To the Right Honourable The Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations.

The Memorial and Representation of the Merchants Traders and Planters in North Carolina.

Humbly sheweth

That the Trade of this province is under great Inconveniencies from the Restrictions they ly under in several Articles on their Trade, which prevents their exporting their produce to advantage, and from their being prohibited from importing several Commodities in the cheapest and most expeditious Manner, which is without any Benefit to Britain, but rather to it's prejudice, for by the Dearness of the Imports and low price of the Exports by the Increase price of Freight and Loss of Time, they have not Returns to make to Britain for all the Manufactures & other Necessaries they have from thence, which necessarily lessens the Trade to Britain and must as the province increases in Numbers, force the planters to set up Manufactures or to be without necessary Cloathing, since they can't have Returns to pay for the British Manufactures.

That there are several inumerated Commodities wch. they might export to Ireland, and other parts of Europe to Advantage, which now ly upon hands, the price for which they are sold in Britain being so low, that they scarce pay the Charge of freight, wch. must therefore oblige the planters to lessen the Quantity, as the Merchants are at present Losers by the Trade, altho' a premium is given for them in Britain, vizt. pitch, Tar, Turpentine, Masts, yards, & Bowsprits, which might be exported to Ireland, Spain & Portugal, be to the streights to great Advantage, who now take these Articles from Norway and the Baltick, with ready Money.

That the prohibition of taking Salt from any part of Europe, except from Britain, to any of the provinces South of Delawar in Pensilvania, and of Wine from any part of Europe, except by way of Britain, or from the Azores or Madeira, is also an inconceivable prejudice to the trade of this province.

That the Great Increase of Settlements in this province of late in the Countries at a Distance from the Sea, has increas'd the Breeding of Cattle and Hogs, by which Means a great Trade might be carried on to the West Indies by Beef and pork, if they had proper Salt for curing & packing the same at the cheapest Hand.

That it is found by Experience in this warm Climate, that English Salt is too mild to preserve Beef & pork for any Length of time, and the Salt from the Isle of May, Tortuga or Turks Island, is too strong, which corrodes and destroys the Juices, so that they are obliged to get the Salt from Spain and Portugal by the way of New York & Pensylvania, at a double freight, and much greater Expence to cure their Beef and pork to the Amount of above 20000 Bushels yearly, and are obliged to drive the greatest part to Virginia & Pensylvania at great Expence & Loss of time, and take Goods from thence in Return at a great Price and Disadvantage; by wch. means all British Goods come to this province at a high advanced price, having no other way of making returns to Britain.

Your Memorialists apprehend that if this Restriction were taken off, and they shou'd be allow'd to import Portuguese and Spanish Wines from thence, they cou'd send Corn, Rice, Naval Stores, Lumber, and Hides thither, and in return bring Wine, Salt, and Gold and Silver Bullion, or procure Bills for Britain for the Ballance, in return for their Manufactures, and by their better curing of Beef and Pork they should have from the West Indies Sugar, Molasses, Rum, Cacao, Coffee, and some Bullion in Return for those and Lumber to pay for the Manufactures of Britain By taking off also the Enumeration of Rice and Indigo, and to allow it to be exported from hence to Ireland, as also Pitch, Tar, Turpentine, Masts, yards, and Bowsprits, they shou'd be able to carry on a beneficial Trade by having an Assortment of Goods, to carry with the Timber, Deals, Staves, and other Lumber directly to Ireland, and have Linnens at the best hands, Servants, and protestant planters, which wou'd prevent their going into Manufactures in this province, and have Returns of Bills from Ireland to England, instead of sending Money from Ireland to the Northward to purchase Naval Stores, Timber &c. and as these wou’d be carried to Ireland without paying a premium, it wou'd be an Advantage to Britain, who always are Losers by reexporting Goods entitled to a premium, or Drawback, the Officers by gaining more fees and perquisites, lessen the Goods; which pay back the premiums upon Reexportation, and increase the Quantity of such as are entitled to Drawbacks, which lessens the Revenue of Britain.

That Rice being obliged to be carried to Britain, before it can be enter'd in Ireland, prevents entirely the Consumption of Rice in Ireland by the enhanced price, for a small Quantity can't be carried into Ireland, without Loss of ship & Cargo, and Indigo becoming dearer in Ireland, by not allowing it to be imported from these Colonies into Ireland, which obliged them to buy French Indigo at a higher price, to the Disadvantage of these Colonies, and Benefit of the French Islands.

Your Memorialists therefore humbly pray that you wou’d take this into your Consideration, and if approved of, that you will Advise his Majesty to recommend their Case to the Consideration of the Parliament of Great Britain, or so approve that the several Colonies by their Agents may petition the Parliament to redress those unprofitable Limitations and Restrictions upon the Colony Trade to Great Britain & Ireland, and also to Spain, Portugal & the Streights, by the Act of Navigation, and other Acts relative to Trade as they by Experience are found to be equally a prejudice to the Trade of Great Britain and the Colonies, and to grant them such Relief as to them in their great Wisdom shall seem meet.

And your Memorialists shall every pray.

North Carolina.
Memorial & Representation of the Merchants, Traders & Planters in North Carolina, to the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations.

Recd. with Govr. Dobbs's Lettr. to the Board, dated the 4th. of Janry. 1755. (1.)

Recd. July the 2d.
Read —— 1755.

C.86.