That Cow-Hydes weigh from 56, to 84 Pounds each; Bullock Hydes, weigh from 84 to 140 Pounds each, and both are sold from 15 to 21 Shillings, the hundred Weight.
That Soles, are generally sold from 8 to 8 Pence half-penny the Pound.
That Hydes generally lose about half their Weight, in Tanning.
From these Principles, when thrown into mean Proportionate Quantities, it is evident:
That the Quantity of Bark, annually imported, is 50,000 Barrels, and the Value 21,000 Pounds.
That the Number of Green Hydes, annually exported, are 80,000, and their Value 57,000 Pounds.
That if these Green Hydes were tanned before Exportation, their Value would be 123,000 Pounds.
That the Difference, arising from the Different State of these Hydes, on Exportation, is 66,000 Pounds, which Sum added to the 21,000 Pounds, the Value of the imported Bark, making in the whole 87,000 Pounds, must be accounted, as so much gained to the Kingdom, should our Tannage be effected by our own Produce and Labour.
The Nations, that demand this Export of those Green Hydes, are those, whose black Cattle are not bred, in such Numbers, as to supply their indispensable Demands; Nor will their dry Hydes, which they receive from their Settlements abroad, admit a thorough Tannage; They, in hopes of putting their Neighbours, who have a Redundancy of Hydes, under a Necessity, of parting with them unmanufactured, have prohibited, by the severest Penalties, the sending us any Bark. While we, on the other Part, have not only complied with this detrimental Export; but also have been so regardless of our own Interest, as to permit several Tanners, some from this City, to go, and instruct them in an Art, they almost were Strangers to.