The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-29

Until the middle OF the fourteenth century
England had been to Europe what Australia Is
to-day. country known only as the provider
OF tho raw material OF manufactures. From
the twelfth century wool had been the one
great export OF England. and the one great
source OF wealth for MOBILES churchmen. farm
ers. even kings. II q Parliament like that OF
1858 or great statesman like Simon do Mont
fort urged that En- gland should herself be-
come an independent and self supporting CEN
tire OF manufactures these seemed As Idle
words to monopolists dealing in wool with
command OF the worlds markets. who saw no
need to forsake their easy path to wealth at
moment when the growth OF manufactures In
the Netherlands opened q vast outl 1t for Eng
lands staple product. At one time In the
reign OF Edward I'LL It Is said that 80. 900 sacks
OF wool were shipped from England
But before the reign Of Edward Ill had
closed the English exporters OF wool knew
that they had fallen upon evil days Trade
began to slip from their grasp. The revenue
they paid from their profits to the Kings ex-
cheauer fell In the few years from 1901 to
14ll to ons-flfth OF its former value. and was
still calculated at this dismal firth In l4I0.
Instead 1.-THE &c. 600 sacks which they yearly
sent forth during period OF the fourteenth
century. they could not at the close OF the If
teenth century collect more than 1924 sacks.
hHu III ioSt bchT VI houEy VIII. even tnl9
number had shrunk to under 5000. Taxes
which lay comparatively lightly on the ex-
porters In happier times. fell as an intolera-
bic burden when their warehouses lay
empty and their ranks were thinned
by bankruptcy and desertion. At tho
very moment when all rural England was be-
ing ra pidlY turned into land OF sheep pas
lures Tor ths limitless production OF WOOL tho
company OF the wool exporters was finally and
T.. l.
this: The wool was being sold at home and
out OF the ruin OF the exporters Of the staple
the cloth makers sucked no small advantage.
For 1t was during the fifteenth century that
the great Industrial revolution was completed
whereby England was turned from a country
whose chief business was exporting wool into
a country whose chief business was exporting
cloth The people. indeed. had long man
ufaetured rough cloth for common use.
But during the raigns OF the three |
Edwards the idea had constantly gained |
ground that BY working up their own raw ma |
terial Englishmen might retain for themselves |
the profits which foreigners had previously |
secured. and native manufacturers were I'M |
doubtedly doing considerable export trade |
during the latter part OF the fourteenth CEN
fury. Hail century later. In l4ll, the very
year when tho subsidy on wool fell to a nth.
broadcloths are first mentioned In an act OF
Parliament aud thsneeforih they became the
chief article OF export. AZ though they had
been for while forgotten by the sxchequer.
the exporters Of cloth found themselves free
from all subsidy tax. and only Obliged
TO pay TO the Indifferent authorities
tolls that amounted to less than two
Per cent. for natives and merchants of the
Hanss occupied In the trade. and less than
b per cent. Tor aliens. They might we'll Goa
trAst this export tax eomDlSssntlY with the 80
percent. aid by the so-caIed merchants OF the
staple. and the 20 per cent exAetsd from all
other exporters OF wool-A tax 70 lnoTdinAts
that II explains WHY In 1924 Parliament had TO
forbid the carrying Of sheep over sea 10 shear
them there, farmer who could sell his wool
next door to a native man ufaCtuTsr naturally
would not send it over sea with vsxAtlous for
nAlities and under oppressive export dueA