194 TRADE WITH ASIA. CHAP. XXIV. 



1810 had risen from eight to twenty-five mil- 

 lions of pounds weight. The demand for raw silk 

 from China had also rapidly increased towards the 

 end of the term in question, and it more than 

 counterbalanced the deficiency which was created 

 by our improvements in the porcelain and cotton 

 goods, which had in some measure lessened the de- 

 mand for the nankeens and porcelain of China. 



The trade with India, like that with China, had 

 constantly absorbed a large portion of the silver of 

 Europe. The greater part had passed by sea by 

 the Cape of Good Hope; but there was a current, 

 constant though almost imperceptible, passing 

 from the Levant to India in the south, and from 

 Russia to the north, the latter of which had vastly 

 increased in the latter years of the term. 



On the states of North America establishing 

 their independence, they became rivals with the 

 kingdoms of Europe in the trade to India and 

 China, and conveyed to both large quantities of 

 silver. It was especially after the wars which 

 arose from the revolution in France that the inter- 

 course of the Americans with the east had the 

 greatest extension, They were the medium of 

 communication for a long time between France 

 and Holland and their remaining territories in 

 India. The continent of Europe was supplied by 

 their shipping, under the protection of the neutral 

 flag, with tea and the other commodities of China 

 and of India, and conveyed to those distant regions 



