Form or Order, and confidering the Difficulty we found in tracing the State of our Trade from past times down to the present, I thought it neceffary to methodize them in this manner, by throwing the Materials on each Head together, as well as the Nature of the feveral Trades touch'd upon, which are fo interwoven one with another, wou'd admit; that Pofterity, as well as the prefent Age, might have the Benefit of them, and both be convinced to whom we owe the Prefervation of our Trade, on which depends the chief Support and Power of Great Britain.

The Reason these Materials lay fo disposed and scattered in these Papers, was, that the Mercator, whenever he was clofe fet, always quitted the Point he was upon, and trump'd up fomething new; we were therefore forced to follow him, to expofe his new Forgeries, before they had made too deep an Impreffion. I have given all his material

Argu

Arguments in his own Words, that the Reader may the better judge of them, and of the Spirit with which this important Debate was carried on: and I have added to this Work a great many useful Materials, in order to make it more compleat.

A

These Papers, and the convincing Arguments fome of those Gentlemen gave at the Bar of both Houfes of Parliament, had the good Effect to throw out the pernicious Bill of Commerce. But here I must do justice to that worthy Gentleman the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Tho mas Hanmer, who, at a time when the Court, who efpoufed the Bill, had a greater Influence than ever was known in a House of Commons, join'd his Influence to them who opposed it, and rejected it by nine Votes, when we expected to have loft the Question, notwithstanding the Importance of the Vote, which was no lefs than the Trade, the Safety, and the Power of Great Britain.

The

The Perfon to whom our Country is chiefly obliged for thefe Papers, and who had the greateft Hand in them, is Henry Martin Efq; lately deceased, who, for his great Merit and Abilities, was made In/pector-General of the Exports and Imports.

Besides him the following Perfons were affifting.

Sir Charles Cooke, Merchant, lately deceased, who made fo clear a Defence of our Trade at the Bar of each Houfe of Parliament, and was afterwards made Lord Commiffioner of Trade and Plantations, and chofe Member of the prefent Parliament.

Sir Theodore Janffen Bar. to whofe great Abilities in Trade this Work is indebted for many very useful Materials.

[..

James Milner Efq; Merchant, and Member of the present Parliament, who plainly made appear before the Parliament the great Importance of our Trade to Portugal, and of the Treaty that fupports it.

Mr.

Mr. Nathaniel Toriano, Merchant, who fhew'd the Confequence of opening the French Trade according to the Treaty in fo ftrong and clear a Light, as to convince even them who difcouraged his fpeaking of the Deftruction that muft inevitably have fallen on our Country, had that Treaty been render'd effectual by Parliament.

Mr. Joshua Gee, Merchant, was a very great Affistant, and labour'd with much Industry in these Papers.

Mr. Chriftopher Haynes, Merchant, gave us many useful Pieces on our Trade with Spain.

Mr. David Martin, Merchant, allo furnish'd many very useful Materials as to our Trade with France, and on our Silk-Manufactures, c.

Befides the above Perfons, there were several other very able and worthy Merchants concern'd in this Work: and fince I have mention'd this Account of the Gentlemen who affifted, I must not forget my two Noble Patrons, to whom the Trade

of

of our Country is fo much obliged: I must therefore beg one Word,

To the Memory of the Right Honourable

CHARLES

late Earl of HALIFAX, and of the Right Honourable JAMES late Earl STAN

HOPE.

I

r

F ever Men in any Age deferved the Honours they received from their Country, if the Publick can be obliged to private Men, if Liberty is a "valuable Bleffing, if to spend our "whole Lives unwearied in the Ser"vice and Defence of our moft Hap

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py Conftitution either in Arms or "Letters may be deem'd meritorious, "if the Names of ME CENA's and "CATO are valuable and eternal; "HALIFAX and STANHOPE "will never die. But I am upon a Subject now that demands a much greater