Coining the Plate were a loss of the Fashion, which may be valued one 6th, and would add little to the Money: the Plate at the Restauration was inconsiderable, having been call'd in a little before. Since there may have been wrough one year with another about 60 stone weight; of that a great part has been melted down, or exported, the Remainder won't be of great value. What Plate has been imported belongs to a few Men of Quality, who will send it out of the Country rather than lose the Fashion; and in that they do a Service to the Country, providing they don't spend it abroad, because wrought Plate will sell for more Silver at London, than it will melt to here.
If 'tis propos'd the Money be allay'd, and the Advantage of the Allay be given to the Owners of the Plate. Suppose the new Money with Allay be rais'd to double the Denomination; 5 sh. of Plate with the Fashion worth 6 sh. will give at the Mint 10 sh. allay'd Money: But even then the Plate will not be brought in volunatarly, for that Plate sold in England, and the Value brought back by Bill, will yield from 11 to 12 sh. Exchange being above the Par, and 6 pence supposed to be got for the Fashion of the Ounce of Plate.
If it be necessary to coin the Plate, such Plate should be allow'd to be exported as can be sold abroad for more than its Weight:
Security being given to import Money or Bullion to the value.
Some propose a Regulation of the Ballance of Trade, by retrenching the Consumption of Forreign Goods, and Expense in England:
So the Ballance being brought to be on our side, we may become rich by living within our yearly value, as we become poor by spending beyond it.
Such a Regulation will have its Difficulties. 1. To discharge all or a great part of the Import, will lessen considerably the Revenue of the Crown; and Her Majesty may not think good to give the Royal Assent to such a Regulation, unless an Equivalent be given. 2. Such a Regulation would not be so strictly kept, but a part of what was used to be imported would be stole in. 3. The Residence of our Princes being in England, we are under a necessity of having a Ministry there:
Imployments being at the disposal of the Prince, and London being a Place of more Diversion than Edinburgh, the Gentry will continue to go to London for Places or Pleasure.
But allowing the Royal Assent were given to such a regulation;either with or without an Equivalent; and the Regulation could be so strictly kept, that nothing were imported contrair to that Law; and allow 20000 lib. could be sav'd of the Expense in England, so that the Import and Expense Abroad should be 60000 lib. less than last year:
Yet there are other Difficulties, that I fear will make the Regulation ineffectual.
1. Suppose the Ballance last year due by us was 20000 lib. the Import and Expense Abroad lessen'd 60000 lib. These who propose this Regulation may think a Ballance will be due to us of 40000 lib. But as the Bank may have supplyed us with 60000 lib. of notes, more than the Money in Bank: and as 20000 lib is suppos'd to have been exported last year: So our Money being lessen'd 80000 lib. the next years Export may be so much less valuable, the want of that Money having set idle a part of the People were then imployed: and a greater Ballance be due than last year, notwithstanding of the Regulation.