1796. 
dire€tion of a committee of fix perfons, 
with equal powers. De Praet has the 
care of the printed books. LaNneLEs 
the eaftern manufcripts. DUrHEIL, 
the Greek and Latin manuicripts. Ls 
GRAND vb’ Avssy, the manufcripts in 
modern languages. BARTHELEMY, the 
medals and antiques; and Jory, the 
copper-plates. 
From the decree of the legiflative 
body, and the preparations in confe- 
Guence of it, the French begin to flatter 
themfelyes, that they thall toon make a 
confiderable progrefs in the eaftern lan- 
guages. According to this decree, a 
PUBLIC SCHOOL is to be erected in the 
national library, for the learning of the 
EASTERN LANGUAGES, particularly of 
thofe which may be ufeful in political or 
commercial f{peculations. ‘This ichool is 
to have the following mafters: one for 
the ancient and modern Arabic; one for 
the Turkith and Tartarian ; and another 
for Perfian and Malayan. The teachers 
are to inftruét their {cholars, not only 
in the languages, but in the political and 
commercial relations of the. nations 
{peaking thofe languages, to the French. 
‘Their infiruétions muit be given in the 
French language, and be open to the in- 
quiries of the committee for public in- 
ftruétion, to which are committed the 
erecting and fuperintendence of this 
{chool. 
—_——— EEE 
Ow THE Lonpon Docks, 
Lothe Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
Your profefied defign being to make 
your Mifcellany a repertory of ufeful 
articles, as well as a work of entertain- 
ment, I fatter myfelf that the following 
obfervations will be confidered as coming, 
within the exact compafs of your plan, 
and that they will, therefore, obtain a 
place in your next Number. 
Whatever concerns the commerce of 
this country, deferves a very careful at- 
tention; and every project tor relieving 
commerce from any of its embarraflments, 
or for giving it a new {cope for exercife, 
fhould be regarded by an Englifhman 
with an eye juperior to all private con- 
“fiderations. 
It will readily be admitted, I believe, 
on all hands, that the obftacles which 
have impeded the commercial interefts 
of this kingdom, have been neither few 
ig number, nor trifling in their magni- 
tude. And yet we have feen a great 
MonrTuly Mac. No II. 
Laftern Languages~—Londan Docks. 
I2t 
progreffive increafe in our trade under 
all its difficulties; nor, perhaps, was it 
ever in fuch a fate of vigor as at the 
prefent moment, when fo many formi-~ 
dable circumftances are combined againft 
it. To account for this, we can refort 
to nothing elfe but the favourable fitua- 
tion of Britain, and to the manly {pirit 
and perfevering induftry of her inhabi- 
tants. 
Still it is a duty on all who are friends 
to their country, let their purfuits in 
life be what they may, to aid the inte- 
refts of coramerce, which are, in fad, 
the! prime pillars’ of “the “tase.” Whe 
country will rife or fall’ with them. 
Partial diftin@tions or advantages there- 
fore muft, in common’ juftice, fink be- 
neath the weight of their influence ot 
importance. 
Feeling in this manner, I fhall requeft 
the liberty, Mr. Editor, of occafionally 
noticing, through the channel of your 
very promifing Publication, fome of thofe 
improvements which are yet neceflary 
to render the trade and navigation of 
Britain, perfect and complete. 
At prefent, I fhall take advantage of 
the topic of the moment, and offer a few 
remarks on the plan foc forming wet 
docks at Wapping. 
Every perfon who knows any thing 
of thipping, muft be fenfible, that the 
therchant has been long a heavy fufferer 
from the very bad accommodations af> 
forded to his property, on the river 
Thames; at the fame time, for thefe aes 
commodations, bad as they are, he is 
under the necefiicy of paying more ex- 
5 < i } , Pua Aly 4 > 
travagantly, than im any port throughout 
the three kingdoms. Worfe quays are 
not to be found any where than thofe of 
London. They are not only narrow 
and ill-contrived, but they have not 
‘ A 
range enough along the fhore for a tenth 
part of the trade that requires them. 
This does, indeed, give einploy..to a 
number of river craft, the proprietors of 
which, no doubt, find it to their intereff 
to preferve thre evil in its prefent Mate. — 
And when the merchants’ property 1s 
landed, another defcription of perions 
find their intereft in the evil that we de- 
precate. The calculation of the pillags 
on the quays, efpecially of the Weft- 
India produce, ficikes even thofe wita 
aftonifhment who are the moft acquaint 
ed with the extent of our imports. The 
package of the fugars is, indeed, fuch 
as to lay that commodity more open to 
pilfer than moft others. 
I fhall add to thefe primary grievances, 
es the 
4 
! 
