nient, or but which we had better be without, except claret.

VIII. If the importation of commodities of mere luxury, to be consumed amongst us, be a sensible disadvantage, the French trade, in this particular, might be highly pernicious to this nation; for, if the duties on French wines be lowered to a considerable degree, the least we can suppose would be imported into England and Scotland is 18,000 tons a year, which being most clarets, at a moderate computation would cost in France 44,000l.

IX. As to brandy, since we have laid high duties upon it, the distilling of spirits from malt and molasses is much improved and increased, by means of which a good sum of money is yearly saved to the nation; for very little brandy hath been imported either from Italy, Portugal, or Spain, by reason that our English spirits are near as good as those countries' brandies. But as French brandy is esteemed, and is indeed very good, if the extraordinary duty on that liquor be taken off, there is no doubt but great quantities will be imported. We will suppose only 3000 tons a year, which will cost Great Britain 70,000l. yearly, and prejudice besides the extracts of our own malt spirits.

X. Linen is an article of more consequence than many people are aware of; Ireland, Scotland, and several counties in England, have made large steps towards the improvement of that useful manufacture, both in quantity and quality; and with good encouragement would doubtless, in a few years, bring it to perfection, and perhaps make sufficient for our own consumption; which, besides employing great numbers of people, and improving many acres of land, would save us a good sum of money, which is yearly

X 3

laid out abroad in that commodity. As the case stands at present, it improves daily; but if the duties on French linen be reduced, it is to be feared it will come over so cheap, that our looms must be laid aside, and 6 or 700,000l. a year be sent over to France for that commodity.

XI. The manufacture of paper is very near akin to that of linen. Since the high duties laid on foreign paper, and that none hath been imported from France, where it is cheapest, the making of it is increased to such a degree in England, that we import none of the lower sorts from abroad, and make them all ourselves; but if the French duties be taken off, undoubtedly most of the mills which are employed in the making of white paper, must leave off their work, and 30 or 40,000l. a year be remitted over to France for that commodity.

XII. The last article concerns the silk manufacture. Since the late French wars, it is increased to a mighty degree. Spitalfields alone manufactures to the value of two millions a year, and were daily improving, till the late fears about lowering the French duties. What pity that so noble a manufacture, so extensive, and so beneficial to an infinite number of people, should run the hazard of being ruined! It is however to be feared, that if the French can import their wrought silks upon easy terms, they outdo us so much in cheapness of labour, and they have Italian and Levant raw silk upon so much easier terms than we, besides great quantities of their own in Provence, Languedoc, and other provinces, that in all probability half the looms in Spitalfields would be laid down, and our ladies be again clothed in French silks. The loss that would accrue to the nation by so great a mischief, cannot be valued at less than 500,000l. a year.

To sum up all, if we pay to France yearly

For their wines

For their brandies

For their linen

For their paper.
For their silks

And they take from us in lead, tin, leather, alum, copperas, coals, horn, plates, &c. and plantation goods, to the value of

1

Great Britain loses by the balance of that trade yearly...

£450,000

70,000

600,000

30,000

500,000

£1,650,000

200,000

1,450,000

All which is humbly submitted to your considera

tion by,

Sir, your most humble Servant,

Generosity Thrift.

ADVERTISEMENT,

For the Protection of Honour, Truth, Virtue, and Innocence.

Mr. Ironside has ordered his amanuensis to prepare for his perusal whatever he may have gathered from his table-talk, or otherwise, a volume, to be printed in twelves, called The Art of Defamation discovered. This piece is to consist of the true characters of all persons calumniated by the Examiner ; and after such characters, the true and only method of sullying them, set forth in examples from the inge nious and artificial author, the said Examiner.

N.B. To this will be added the true characters of persons commended, with observations to show that anegyric is not that author's talent.

No. 171. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1713.

Fuit ista quondam in hâc republicâ virtus, ut viri fortes acrioribus suppliciis civera perniciosum, quàm acerbissimum hostem coercerent. CICER. in Catilin.

There was once that virtue in this commonwealth, that a bad fellow-citizen was thought to deserve a severer correction_than the bitterest enemy.

I HAVE received letters of congratulation and thanks from several of the most eminent chocolate-houses and coffee-houses, upon my late gallantry and success in opposing myself to the long-swords. One tells me, that whereas his rooms were too little before, now his customers can saunter up and down from corner to corner, and table to table, without any lét or molestation. I find I have likewise cleared a great many alleys and by-lanes, made the public walks about town more spacious, and all the passages about the Court and the Exchange more free and open. Several of my female wards have sent me the kindest billets upon this occasion, in which they tell me, that I have saved them some pounds in the year, by freeing their furbelows, flounces, and hoops, from the annoyance both of hilt and point. A scout, whom I sent abroad to observe the posture, and to pry into the intentions of the enemy, brings me word, that the Terrible club is quite blown up, and that I have totally routed the men that seemed to delight

in arms. My lion, whose jaws are at all hours open to intelligence, informs me that there are a few enormous weapons still in being; but that they are to be met with only in gaming-houses, and some of the obscure retreats of lovers in and about Drury-lane and Covent-garden. I am highly delighted with an adventure that befel my witty antagonist Tom Swagger, captain of the band of long-swords. He had the misfortune three days ago to fall into company with a master of the noble science of defence, who taking Mr. Swagger by his habit, his mien, and the airs he gave himself, to be one of the profession, gave him a fair invitation to Marrow-bone, to exercise at the usual weapons. The captain thought this so foul a disgrace to a gentleman, that he slunk away in the greatest confusion, and has never been seen since at the Tilt-yard coffee-house, nor in any of his usual haunts.

As there is nothing made in vain, and as every plant and every animal, though never so noisome, has its use in the creation; so these men of terror may be disposed of, so as to make a figure in the polite world. It was in this view that I received a visit last night, from a person who pretends to be employed here from several foreign princes in negotiating matters of less importance. He tells me, that the continual wars in Europe have in a manner quite drained the Cantons of Swisserland of these supernumerary subjects, and that he foresees there will be a great scarcity of them to serve at the entrance of courts and in the palaces of great men. He is of opinion this want may very seasonably be supplied out of the great numbers of such gentlemen as I have given notice of in my paper of the 25th past, and that his design is in a few weeks, when the town fills, to put out public advertisements to this effect, not questioning but it may turn to a good account: that if any per