ships at Malaga is noticed, for importing Dutch commodities.  The principal articles of export from Scotland to foreign countries consisted of coarse woollen stuffs and stockings, linen goods, peltry, leather, wool, pearls, &c.  The principal imports were wine and fruits from France, wine from Spain and Portugal, the finer woollen goods from England, timber, iron, &c. from the Baltic, and sugars, spices, silks, &c. from Antwerp, Portugal, &c.

The following statement, with which we shall conclude our account of Scotch commerce, is interesting, as exhibiting a view of the commercial intercourse by sea between England and Scotland, from the commencement of the inspector general’s accounts in 1697, to the Union in 1707.

England received from Scotland       Scotland received from England
Merchandize to the value of          merchandize to the value of

1697.     L91,302                       L73,203
1698.    124,835                        58,043
1699.     86,309                        66,303
1700.    130,087                        85,194
1701.     73,988                        56,802
1702.     71,428                        58,688
1703.     76,448                        57,338
1704.     54,379                        87,536
1705.     57,902                        50,035
1706.     50,309                        60,313
1707.      6,733                        17,779

The earliest notices of Irish trade, to which we have already adverted, particularly mention linen and woollen cloth, as two of the most considerable articles of export from that country.  Hides, wool, fish of different kinds, particularly salmon, and the skins of martins, otters, rabbits, sheep, kids, &c. are also specified, as forming part of her early export.  From Antwerp in the middle of the sixteenth century she received spices, sugar, silks, madder, camblets, &c.  Pipe staves were a considerable article of export in the beginning of the seventeenth century; they were principally sent to the Mediterranean.  In 1627 Charles issued a proclamation respecting Ireland, from which we learn that the principal foreign trade of Ireland was to Spain and Portugal, and consisted in fish, butter, skins, wool, rugs, blankets, wax, cattle, and horses; pipe staves, and corn; timber fit for ship-building, as well as pipe staves, seem at this period to have formed most extensive and valuable articles of export from Ireland.  In the middle of this century, Irish linen yarn was used in considerable quantities in the Manchester manufactures, as we have already noticed.  The importation into England of fat cattle from Ireland seems to have been considerable, and to have been regarded as so prejudicial to the pasture farmers of the former country, that in 1666 a law was passed laying a heavy duty on their importation.  This statute proving ineffectual, another was passed in 1663, enacting the forfeiture of all great cattle, sheep, swine, and also beef, pork, or bacon, imported