486 PARLIAMENTARY COLBERTISM 
in America were at first settled, and are still maintained 
and protected, at a great expense of the treasure of this 
kingdom, with a design to render them as useful as may be 
to England, and the labour and industry of the people there, 
profitable to themselves: and in regard the said colonies and 
plantations, by the vast tracts of land therein, lying near the 
sea, and upon navigable rivers, may commodiously afford 
great quantities of all sorts of naval stores, if due encourage- 
ment be given for carrying on so great and advantageous 
an undertaking, which will like wise tend, not only to the 
further imployment and increase of English shipping and 
sea men, but also to the enlarging, in a great measure, the 
trade and vent of the woollen and other manufactures and 
commodities of this kingdom, and of other her Majesty’s 
dominions, in exchange for such naval stores, which are now 
purchased from foreign countries with money or bullion: 
and for enabling her Majesty's subjects, in the said colonies 
and plantations, to continue to make due and sufficient 
returns in the course of their trade.” It enacted that a 
oy means of bounty of £4 per ton should be given on pitch and tar, 
of £6 per ton on hemp, and £1 per ton on masts and spars. 
The measure seems to have been successful in calling forth 
the manufacture of a considerable quantity of tar; but 
the scheme for promoting the cultivation of hemp was an 
entire failure!; and the attempt to reserve areas of forest? 
as a constant source for providing spars for the navy, roused 
much local opposition, while the large profits to be made by 
shipping lumber to Portugal® interfered with the export of 
timber to England. On the whole it may be said that 
Parliament had singularly little success in controlling this 
source of supply for public advantage, in the way which 
Sir Josiah Child* and other writers desired. 
The strength of England, as a maritime power, depended 
not only on the possession of well-built and well-found 
ships, but in ability to man them; and many steps were 
taken during this period to improve the lot of sailors. and 
A.D. 1689 
—1776. 
! Lord, op. cit. 86. 3 Lord, op. cit. 88, 114. 8 Lord, op. cit. 106. 
4 New Discourse of Trade, chap. 10. Compare also Davensnt on the danger of 
seating a rival maritime power in the colonies. Works. 1. 9.