254 HISTORY OF THE [book vi. 
commerce, let him be asked, what benefits did she derive 
from the trade of Martinique and St. Domingo ten years 
ago? Those which France enjoyed from her exclusive co¬ 
lonies are stated very clearly in the valuable Analysis of the 
French Commerce published about the time of the revolu¬ 
tion, by M. Arnould. It is there shewn that France im¬ 
ported from her colonies a value of about eight millions 
sterling, of which she exported about six millions, by that, 
and by that alone, turning the general balance of trade in 
her favour. After accounting for the rapid progress which 
the commerce of Europe has made in the eighteenth centu¬ 
ry, that intelligent writer concludes:—“ Toutes ces circon- 
“ stances, reunies ont produit la plus grande activite et une 
“ forte emulation dans le commerce des Europeens. Elies 
“ ont multiplie les consommations, et ce mouvement pro- 
“ ducteur a particulierement ete favorable a la France , 
“ devenue, vers le commencement du siecle, proprietaire 
“ d’objets nouveaux de consommation. Avec le secours 
“ des denrees de nos Isles d’Amerique, la France a fonde 
“ une marine coloniale importante, elle a fait ainsi valoir 
“ les marchandises navales du Nord, pendant que les capi- 
talistes, les armateurs, et les ndgocians Francois, en s’en- 
“ richissant par le commerce, comme les agens du gou- 
“ vernement, par la part qu’ils obtenoient dans la progres- 
“ sion des impots sur les consommations, se sont livres a tin 
“ luxe qui a augmente le debouche des produits du so-l et de 
“ 1’industrie des Con trees Meridionales de l’Europe.” 
Arnould, Balance de la Commerce, p. 268. 
