THE CASE OF The Refiners of Sugar in England , Stated .

THe Refining of Sugar in England is an antient Manufacture , and according to the Incouragement it hath received from time to time , hath Grown up from Eight Refining-Houses , to near Thirty within this Twenty Years ; and this chiefly by the increase of Brown Sugar from our own Plantations .

The Quantity of Plantation-Brown-Sugars used by the Refiners in England , may be modestly computed at 5000 Tuns annually ; Which adds considerably to his Majesties Revenue , and much Augments the English Navigation ; besides the vast Expences that do unavoidably attend this chargeable Manufacture to the Kingdoms Advantage ; and many Arts and Trades have likewise their sole Dependance thereon .

To discourage this Manufacture , will be Prejudicial to the Plantations in that their Brown-Sugars , which is the chief of their Produce , not being spent by the Refiner , nor this Kingdom being able to spend them in kind , the Planter will not onely Lie at the mercy of the Forreigner as to a Market , but the Manufacture it self will be necessarily forced Abroad , there being a Reciprocal Affinity between the welfare of our Sugar-Plantations in America , and the Refining works in England .

There is no way to Secure so considerable a Manufacture within this Kingdom , as by a due Proportioning of the several Rates of Sugar . Which humbly therefore we here offer , with the Reasons thereof Annexed .

From the English Plantations .

Muscovadoes , commonly called Unpurged Sugar , at a Farthing per pound .

Anno 1669. Imported Brown Sugars 8338. Tuns . White Sugar 118. Tuns . If this Commodity were yet Rated at a lower Proportion to the following Rates , it would undoubtedly the more encrease this Manufacture in this Kingdom , advance our Navigation , secure the Trade of our English Merchants to the Plantations , and indeed secure the Interest of Nineteen in Twenty of all the English-Planters ; although it cannot be expected , but that a few Barbadoes White-Sugar-makers will be still unsatisfied .

Sun-dried and Clayed Sugars , under the degree of White , at one Half-penny per pound .

Wherein are comprehended Sugars at this time worth from Thirty Five , to Fifty Shillings per Cent . whereas the Brown-Sugars to be Manufactured by the Refiners in England are worth but 23 s . per Hundred . Which Duty will considerably advance his Majesties Revenue ; And it is but equal They be so Rated , in regard of their Value , and that they are Imported fit for the Scale , and scarce over Exported .

White Sugars , one Penny per Pound .

From our Experience , we Assert , That three Pounds of Brown-Sugar as commonly Imported , will not produce one Pound of Refined Sugars : And in Barbadoes it self , the usual Barter being three Pounds of Brown-Sugars , for one Pound of White ; often more .

More then double the number of Ships are required , to Import Sugars Brown , then if Clay'd and White . Now considering , the Brown-Sugars are Manufactured in England , and many hundred Tuns of Syrups annually Exported , paying more than Five per Cent Custome unto the King upon Exportation by the Manufacturers thereof : And also several Duties , Taxes , and Excise are by them paid ; it is evident his Majesty receives more by Brown-Sugars at a Farthing , then by White at a Penny per Pound : Besides , the Importation of Brown-Sugars doth Vastly more increase our Navigation , than if it should be made White in our Plantations , and Imported afterwards ,

Brazile , and all Forreign Whites , at Three-Half-Pence per Pound

Which will be some Curb to the Brazile Planters : But as to the English-man , who is a Portugal Merchant , he is still Capacitated to Export our Manufacture , and to make his Returns in this , and other Commodities , as he hath been accustomed to do .

Besides , The Importation of White-Sugar is not so Essential to their Portugal Trade ; For , if the Export of Commodities be so Vast as they assert , their Returns of Sugar are but a small part of their Trade . By the Entry at the Custome-House in the Year 1669 , which is the greatest Import lately known , there appears but Seven Hundred and Five Tuns of White-Sugar Imported , and at their own Price of 56 s . per Cent , amounts to Thirty Nine Thousand Four Hundred and Eighty Pounds ; which comes vastly short of what they carry out ; for so many Ships as they affirm , are Employed to carry out Englands Manfactures in so great Quantities , cannot amount to less than between three and Four Hundred Thousand Pounds annually . So that their Sugar-Returns are not above a Tenth part of their Trade ; Besides , as to the Manufacture of Refining in England ; Two Sugar-Houses do work more by several Thousand Pounds Sterling annually , than the value of what they Import in Sugars ; Which shews our Refining here is not so Inconsiderable as they Represent it . But indeed , should the present Duty in Portugal of the 25 per Cent 〈◇〉 be taken off , ( as some expect ) Sugars may then be Imported to the utter Ruine both of the English Plantations Abroad , and of the Manufactures of Sugars within this Kingdom .

The CASE between the English-Sugar-Plantations , and the Refiners , by some of the Planters Stated : And by the Refiners Answered .

The Planters Affirm . I. TWo thirds of the Planters ●f the Sugar Collonies do turn into Whites , or Sun-dri'ds , all their Sugars they send to England for their own Accompts , to buy themselves Horses , Cloaths , Tooles , Provisions , Negroes , and other Necessaries ; by which alone they are enabled to subsist .

The Refiners Answer . It appears by the Custome-House Books , Anno 1669. there was Entered 8338 Tuns of Muscovado Sugar , and but 118 Tuns of White , which is but a 70th part ; whence it is evident their Assertion is either a vast mistake , or a very great abuse to the Kings Majesties Revenue ; whereupon it doth also appear necessary , to make three Rates of Sugar , or else the same Abuse to his Majesties Revenue will still continue .

The Planters Affirm . Secondly , The other Third , who by reason of their Debts , or want of Stock , are not able to do this ; do not bring both ends togegether ; many are broken , and others have laid down their Trade .

The Refiners Answer .

The Poor Brown Sugar Planters , they are confes'd to be the strength of the Colonies , therefore to assert them but one third part of the Colonies , is an evident contradiction .

In the middle of the Planters paper they assert , that the poorer sort of English Planters are the strength of the Collonies , We answer , t is undoubtedly true . Therefore they ought to have all possible Encouragement in their making of Muscovado Sugar ; And nothing can more contribute to their Ruin , than to Impose as much upon Muscovado Sugars that are worth but 23. per cent . as upon Sun-dri'd , and clay'd Sugars worth from 35. s . to 50. s . per cent .

Thirdly , Two pound of Brown Sugar will make one pound of good White ; as by experience is found : If white Sugars from the Plantations be Taxed one penny , and Brown one Farthing , then is the Refiner able to supply the Market with white Sugar , at a half-penny a pound less Imposition than the Planter , which will beat him out of the white Sugar Trade , and undoe him ; and his Majesty will come to have no more for this Duty , than if there were but a half-penny the pound first set upon the white Sugar of the Plantations : So that the Question here will be , not whether his Majesties Revenue shall be increased , by setting a penny per pound upon the white Sugars of the Plantations , ( for it is plainly shewed it will not , ) but whether a few Refiners shall by Ingrosing that Trade be Enriched , The Planters Affirm . and the Plantations undone ? There being not above Twelve Refining-Houses in all England , and yet those enough to melt down all the Brown Sugars that come from the Plantations .

As brown Sugars are Imported from the Barbadoes , Three pounds of Muscovados will not make one pound of Refin'd Sugar , ( as may be attested upon Oath by unconcern'd Persons ) as also considering many Duties paid by the Home Manufacturer , The Refiners Answer . ( as is above asserted ) his Majesties Receives above a penny a pound upon all Refin'd Sugars made in England : But whatever less than a penny , is laid upon White Sugars Imported , is a proportionable Discouragement to the Manufacture here , and Loss to his Majesties Revenue . And whereas they assert , there is but Twelve Refining-Houses in all England , there is above double the number . And no English-man is abridg'd the setting up of more Sugar-works .

Fourthly , The English Planters being beaten Out of the White Sugar Trade , a few Refiners will engrose it , and being the only Buyers of Brown Sugar , The Planters Affirm . well set what rate they please upon them , which will be the utter undoing , & loss of the Sugar Colonies , not one third of the Planters reaping any profit over and above the charge from their Plantations already ; and then the Refiners Trade will be at an end also .

The Refiners Answer . Refining in England , and Planting in America , do reciprocally advance each other , and it is utterly Impossible , that ever the English Refiners can Ingross the Brown Sugar , and thereby set what Rate they please upon them ( as they assert ) There being 60. Sugars-houses at Amsterdam , and 40. at Hamborough ; besides several others in Holland , Zeland , and Flanders , who at present buy at least one third of the Brown Sugars Imported , and will have them above twelve per cent . cheaper , the ( Excise considered ) than the English Refiner can .

IN CONCLUSION , By how much the Manufactury of White and Clay'd Sugars , shall be more Encourag'd in America , than in England , by so much the more the poor Brown-Sugar Planters there will be Discourag'd , Englands Navagation Decreas'd , his Majesties Revenue Impair'd , Our home Manufacture lesned , and consequently Our Lands in England Under-vallued .