Benns: British West India Carrying-Trade 183 
add ten dollars to his annual income in consequence of the 
vaunted “opening of the ports”. On the other hand, Admin- 
istration editors pointed out that “every Administration, 
from Washington downwards had attempted to secure it”, 
and that with Jackson's proclamation immediately “every 
article produced by the farmer for sale commenced rising in 
price”.^^ 
Repulsed in this direction. Opposition editors rallied and 
delivered what was probably their strongest possible attack, 
viz., that the trade — whatever value it might have — had never 
actually been lost, but had been carried on since 1826 by means 
of the indirect and circuitous route. This route, they affirmed, 
bestowed upon American shipping much greater benefits than 
could be hoped for from the new “reciprocity” of Jackson.^^ 
In fact, great alarm was expressed lest by this new arrange- 
ment the British shipping would come to monopolize the trade 
between the United States and the British West Indies. It 
was explained that now the coveted triangular route — England 
to the United States, to the British West Indies, back to Eng- 
land-~which had been so disastrous to American shipping in- 
terests following the commercial convention of 1815, was 
once more open to British vessels.^^ “No doubt”, wrote one 
editor, “the British minister laughs in his sleeve at the cute- 
ness of our negotiator, and thinks Jacksonism and reform 
a glorious thing for England. A few more such bargains and 
we may lay our shipping upon dry dock.”^^ 
This view was certainly held by some papers within the 
British Empire. A New Brunswick paper, for example, be- 
lieved that Americans would find that they had gained little by 
the change, that English West Indiamen, on their triangular 
voyages, would enjoy a large proportion of the carrying trade, 
so that American coasting trade would lose more than the 
direct trade to the British West Indies would gain.®^ Another 
paper from the same district, looking back at the situation 
Boston Courier in Daily National Journal, Oct. 13, 1830. '' 
Richmond Enquirer, Oct. 26, 1830. New Hampshire Patriot, Nov. 22, 1830. New 
York Evening Post in Richmond Enquirer, Oct. 12, 1830. 
National Intelligencer, Oct. 6, 1830. Niles’ Register, XXXIX, 111. Baltimore 
Chronicle in National Intelligencer, Oct. 6, 1830. New Haven Register, in National 
Intelligencer, Oct. 13, 1830. 
New England Palladium, Oct. 8, 1830. Ne^v York Daily Advertiser, in Nexo York 
Evening Post, Oct. 5, 1830. 
^ Quoted from a Baltimore paper, in United States Telegraph, Oct. 12, 1830. 
St. Andrew's Herald, Oct. 26, 1830, in Portland Advertiser, Nov. 11, 1830. 
