tained from abroad.
There was therefore no profit from that source to them or him--for he
also is a merchant, and keeps a store publicly like the others, where
you can buy half a penny's worth of pins. They usually make at least a
hundred per cent. profit. And here it is to be remarked, that as
Fredrick Flipsen has the most shipping and does the largest trade, it
is said he is in partnership with the governor, which is credible and
inferable from the privileges which Frederick enjoys above the other
merchants in regard to his goods and ships. Now one of the principal
navigations of this place is that with Barbados, which formerly did
not amount to much, for the people could obtain the productions of
Barbados cheap enough from Boston, which had a great trade with that
island, and where its productions are cheap in consequence of their
exemptions from duties, for they paid scarcely any duty, customs, or
other charges. As no French brandies can come into the English
dominions, they can not be imported into New York, though they are
free at Boston; and as New Netherland is a country overflowing with
grain, much liquor was distilled there from grain, and therefore they
had no necessity of going elsewhere to buy strong liquors. This
brought no profit to the merchants, but on the contrary a loss, for in
the first place a large quantity of grain was consumed in
distillation, by which means the grain continued too dear, according
to the views of the merchants, who received it from the poor boors in
payment of their debts, there being no money in circulation; in the
second place, it prevented the importation of rum, a spirituous liquor
made from sugar in Barbados, and consequently any duties; and thirdly,
the merchants did not realize the double percentage of profit, namely,
upon the meal they might send to Barbados, and upon the rum which they
would sell here. The governor therefore prohibited the distilling of
spirituous liquors, whereby not only were many persons ruined who
supported themselves by that business, but the rum which had to be
procured from the merchants rose in price, and they sold it as high as
they pleased; on the other hand the price of grain fell very much,
because it could not be consumed, and the merchants gave no more for
it than they chose. And thus the poor farmers soon had to work for
nothing, all their sweat and labor going with usury into the pockets
of the tradesmen. The trade to Barbados now began to