An Account of the value of all Goods, Wares, and Merchandise, exported from that part of Great Britain called Scotland, to the British Colonies in North America, from Christmas, 1772, to Christmas, 1773, being as far as the same can be made up; distinguishing each Colony; And also,

An Account of the amount of the Drawbacks paid out of the produce of the Customs in Scotland, for the three years, ending on 10th October, 1773; distinguishing each year; And also,

An Account of the value of the Scotch Exports and Imports to and from the West Indies, from Christmas, 1762, to Christmas, 1773, being as far as the same can be made up; distinguishing each Island, and each year; And also,

An Account of the value of the Scotch Exports and Imports to and from North America, from Christmas, 1762, to Christmas, 1773, being as far as the same can be made up; distinguishing each Colony, and each year.

WEDNESDAY, February 15, 1775.

Ordered. That the Order of the Day, for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House, to consider further of the Petition of the Merchants, Traders, and others, of the City of London, concerned in the Commerce of North America, and of the several other Petitions referred to the consideration of the said Committee, be now read,

And the said Order being read accordingly;

Resolved, That this House will, upon this day three weeks, the 8th day of March next, resolve itself into the said Committee.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House an Account of the quantity of Corn and Flour exported from Great Britain to the Sugar Colonies, for ten years past; distinguishing each year.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House an Account of the value of Goods exported from Great Britain to Ireland, from Christmas, 1772, as far as the same can be made up; distinguishing each year.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House an Account of the quantity of Train Oil and Blubber, imported into this Kingdom, from Christmas, 1772, as far as the same can be made up; distinguishing the countries from which the same have been imported, and the quantity imported each year.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House an Account of the quantity of Rape Seed and Rape Oil imported into this Kingdom, from Christmas, 1772, as far as the same can be made up: distinguishing the countries from which the same have been imported, and the quantity imported in each year.

A Petition of the principal Manufacturers of the Borough of Bridgport, in the County of Dorset, on behalf of themselves and thousands of others, Inhabitants of the said Borough and places adjacent, was presented to the House, and read, setting forth—

That the Petitioners being Master Manufacturers of Nets, Lines, and Twine, for the use of the Fisheries carried on on the respective shores and banks of New England and Newfoundland, and other parts of North America; as also of Canvass for Sails for the Vessels and Boats employed in the said Fisheries, have usually employed in the said Borough and the neighbouring Villages, several thousand labourers in the manufacture of the said articles, who solely depend thereon for subsistence, no other manufactory of any sort being carried on there; and that in consequence of the Non-Importation Agreements lately entered into in America, the Petitioners have not received, and find they are not this season to expect, a demand for a Shilling's worth of Goods for those parts; and that the loss of that valuable branch of their trade distresses them the more, as from a consideration of the importance of the Fisheries, and the impossibility of carrying them on without Nets, Lines, &c., they had flattered themselves the Americans, in their Non-Importation Resolutions, would have made some exception in favour of these articles; and from thence, as well as in compassion to the poor labourers, were induced to continue their Manufactories, so that they have now large stocks of Goods on hand, of a construction peculiar to those parts, which will therefore be of little value to them without a return of this trade; and that from the necessity the Americans must be under of an immediate supply of these articles for carrying on the Fisheries, the Petitioners apprehend Manufactories of them already are, or instantly will be set up there, or such other sources of supply discovered, and connections formed, as will forever deprive them of a return of this trade; and that, should this be the case, the Petitioners, already much distressed, shall become great and lasting sufferers; and their labourers, many of whom are already without employment, and the rest employed only in part, must inevitably be reduced to a condition deplorably miserable, being neither capable, nor having an opportunity of turning their hands to any other business; and therefore praying the House to take their and their poor labourers' present distress and impending ruin into consideration, and to grant such speedy and effectual relief as to the House shall seem meet.

Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the consideration of the Whole House, to whom the Petition of the Merchants, Traders, and others, of the City of London, concerned in the commerce of North America, is referred.

The Lord North presented to the House, by his Majesty's command—

Extract of a Letter from the Earl of Dunmore to the Earl of Dartmouth, dated Williamsburg, 24th December, 1774.

Ordered, That the said Paper be referred to the consideration of the Committee of the Whole House, to whom it is referred to consider further of the several Papers which were presented to the House by the Lord North, upon the 19th and 31st days of January last, and the first day of this instant, February, by his Majesty's command.

A Petition of the Merchants and Master Manufacturers of Woollen Goods, of the Towns of Wakefield, Halifax, Bradford, Huddersfield, and country adjacent, interested in the Trade to America, was presented to the House, and read, setting forth—

That by means of the North American Commerce carried on directly from the said Towns and the country adjacent, or through the hands of the Merchants of London, Bristol, Liverpool, Glasgow, Hull, and other places, the Petitioners have been enabled greatly to extend their Manufactories, and give thereby a large employ to many thousands industrious poor labourers; and that the North American Commerce, taken collectively and in its full extent, is an object of great concern to the West Riding of Yorkshire in general, to the Petitioners in particular, and worthy the attention of Parliament; and that by the unhappy differences subsisting between Great Britain and her American Colonies, the Petitioners labour under the present stagnation of that branch of trade, the loss of which is sensibly felt, and in time will be much more so, by the Petitioners and the aforesaid industrious poor labourers; and that the Petitioners, thus circumstanced, are justly alarmed for themselves and families, at the same time feeling for the distresses of those whom in times past they have been enabled to give support, humbly represent to the House their present unhappy situation, confiding in the wisdom, the justice, and moderation of Parliament to remove the causes thereof, in such manner as to the House may seem meet.

A motion was made, and the question being proposed, that the said Petition be referred to the consideration of the Committee of the Whole House, to whom it is referred to consider further of the several Papers which were presented to the House by the Lord North, upon the 19th and 31st days of January last, the first day of this instant, February, and this day, by his Majesty's command;

An amendment was proposed to be made to the question, by leaving out from the word "whom" to the end of the question, and inserting the words, "the Petition of the Merchants, Traders, and others, of the City of London, concerned in the commerce of North America, is referred," instead thereof,

And the question being put, that the words proposed to be left out stand part of the question?

It passed in the Negative.

And the question being put, that the words "the Petition of the Merchants, Traders, and others, of the City of London, concerned in the commerce of North America, is referred," be inserted instead thereof?