodities that the colonies of
Great Britain are confined to the market of the mother country。
These commodities having been enumerated in the Act of Navigation
and in some other subsequent acts； have upon that account been
called enumerated commodities。 The rest are called
non…enumerated； and may be exported directly to other countries
provided it is in British or Plantation ships； of which the
owners and three…fourths of the mariners are British subjects。
Among the non…enumerated commodities are some of the most
important productions of America and the West Indies； grain of
all sorts； lumber； salt provisions； fish； sugar and rum。
Grain is naturally the first and principal object of the
culture of all new colonies。 By allowing them a very extensive
market for it； the law encourages them to extend this culture
much beyond the consumption of a thinly inhabited country； and
thus to provide beforehand an ample subsistence for a continually
increasing population。
In a country quite covered with wood； where timber
consequently is of little or no value； the expense of clearing
the ground is the principal obstacle to improvement。 By allowing
the colonies a very extensive market for their lumber； the law
endeavours to facilitate improvement by raising the price of a
commodity which would otherwise be of little value； and thereby
enabling them to make some profit of what would otherwise be a
mere expense。
In a country neither half…peopled nor half…cultivated；
cattle naturally multiply beyond the consumption of the
inhabitants； and are often upon that account of little or no
value。 But it is necessary； it has already been shown； that the
price of cattle should bear a certain proportion to that of corn
before the greater part of the lands of any country can be
improved。 By allowing to American cattle； in all shapes； dead or
alive； a very extensive market； the law endeavors to raise the
value of a commodity of which the high price is so very essential
to improvement。 The good effects of this liberty； however； must
be somewhat diminished by the 4th of George III； c。 15； which
puts hides and skins among the enumerated commodities； and
thereby tends to reduce the value of American cattle。
To increase the shipping and naval power of Great Britain；
by the extension of the fisheries of our colonies； is an object
which the legislature seems to have had almost constantly in
view。 Those fisheries； upon this account； have had all the
encouragement which freedom can give them； and they have
flourished accordingly。 The New England fishery in particular
was； before the late disturbances； one of the most important；
perhaps； in the world。 The whale…fishery which； notwithstanding
an extravagant bounty； is in Great Britain carried on to so
little purpose that in the opinion of many people （which I do
not； however； pretend to warrant） the whole produce does not much
exceed the value of the bounties which are annually paid for it；
is in New England carried on without any bounty to a very great
extent。 Fish is one of the principal articles with which the
North Americans trade to Spain； Portugal； and the Mediterranean。
Sugar was originally an enumerated commodity which could be
exported only to Great Britain。 But in 1731； upon a
representation of the sugar…planters； its exportation was
permitted to all parts of the world。 The restrictions； however；
with which this liberty was granted； joined to the high price of
sugar in Great Britain； have rendered it； in a great measure；
ineffectual。 Great Britain and her colonies still continue to be
almost the sole market for all the sugar produced in the British
plantations。 Their consumption increases so fast that； though in
consequence of the increasing improvement of Jamaica； as well as
of the Ceded Islands； the importation of sugar has increased very
greatly within these twenty years； the exportation to foreign
countries is said to be not much greater than before。
Rum is a very important article in the trade which the
Americans carry on to the coast of Africa； from which they bring
back negro slaves in return。
If the whole surplus produce of America in grain of all
sorts； in salt provisions and in fish； had been put into the
enumeration； and thereby forced into the market of Great Britain；
it would have interfered too much with the produce of the
industry of our own people。 It was probably not so much from any
regard to the interest of America as from a jealousy of this
interference that those important commodities have not only been
kept out of the enumeration； but that the importation into Great
Britain of all grain； except rice； and of salt provisions； has；
in the ordinary state of the law； been prohibited。
The non…enumerated commodities could originally be exported
to all parts of the world。 Lumber and rice； having been once put
into the enumeration； when they were afterwards taken out of it；
were confined； as to the European market； to the countries that
lie south of Cape Finisterre。 By the 6th of George III； c。 52；
all non…enumerated commodities were subjected to the like
restriction。 The parts of Europe which lie south of Cape
Finisterre are not manufacturing countries； and we were less
jealous of the colony ships carrying home from them any
manufactures which could interfere with our own。
The enumerated commodities are of two sorts： first； such as
are either the peculiar produce of America； or as cannot be
produced； or at least are not produced； in the mother country。 Of
this kind are molasses； coffee； cocoa…nuts； tobacco； pimento；
ginger； whalefins； raw silk； cotton…wool； beaver； and other
peltry of America； indigo； fustic； and other dyeing woods；
secondly； such as are not the peculiar produce of America； but
which are and may be produced in the mother country； though not
in such quantities as to supply the greater part of her demand；
which is principally supplied from foreign countries。 Of this
kind are all naval stores； masts； yards； and bowsprits； tar；
pitch； and turpentine； pig and bar iron； copper ore； hides and
skins； pot and pearl ashes。 The largest importation of
commodities of the first kind could not discourage the growth or
interfere with the sale of any part of the produce of the mother
country。 By confining them to the home market； our merchants； it
was expected； would not only be enabled to buy them cheaper in
the plantations； and consequently to sell them with a better
profit at home； but to establish between the plantations and
foreign countries an advantageous carrying trade； of which Great
Britain was necessarily to be the centre or emporium； as the
European country into which those commodities were first to be
imported。 The importation of commodities of the second kind might
be so managed too； it was supposed； as to interfere； not w