onnexions, dependencies, and relations subsisting between
the mechanical arts, agriculture, and manufactures of Great Britain,
that it requires study, deliberation, and inquiry in the legislature
to discern and distinguish the whole scope and consequences of many
projects offered for the benefit of the commonwealth. The society of
merchant adventurers in the city of Bristol, alleged, in a petition to
the house of commons, that great quantities of bar-iron were imported
into Great Britain from Sweden, Russia, and other parts, chiefly
purchased with ready money, some of which iron was exported again to
Africa and other places: and the rest wrought up by the manufacturers.
They affirmed that bar-iron, imported from North America, would answer
the same purposes; and the importation of it tend not only to the great
advantage of the kingdom, by increasing its shipping and navigation, but
also to the benefit of the British colonies: that by an act passed in
the twenty-third year of his present majesty's reign, the importation of
bar-iron from America into the port of London, duty free, was permitted;
but being carried coastwise, or farther by land than ten miles, had been
prohibited; so that several very considerable manufacturing towns were
deprived of the use of American iron, and the out-ports prevented from
employing it in their export commerce: they requested, therefore, that
bar-iron might be imported from North America into Great Britain, duty
free, by all his majesty's subjects. This request being reinforced by
many other petitions from different parts of the kingdom, other classes
of men, who thought their several interests would be affected by such
a measure, took the alarm; and, in divers counter-petitions, specified
many ill consequences which they alleged would arise from its being
enacted into a law. Pamphlets were published on both sides of the
question, and violent disputes were kindled upon this subject, which was
justly deemed a matter of national importance. The opposers of the bill
observed, that large quantities of iron were yearly produced at home,
and employed multitudes of poor people, there being no less than one
hundred and nine forges in England and Wales, besides those erected in
Scotland, the whole producing eighteen thousand tons of iron: that as
the mines in Great Britain are inexhaustible, the produce would of late
years have been considerably increased, had not the people been kept
under continua