162 PARLIAMENTARY COLBERTISM 
drafted! to give effect to this agreement and make the 
necessary alterations in the tariffs, which then imposed 
more than fifty per cent. on French imports® above what 
which was taken on the goods of other countries. There was a 
would have 
allowed the general dread that the proposed arrangement would not 
gout) of only open the home market to the competition of French 
bisittey manufactures, but would indirectly lead to a rupture with 
Portugal, and the closing of the profitable market for 
English goods which had been secured in 1703. - The 
proposal roused a storm of indignation; the Government 
endeavoured to be loyal to their agreement, and tried to 
secure the suspension of the duties on French wines for two 
months, in the hope that there would be difficulty in re- 
imposing them; but though they commanded a majority 
in the House of Commons, the motion was rejected. A 
very interesting struggle followed, as both the Government 
and their opponents endeavoured to win the day by con- 
vincing public opinion. Daniel Defoe* was employed to 
carry on the Mercator, which was published thrice a 
week, and was devoted to demonstrating the beneficial 
character of the French trade. “As he had,” to quote his 
| This and other documents are printed at length in the British Merchant. 
rol. 1. 130. 
2 Adam Smith summarises the matter thus in the third edition, Higher duties 
are imposed upon the wines of France than upon those of Portugal or indeed of 
any other country. By what is called the impost 1692, a duty of five-and-twenty 
per cent. of the rate or value, was laid upon all French goods; while the goods of 
other nations were, the greater part of them, subjected to much lighter duties, 
seldom exceeding five per cent. The wine, brandy, salt and vinegar of France, 
were indeed excepted; these commodities being subjected to other heavy duties, 
sither by other laws or by particular clauses of the same law. In 1696, a second 
uty of twenty-five per cent., the first not having been thought a sufficient dis- 
souragement, was imposed upon all French goods, except brandy; together with 
a new duty of five-and-twenty pounds upon the ton of French wine, and another 
of fifteen pounds upon the ton of French vinegar. French goods have never been 
omitted in any of those general subsidies or duties of five per cent. which have 
seen imposed upon all, or the greater part, of the goods enumerated in the book of 
rates. If we count the one-third and two-third subsidies as making a complete 
subsidy between them, there have been five of these general subsidies; so that 
ocfore the commencement of the present (1783) war, seventy-five per cent. may be 
considered as the lowest duty to which the greater part of the goods of the growth, 
produce, or manufacture of France was liable. But upon the greater part of 
z00ds, these duties are equivalent to & prohibition. The French in their turn, 
have, I believe, treated our goods and manufactures just as hardly.” Wealth of 
Nations, 1v. 8, Pt. 1, p. 192. 
3 Qmith’s Chronicon. iI. 105.