1823.] Statistics 



villages amount to 8,000,000, those in 

 the rural districts to 8,600,000, day- 

 labourers 5,000,000 and upwards, vine- 

 dressers 2,000,000 andupwards; mecha- 

 nics in the couiitr}-, 1,000,000 and up- 

 wards. In 1817, Paris enumerated 

 27,371 houses, 227,230 families or 

 chamber-inmates, and 715,000 inhabi- 

 tants ; a distribution, which will allow 

 twenty-six persons to a house, and 

 three and a fraction to a menage, or se- 

 parate domestic concern. 



The inhabitants in general speak 

 French ; of these, the number is up- 

 wards of 25,000,000. Among the other 

 subjects of the king, tliere are about 

 2,800,000 that are of German origin ; 

 967,000 are Kymris, or Bus Bretons ; 

 to these add 110,000 Basques, and 

 195,000 Italians. There are also in 

 France, as in other countries, Jews and 

 Egyptians, (gypsies,) to the number of 

 70,000. The Catholic is the na- 

 tional religion ; it is professed by 

 25,500,000 of inhabitants. All other 

 Christian communions fully enjoy the 

 rigjits of citizenship ; of these, there 

 are 2,800,000 Calvinists, one million of 

 Lutherans, 2000 Moravians, and 550 

 Quakers. 



. The confiscations of the vast pro- 

 perty which, before the revolution, be- 

 longed to the clergy and nobility, gave 

 rise to those sales of the national 

 domains which have produced a tran- 

 quil, happy, and peaceful, effect on the 

 private character of the middle and 

 lower classes. Tiiey are more easy in 

 their circumstances; and it may be 

 justly admitted, that a series of strong 

 stimuli have been given to agriculture 

 and to commerce. 



A considerable portion of the French 

 arc judiciously employed in the indus- 

 trious labours of different manufacto- 

 ries. There are, at least, 250,000 

 masters, or at the head of various oc- 

 cupations and professions, whose an- 

 nual income will amount to 44,000,000 

 of florins. In 1810, the product of 

 articles, fabricated from the mineral 

 kingdom, amounted to 87,000,000; that 

 of the animal kingdom, to 162,000,000; 

 the vegetable, to 189,000,000. In the 

 latter times of Napoleon's administra- 

 tion, the productions of the mineral 

 kingdom gave employment to 377,17(> 

 workmen in 6,918 shops or factories ; 

 the vegetable to 583,303 workmen, 

 48,100 factories ; of the animal king- 

 dom, to 7W>,06y individuals, in 26,700 

 csUiblishinonls. 



'J'hc internal commerce, prominent, 



of France. 339 



active, and for the benefit of the 

 French themselves, will rank in a re- 

 spectable class. Nature has been in- 

 dulgent in navigable rivers ; art has 

 traced some great movements in the 

 construction of canals, excellent roads, 

 and management in relays by the 

 post-houses, mail-coaches, &c. Most 

 towns have markets, and some fairs. 

 The most frequented mart is that of 

 Beaucaire, in the department of Gard, 

 and district of Niiues. It begins on 

 the 22d of July, and lasts eight days. 

 Traders from almost all parts of 

 Europe repair thither ; and, so vast is 

 the concourse, that the town cannot 

 afford room for the ephemeral popula- 

 tion. Shops are set up beyond the 

 ramparts, under fine alleys of trees, oii 

 the banks of the Rhone. 



Before the revolution, the principal 

 or capital laid out in commerce was 

 valued at 6,244,000,000 of florins, and 

 the cash in circulation at 918,000,000. 

 At present, the diminution in these 

 sums is considerable. The balance of 

 foreign trade is also unfavourable, as 

 the annexed account will testify. 



Importations. Florins. 



In 1787 226,891,788 



In 1800 120,708,576 



In 1811 164,874,960 



ExportatioDS. Florins. 



In 1787 201,490,569 



In 1800 100,346,660 



In 1811 121,799,520 



About the middle of the last centnry, 

 the profits derived from commerce 

 made an annual income of 66,000,000 

 of florins ; but France has since lost 

 some of her best colonies. In the 

 revolutionary wars, England had re- 

 duced them all, and foreign trade was 

 almost annihilated, from the enfeebled 

 state of the marine. 



Previous to the establishment of the 

 Continental System, the principal arti- 

 cles of importation were, — Comestibles 

 (edibles or eatables,) to the value of 

 45,000,000 and upwards ; drugs, spices, 

 and other conmioditics, 71,760,000; 

 manufactured goods and wares, 

 54,222,000; groceries, 13,560,000; gold 

 and silver, 292,130 florins. 



'J'lie National Bank of Paris is pro- 

 fessedly intended to favour or aid 

 connnercial sjjcculations, the success 

 of which hinges on the duration of 

 I)eacc. It was eslaWished in 1803, 

 with a capital raised by 45,0()() shares 

 of 1000 francs each. In 1814, it had 

 77,000,000 of francs in cash, and 

 24,000,000 in notes. Sixty-thrcc 

 towu« 



