COM COM 
same period lias increased rapidly. These 
circumstances caused a sudden decline in the 
price of sugar, which became unusually low 
in 1807, and, combined with the inteirup- 
tioii of the export trade to the continent of 
Europe, reduced the West India merchants 
and planters to great difficulties. 
The American war was regarded by many 
persons as involving, in a great measure, 
the ruin of the foreign commerce of Great 
Britain. Since the establishment of the 
independence of the American States, how- 
ever, experience has proved that we derive 
a much greater benefit from that country 
than heretofore, as we now take from them 
no move than it is our interest to take, 
while from having but little capital, and 
much employment at home, it must be 
many- years before they can attempt to ri- 
val us in any considerable branch of foreign 
trade. The exports to America consist 
almost wholly of British manufactures, the 
official value of which in the year 1800 was 
6,885,5071. ; the imports are tobacco, rice. 
corn, and other unmanufactured prodade,- 
A very considerable trade is also carried 
on between the United States and the Bri- 
tish West India islands, which is consider- 
ed as almost essetitial to the support of the 
latter. The trade witli the remaining Bri- 
tish possessions in North America, is not of 
great extent ; the principal branches of it 
are the fur trade of Canada, Hudson’s 
Bay, and the Newfoundland fisliery. 
The total amount of the exports and im- 
ports sufficiently proves that the mercantile 
shipping of Great Britain must be greatly 
increased beyond what was employed in 
former periods. The total number of ves- 
sels that entered inwards and cleared out, 
with their tonnage, and the number of men 
and boys usually employed in navigating 
the same, as shewn in the following state- 
ment for three years ending the 5th Janu- 
ary, 1807, wall furnish a correct idea of the 
extent of shipping employed in the com- 
merce of Great Britain. 
INWARDS. OUTWARDS. 
Ships. 
Tons. 
Men. 
Ships. 
Tons. 
1804 
14,779 
2,009,686 
113,723 
15,224 
2,051,135 
1805 
15,931 
2,186,173 
121,899 
15,540 
2,101,030 
1806 
15,911 
2,095,568 
120,342 
15,710 
2,05-1,472 
By the act imposing a duty on all sea as- 
surances, as well as by the act for establish- 
ing the convoy duty, the extent and value 
of the foreign trade of this country has been 
more clearly ascertained than heretofore, 
and it appears that the capital employed in 
commerce cannot be less tlian 80,000,0001. 
The annual profit derived from it has been 
variously estimated, but according to the 
best authority, it appeared in the year 1797 
to be about 10,500,0001. per annum. 
COMMERSONIA, in botany, so called 
in memory of M. Conimerson, the French 
traveller, a genus of the Pentandria Penta- 
gynia. Essential character: calyx one- 
leafed, bearing the corolla; petals five; 
nectary five-parted ; capsule five-celled, 
echinate. One species, a native of Otaheite 
and the other Society Isles. 
COMMISSARY, in the ecclesiastical 
law, an officer of the Bishop, who exercises 
spiritual jurisdiction in places of a diocese 
so far from the episcopal see, that the chan- 
cellor cannot call the people to the bishop’s 
principal consistoiy court, without giving 
them too much inconvenicncy. 
Commissary general of the musters, an 
officer appointed to muster the army, as 
often as the general thinks proper, in order 
to know the strength of each regiment and 
company, to receive and inspect the 
muster-rolls, and to keep an exact state of 
the strength of the army. 
Commissary general of stores, an officer 
in the artillery, who has the charge of all the 
stores, for which he is accountable to the 
office of ordnance. 
Commissary general of provisions, an 
officer who has the inspection of the bread 
and provisions of the army. 
COMMISSION, in common law, the 
warrant or l^tters-patent which all persons 
exercising jurisdiction have to, empower 
them to hear or determine any cause or 
suit : as the commission of the judges, &c. 
Most of the great officers judicial and mi- 
nisterial of the realm are made also by com- 
mission; by meaiis of commission, oaths, 
cognizance of tines, answers in chancery, 
&c. are taken; witnesses examined, offices 
found, &c. 
Commission of bankruptcy is the com- 
mission that issues from the Lord Chancellor, 
on a person’s becoming a bankrupt within 
any of the statutes, directed to certain com- 
missioners appointed to examine into it, and 
