Holograph copy of the report of the Committee on the Treaty of Commerce with France, dated 28 November 1674 (mainly consisting of a list of imports and exports and their value)
28 Nov. 1674. A scheme of the trade as it is at prsent carried on between England & France in the commodities of the native product & manufacture of each Country, calculated as exactly as possible in obedience to ye commands of ye Rt Honble ye Lords Commrs for ye treaty of commerce wth France, & humbly tendred to the their Lordships, being the intrinsick value of Goods Exported & Imported to & from France mentioned in fol. 5 & 6 of this Book
By the account above, yor Lordships may perceive that the Linnen & silk manufactures only imported from France, amount to above 800000li, & that the manufacture of wooll & silk exported from England thither do not amount to 85000li; As also that all the other Commodities of the product & manufac{tures} of France imported to England amount{s} to above 320000li, besides an incredible value of Toys, Rich Apparel, Pointlace &c: So that it is apparent th{at} the exports of or native Commodities & manufactures to France are less in value by at the least On{illeg}|e| Million of pounds sterling, then the native Commodities & manufactures of France wch we receive from then. |And| if it please yor Lordships to reflect thereupon, yor Lordships will easily discern the great prejudice ye English nation hath susteined & the great advantage the French have & do dayly make by holding this Treaty in susp{icion.} This nation being upon the matter excluded trade thither, while in the meane time the French enjoy all, & as great advantages as they can reasonably expect by any treaty.