Holland owed much of its prosperity to easy duties. It was a country without national products, and had nothing but this system of becoming a general depôt to create industry and capital. By making that country an universal warehouse for an exchange of commodities, they sold them on terms almost as cheap as they could be procured at the place of their growth. As to England, she is the greatest consumer of her own products and imports; and what she exports of native or foreign commodities is commonly iubanced by the additional industry and labour of its inhabitants. But as we are extending our ideas of commerce in the East, and seem to have in contemplation extensive acquisitions in the West Indies, and as the only two rival commercial nations in Europe are, from political considerations, incapable of great present exertions, it would be good policy to look up to Great Britain as the great depôt for all its wants; building prosperity on the best foundation, that of mutual in terests. Whoever looks at the growing commerce, wealth, and finance, of Great Britain, compared with former times or with other countries, will view with wonder the joint efforts of nature and our industry in spite of all our wars. But when we compare our internal with our external commerce, and see how much they may or do affect each other, there is no knowing how far liberal systems of commerce, with pacific principles, and a relinquishment of prejudices and privileges, (which are rather burthensome than productive, and particularly when they respect ourselves,) will carry us. Roads and canals are forming all over the country, and in all their communications they have one general tendency toward the great centre of the kingdom, there to unite by the strongest ties. Industry is to property what education is to the mind, for it creates, and it expands. In agriculture, it is befriended by nature; and, in art, it combines and multiplies all the powers of mechanics, particularly when backed by nature. If, then, we grasp at great objects, we must use great means. Archimedes only desired to put his foot on one earth, to raise another: we need only to open our eyes, sacrifice our prejudices, and grasp at the substance instead of the shadow, and we shall then find the surest means of encouraging our industry, and extending our commerce to bounds yet unknown. APPEN APPENDIX. The following Statements may convey some Ideas of the progressive Increase of the Commerce, Navigation, &c. of England and of London, respectively, at different Periods. If Import and Export are added together, the value will be doubled. A Year. A STATE OF THE CUSTOMS OF ENGLAND, &c. 1613 The total Amount of the Customs of England. At the Port of London, Outwards £61,322 16 7 At all the Out-Ports, 1666 per ann. 1709 1711 N.B. Very near three to one in favour of London. 1671 to 1688 The customs in England produced, in 17 years, as stated by Davenant, 1700-1714 The net revenue of the customs in England, on an average of 15 years, The gross customs of Great Britain were Deduct drawbacks, charges, &c. The amount of the customs received, as stated by Davenant, in the port £. s. d. 1,352,764 The gross amount of the customs for the port of London may be estima- 1,614,176 3,580,000 Deduct drawbacks, charges, &c. 1,350,000 2,270,000 1792 The gross customs of Great Britain may be estimated at about 6,040,000 The net customs of ditto,paid into the exchequer, may be estimated at about, 3,9,000 STATE Anno. STATE OF SHIPPING, &c. 1728 Ships arrived in London from foreign Parts, of which were British 1839 213 2052 6837 8886 1732 The number of ships belonging to the Port of London, taken from the register of the Custom-house, were 1417 ships from 15 to 750 tons, making 178,557 Tons. Navigated by 21,797 men Of these 1 was of 750 tons. 1742 The number of ships employed at Bristol in foreign Trade, including that to Ireland, 1792 The number of ships cleared out from the Port of London for foreign Parts were Of about (and exclusive of Coasters) 399,000 tons. 1792 The number of ships belonging to the port of London were about Tonnage Of these about 24 were from 500 to 750 tons. 1860 374,000 tons. |