ccordingly, by an Act
which was first passed in 1663, and was made perpetual in 1666, the
importation of cattle into England was forbidden.

"The effect of a measure of this kind, levelled at the principal article
of the commerce of the nation, was necessarily most disastrous. The
profound modification which it introduced into the course of Irish
industry was sufficiently shown by the estimate of Sir W. Petty, who
declares that before the statute three-fourths of the trade of Ireland
was with England, but not one-fourth of it since that time. In the very
year when this Bill was passed another measure was taken not less fatal
to the interest of the country. In the first Navigation Act, Ireland was
placed on the same terms as England; but in the Act as amended in 1663
she was omitted, and was thus deprived of the whole Colonial trade. With
the exception of a very few specified articles no European merchandise
could be imported into the British Colonies except directly from
England, in ships built in England, and manned chiefly by English
sailors. No articles, with a few exceptions, could be brought from the
Colonies to Europe without being first unladen in England. In 1670 this
exclusion of Ireland was confirmed, and in 1696 it was rendered more
stringent, for it was enacted that no goods of any sort could be
imported directly from the Colonies to Ireland. It will be remembered
that at this time the chief British Colonies were those of America, and
that Ireland, by her geographical position, was naturally of all
countries most fitted for the American trade.

"As far, then, as the Colonial trade was concerned, Ireland at this time
gained nothing whatever by her connection with England. To other
countries, however, her ports were still open, and in time of peace a
foreign commerce was unrestricted. When forbidden to export their cattle
to England, the Irish turned their land chiefly into sheep-walks, and
proceeded energetically to manufacture the wool. Some faint traces of
this manufacture may be detected from an early period, and Lord
Strafford, when governing Ireland, had mentioned it with a
characteristic comment. Speaking of the Irish he says, 'There was little
or no manufactures amongst them, but some small beginnings towards a
cloth trade, which I had and so should still discourage all I could,
unless otherwise directed by His Majesty and their Lordships. It might
be feared that they would beat us out of the trade it