The Effects of the Woolen Prohibitions

²³ When such restrictions are imposed on the inland trade, the coasting trade cannot be left very free.

Anyone who carries wool to any port to be transported by sea to other ports must:

First create an entry to be made at the port where it will be sent from containing:

• The weight
• Marks
• Number of the packages

This must be done before he brings the wool within five miles of that port.

The penalty is forfeiture of:

• The wool
• Horses, carts, and other carriages
• Other forfeitures by other laws against wool exportation.

This law, however (1 Will. III. chap. 32), is so very indulgent to declare that:

This shall not hinder anyone from carrying his wool home from the place of shearing even if it is within five miles of the sea.

Provided that within 10 days after shearing and before he removes the wool, he certifies to the next officer of the customs:

• The true number of fleeces
• Where it is housed

He must not remove the wool without certifying to such officer his intention three days before.

Bond must be given that the wool to be carried coastways will be landed at the proper port.

If any part of it is landed without the presence of an officer, the penalty is:

• The forfeiture of the wool
• The additional penalty of 3 shillings for every pound weight

²⁴ To justify their demand of such extraordinary restrictions, our woollen manufactures confidently asserted that English wool was superior to foreign wool.

Foreign wool could not be worked up into any tolerable manufacture. Fine cloth could not be made without it.

England could monopolize the global woollen trade if English wool exportation could be totally prevented. Having no rivals, she could then sell it at what price she pleased.

In a short time, England could have incredible wealth by the most advantageous balance of trade. This doctrine is still believed by more people than the people who assert it.

This is believed by:

• Those who are unacquainted with the woollen trade or
• Those have not made particular enquiries

It is so perfectly false that English wool is necessary for making fine cloth.

English wool is unfit for fine cloth. Fine cloth is made of Spanish wool. English wool cannot even be mixed with Spanish wool without spoiling and degrading the fabric of the cloth.

²⁵ This book showed that these regulations depressed the price of English wool:

• below what it naturally would be at present, and
• very much below what it was in the time of Edward 3rd.

The price of Scottish wool fell by about half after the union when it became subject to the same regulations.

Reverend John Smith is the very accurate and intelligent author of the Memoirs of Wool.

He observed that the price of the best English wool in England is below the selling price of a very inferior quality wool in the Amsterdam market.

Those regulations avowed to depress the price of English wool below its natural price.

They undoubtedly produced the desired effect.

²⁶ This price reduction very much reduced the annual wool produce.

It discouraged the growing of wool below what it probably would have been if it were allowed to rise to its natural price in a free market. I believe that the annual quantity of wool produced cannot have been much affected by these regulations.

The sheep farmer employs his stock not chiefly to grow wool.

• He expects his profit more from the price of the carcass.
• The carcass’ ordinary price must make up the deficiency in the fleece’s ordinary price.

Whatever regulations sink the price of wool or raw hides below natural must raise the price of meat in an improved and cultivated country.

The price of the cattle fed on improved and cultivated land must be sufficient to pay:

• the rent of the landlord
• the profit expected by the farmer

If it is not, they will soon cease to feed the cattle.

“Whatever part of this price is not paid by the wool and the hide must be paid by the carcass.”

“The less there is paid for the one, the more must be paid for the other.”

How this price is divided on the parts of the cattle is indifferent to the landlords and farmers, as long as it is all paid to them.

In an improved country, their interest as landlords and farmers cannot be much affected by such regulations.

Though their interest as consumers may be affected by the rise in the price of provisions.

According to this reasoning, this degradation in wool price is unlikely to lessen the annual produce of wool in an improved country.

It may reduce the demand and production of mutton by raising the price of mutton. Its effect probably is not very considerable.

²⁷ The effect of such regulations on the quantity of the wool produced annually was not very considerable.

However, its effect on the quality of wool must have been very great.

The degradation in the quality of English wool must have been proportional to the degradation of price.

Its quality is currently below what is natural in the present state of improvement.

The quality of the wool depends on:

• the breed
• the pasture
• the management and cleanliness of the sheep

The attention to these can never be greater than the recompense the price of the fleece will make for its labour and expence.

The goodness of the fleece and the carcass depends greatly on the health, growth, and bulk of the animal.

In some respects, the improvement of the carcass is sufficient for the goodness of the fleece.

Despite the degradation of price, English wool has improved much during the present century.

The improvement might have been greater if the price had been better.

The lowness of price certainly has not prevented that improvement.