Briefwisseling en aantekeningen. Deel 2
(1976)–Willem Bentinck–
Auteursrechtelijk beschermd
[pagina 244]
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gistrates in our city; and he gave the burgomaster leave to make it known publickly, that it was not at the desire of him or De Groot, that the commissaries were sent to Rotterdam, but upon the petition of the burgers. The deputies from Edinburg who come to sollicit the renewal of the priviledges of the Scotch factory att CampveerGa naar voetnoot1), are at The Hague and the merchants of this province will represent against it. I have wrote to the Prince upon the subject and I have sent a copy of my letter to your brother. It is certain, that that factory is a great prejudice to the merchants of this province and the abuses are many, for by their charter they are onely allowed to import free of duty the produce of Scotland and it will be no hard matter to prove, that they import not onely English and Irish goods, nay even Spanish and French. I further hear, that to give the trade of Rotterdam in particular the decisive blow, the royal buroughs of Scotland are about issuying an order, that no ships bound to this country from the ports of Scotland, shall be readmitted, unless they produce a certificate from the conservatorGa naar voetnoot2) att Campveer, that the cargo has been landed there. The merchants of this city are drawing up a memorial to recommend this affair to our magistrates and most earnestly to begg of them, to represent it most earnestely to the States of Holland and to the Prince. But it is not in this affair, that the greatest evil lays, it is in the tolleration and protection, that the smugling and defrauding the duties meets with in all the ports of Zealand. It is now come so far, that by paying no duties most of the merchants of this and other cities of this province, can have their goods cheaper by Zealand, (as paying no duties there) than directly from the foreign ports; by which we loose not only the great advantedge to the cities of the necessary expence of navigation, but allso the profit of reloading the ships. A free port is the onely thing, that can remedy this evil, that all the subjects of the States being put upon the same footing may be outdone by no one individual but by industry and activity. This great work is worthy of your most serious and earnest intention, for I can assure you, that by the frauds tollerated in Zealand, the trade in this province dayly decreases. The onely difficulty in | |
[pagina 245]
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my opinion is to find an equivalent for the produce of the duties, which to me seems to be no great matter, as the merchants are so eager to have the thing done, they will, I durst say, gladly contribute. If you do not do it, your neighboursGa naar voetnoot3) at Embden will soon do it and will with Dunkirk and Hamburgh ruin your trade. I have of late heard nothing more of the intreagues of the gingerbread baker's friendGa naar voetnoot4), but I must tell you, that all I am wholly devoted to your intrest, I could wish that he and your co-plenipotentiaryGa naar voetnoot5) were out of the way and that some peopleGa naar voetnoot6) would open their eyes and know who are and who are not their real friends. The duke will be at The Hague tomorrow or next day. The King landed last tuesdayGa naar voetnoot7) about three in the afternoon att Margate. |
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