Page:Economic History of Virginia Vol 1.djvu/78

 promist; we above all things pray you to p&#8217;forme so as we may have speedily the reall proof and testimonies of yor cares and endeavours therein, especially in that of iron, of Vines and Silk, the neglect and delay whereof so long: as it is of much shame and dishonor to the plantation, so it is to us here cause of infinite grief and discontent; especially forbearance is not yet Sattisfied, whereby although we might deservedly feare a diminution of his royall grace and love to the plantation, wch after so long a time and so long a supplie by his myts favor have brought forth no better fruits than tobacco, yett by the goodness of God inclyning his princely heart, etc.&#8221; Extract from Letter prepared for the Colony in 1623 by order of Privy Council, Neill&#8217;s Virginia Company of London, p. 393. Numerous additional quotations might be made in further confirmation of the correctness of the statement in the text. It was only finally abandoned when the volume of duties on the imported leaf had become enormous, and the increase in British shipping through the operation of the Navigation Acts, as well as by the growth of the kingdom in power, had put England in a position in which most of the serious drawbacks attending the introduction of so many articles from foreign countries had been removed or materially diminished. The urgent commands of the English authorities to successive governors and councils in Virginia, repeated again and again even after the middle of the century had been passed, that more attention should be paid to what were called the staple commodities, can only be clearly understood in the recollection of the historical fact, that one of the most powerful reasons for the establishment of the Colony was that it would supply the English people with the principal articles which they were compelled to purchase from nations not always friendly, and at rates that afforded little profit to the English merchants.

In trading with foreign nations, it was necessary to use coin to a considerable extent, not only in the course of actual exchange, but also in promoting a disposition to enter into bargains. It was calculated that the