RETURN FROM PITTSBURG 329 



miles between ' the head of Elk/ the most convenient 

 landing place on that river, and Christiana Creek 

 which falls into the Delaware. 



Baltimore exports chiefly : flour, maize, salted meat 

 and other articles of food, all kinds of timber, and 

 tobacco. For this last article there is an Inspection- 

 house at the Point to which all hogsheads for export 

 must be brought for examination and registry. In the 

 future the mountains will supply iron and copper for 

 export. The trade in flour to the Spanish islands was 

 during the war by far the most profitable. A barrel of 

 flour, costing perhaps four Spanish dollars, brought at 

 the Havannah 25-30-36 dollars ; and notwithstanding 

 many of these flour-ships fell into the hands of the 

 English there was a considerable profit if only one 

 out of six escaped the enemy and returned safe. The 

 war, which elsewhere had an opposite effect, was there- 

 fore favorable to the trade of Baltimore, proving, 

 among other things, how advantageous to the state 

 company-agreements may be. The dangers which 

 caused the individual merchant to fear utter ruin from 

 those numerous enemies swarming about the sea, were 

 diminished when many contributed to the fitting-out 

 of a vessel. The results of these combinations were 

 fortunate; Baltimore won a name, (and its merchants 

 wealth), and regard and merit in the eyes of the 

 country. For the considerable loans subscribed with 

 great readiness by the merchants here and at Phila- 

 delphia, formed almost the sole support of the ener- 

 vated Congress during the last years of the war, and 

 were the only means of maintaining the war at a time 

 when all manner of difficulties delayed the collection 

 of taxes, (insufficient for the needs of the state), and 

 made the prosecution of the war doubtful. 



