402 
COMMERCE. 
Of the total exports of Great Britain, about 
two-thirds of the corrected official value con- 
sists of British produce and manufactures, 
and one third of foreign merchandize; of 
the former little more than one-fourth is ex- 
ported to the continent of Europe, about the 
same amount to the United States of Ame- 
r.ca, and the remainder to the East and 
'Vest Indies, and all other parts. The fol- 
lowing statement of the exports of the j ear 
1800 will shew the proportions of the com- 
merce of Great Britain with different parts of 
the world ; and the accounts that succeed 
furnish some particulars of all the principal 
branches. 
To Ireland 
Russia 
Denmark 
Prussia 
Germany 
Holland 
Flanders 
France 
Portugal 
Italy ^ - 
British 'Vest Indies - 
f nited States of Ame- 
rica 
British America 
Asia 
Africa 
All other parts 
<£. s. d. 
3,741,499 19 4 
1,023,335 4 0 
540,698 0 9 
794,432 8 6 
12,664,591 6 5 
3,208,613 9 11 
808,826 13 5 
1 ,'325,4 19 13 3 
1,011,893 6 4 
568,732 6 1 1 
3,416,972 9 6 
6,885,508 2 9 
975,989 13 1 
2,835,063 6 9 
1,017,365 11 5 
2,331,057 13 2 
Total - <£43,152,019 5 6 
In the commercial intercourse between 
Great Britain and Ireland, a very unjust and 
oppressive species of policy was long exer- 
cised, by which the latter country was de- 
barred from the enjoyment and use of its own 
resources, to make it entirely subservient to 
the interests and opulence of the former. It 
was not suffered to share in the bounties of 
nature or the industry of its citizens, but was 
shut out from every species of commerce, 
and restrained from sending the produce of 
its soil to foreign markets. Under such cir- 
cumstances it cannot be supposed that its 
commerce even with the country that mo- 
nopolized it, could be very great ;* its amount 
was as follows ; 
In 1710 
Imports. 
«£ 310,§46 
Exports, 
=£285,424 
1720 
282,8 1 2 
328.583 
1730 
294,156 
532,698 
1740 
390,565 
628,288 
1750 
612,808 
1,316,600 
1760 
904,180 
1,050,401 
1770 
1,214,398 
2,125,466. 
At an early period in the last century, 
-Some little relaxation of the restrictive sys- 
tem had taken place, and something more 
had been done in the reign of George II.; 
but it is Only since the year 1780 that the 
system has been completely done away, and 
Ireland lias enjoyed the natural right of ex- 
porting its produce to such places as offer 
the best market. ' The want of sufficient ca- 
pital among its manufacturers, and the de- 
fective state of cultivation, will however long 
retard the advancement of Ireland to that 
degree of commercial importance of which 
it is capable. In the mean time a consider- 
able proportion of its imports will continue to 
consist of the manufactures of Britain. 
Value of British manufactures exported from 
Great Britain to Ireland. 
=£. 
s. 
d. 
In 1791 
- 
1,470,972 
7 
8 
1792 
- 
1,511,844 
5 
9 
1793 
- 
1,055,276 
6 
2 
1794 
- 
1,281,316 
15 
5 
1795 
- 
1,612,270 
5 
0 
1796 
1.781,789 
1 5 
6. 
But though Ireland receives a considerable 
amount of foreign merchandize as well as 
manufactured goods from Great Britain, the 
balance of the commercial transactions be- 
tween the two countries is certainly con- 
siderably in favour of the former, owing prin- 
cipally to the increased importation by Great 
Britain of Irish linens, which lias amounted 
of late to upwards of 36,600,000 yards annu- 
ally. But this unfavourable balance of trade 
with respect to Great Britain is probably 
counteracted by other circumstances. The 
total value of the imports of Ireland from all 
parts was, in the year ending 5th January 
1805, 5,718,945/., and the total value of ex- 
ports, 5,063,073; the latter consisted of 
Irish produce and manufactures 4,902,915/., 
and of British and foreign articles 160,158/. 
The total number of vessels which entered 
inwards was 8019, of which number 7055 
were from Great Britain ;- the total number 
that cleared outwards was 6624, of which 
number 5808 were to Great Britain. 
The trade with Russia is carried on chiefly 
from the ports of London, Hull, Liverpool, 
Newcastle, Bristol, Leith, Dundee, and 
Grangemouth. The principal articles of im- 
port are iron, hemp, flax, tallow, pot-ashes, 
coarse linens, deals and lath-wood, hog’s 
bristles, &c. The exports consist of broad- 
cloth and woollen stuffs, refined sugar, cot- 
ton, lead, tin, iron and steel ware, earthen- 
ware and glass, alum, salt, coals, horses, 
London porter, and various articles of less 
importance. 
Total amount of imports from Russia. 
England. Scotland. Total. 
In 1800 £ 1 ,990,295 =£391,803 =£2,382,098 
1801 2,001,663 245,214 2,246,877 
1802 1,834,265 347,864 2,182,430 
Exports from Great Britain to Russia. 
British Foreign 
Manufac. Merchand. Total. 
In 1800 £ 557,374 <£467,96 1 =£1,025,335 
1801 594,617 325,126 919,843 
1802 834,412 541,987 1,376,399 
The trade with this country is highly be- 
neficial to Russia, as it is from Great Britain 
only that it receives a large balance in cash, 
which enables it to import the wines of 
France, Spain, and Portugal, brandy, oil, 
indigo, and many other articles of foreign 
produce. The total number of vessels that 
entered inwards from Russia in the year 1804 
was 859, of which 830 were British ships : 
the total number that cleared out for Russia 
was 661, of which 558 were British. 
The exports to Denmark and Norway 
consist chiefly of West India produce, and 
other foreign merchandize: of the imports, 
timber and corn are the most considerable. 
Years. Imports. Exports. 
1800 =£241,563 =£540,698 
1801 208,794 416,475 
1802 155,672 537,517. 
The total number of vessels that entered 
inwards from Denmark and Norway, in the 
year 1804, was 1418, of which 460 were Bri- 
tish ships: the total number that cleared 
outwards was 1684, of which 713 were Bri- 
tish. 
The trade between Great Britain and Swe- 
den has remained of nearly the sairffe extent 
for the last 20 years. It is carried ortclliellv 
in ships of that country ; the total number 
of vessels that entered inwards in 1804 being 
252, of which only 106 were British ; and the 
total number that cleared outwards 229, of 
which only 96 were British, 
Years. 
1801 
1802 
1803 
Imports. 
£ 295,645. 
327,350 
288,65 l 
Exports. 
£ 1 1 1,254. 
108,296 
98,045. 
Tie imports consist principally of iron of 
a superior quality to that of any other coun- 
try, pitch, tar, deal boards, and sail-cloth. 
The exports are chiefly colonial produce. 
The trade with Prussia is likewise carried 
on principally in foreign vessels ; the total 
number of vessels from that country which 
entered inwards in the ports of Great Britain 
in the year 1804, being 1911, of which only 
720 were British, and the total number that 
cleared outwards 1622, of which only 390 
were British vessels. 
Years. Imports. 
1801 =£1,387,149 
1802 1,057,602 
1803 831,225 
Exports. 
=£ 660,739 
1,071,896 
1,916,502. 
The export to Prussia is chiefly colonial 
produce, as the manufactured goods of other 
countries have of late years been much dis- 
couraged by the government, with the view 
of promoting its own manufactures. 
The trade with Germany had not been 
subject to any great fluctuation with respect 
to its extent, from the commencement of the 
last century till the year 1794, when it sud- 
denly became the channel through which the 
principal part of the continent has since pro- 
cured the goods which before they IkuI re- 
ceived direct from this country. The follow- 
ing account of exports to Germany shews 
the rapid increase of trade with that country 
in the course of a few years. 
V ears. 
British 
Manufactures. 
Foreign 
Merchandize. 
1791 
=£778,213 
=£1,111,532 
1792 
811,140 
1,327,970 
1793 
718,474 
1,764,221 
1794 
1,634,530 
4,308,695 
1795 
1,760,133 
6,311,876 
1796 
1,591,810 
6,582,179. 
The produce and manufactures of Great 
Britain exported to Germany, with the ex- 
ception of consignments to particular mer- 
cantile houses, are sold at the great fairs of 
Frankfort, Leipzig, Brunswick, and Nurem- 
berg.. The Easter fair at Leipzig is greatly 
celebrated for the immense quantities of 
British manufactures sold there. Towards 
the end of March, numberless bales of mus- 
lins, calicoes, printed cottons, and other 
goods, are sent from Glasgow, Paisley, Man- 
chester, &c. to Hamburgh, besides vast quan- 
tities of English hardware from Birmingham, 
as butttons, buckles, sadlery, and a thousand 
various articles, useful or ornamental for 
though the Germans possess many of. the 
