France, and so supplant our trade.

Certainly, if we could take the whole quantity of the Irish wool off their
hands, we might with ease prevent it being carried to France; for much of
it goes that way, merely because they cannot get money for it at home.

This I charge therefore as a neglect, and an evident proof of indolence;
namely, that we do not take effectual care to secure all the wool in
Ireland; give the Irish money for it at a reasonable market price, and
then cause it to be brought to England as to the general market.

I know it will be objected, that England does already take off as much as
they can, and as much as they want; and to bring over more than they can
use, will sink the market, and be an injury to ourselves; but I am
prepared to answer this directly and effectually, and you shall have a
full reply to it immediately.

But, in the mean time, this is a proof of the first proposition; namely,
that we do not work up all our own wool, for the Irish wool is, and ought
to be, esteemed as our own, in the present debate about trade; for that it
is carried away from our own dominions, and is made use of by those that
rival our manufactures to the ruin of our own trade.

That the Irish are prohibited exporting their wool, is true; but it seems
a little severe to prohibit them exporting their wool, and their
manufactures too, and then not to buy the wool of them neither.

It is alleged by some, that we do take off all the wool they bring us, and
that we could and would take it all, if they would bring it all. To this I
answer; if the Irish people do not bring it all to us, it is either that
it is too far for the poor people who own the wool to bring it to the
south and east coast of Ireland, there being no markets in the west and
north-west parts of that island, where they could sell it; and the farmers
and sheep-breeders are no merchants, nor have they carriage for so long a
journey; but either the public ought to appoint proper places whether it
shall be carried, and where they would receive money for it at a certain
rate; or erect markets where those who deal in wool might come to buy, and
where those who have it to sell would find buyers.

No doubt but the want of buyers is the reason why so much of the Irish
wool is carried over to France; besides, if markets were appointed where
the poor farmers could always find buyers at one price or another, there
would be then no pretence for them to carry it a