278 
fum, was comparatively great, as the cuf- 
toms of the out-ports were only 17,00el. 
from whence it would appear that London 
enjoyed nearly feven-eighths of the trade 
of all England. But to form any eftimate 
of the extent of the trade at that period 
from the produce of the cuftoms, great al- 
lowance muft be made for the degrada- 
tion of the value of money, and the many 
additions that have been made to the du- 
ties that were then levied, befides impof- 
img duties on many articles of commerce, 
which at that time were exempt. The 
trade of London at the period abovemen- 
tioned, was confined to about two hundred 
perfons, and of courfe fubjeét to all the 
evils that arife from combinations; this 
circumftance rendered it impoffible for the 
merchants of other parts of the country to 
engage in a fair competition with tnofe of 
London, and enriched a few individuals, 
while it produced a general decay of the 
commerce of the country, and other alarm- 
ing. evils, that rendered it neceflary for 
the legiflature to interfere, in order to check 
the dangerous monopoly. ‘The confe- 
quence of this imterference was the in- 
creafe of the trade of the out-ports, as it 
appears that in 1613, the cuftomsof London 
were 109,5721. and thofe of the out-ports 
38,502]. The natural advantages of Lon- 
don, arifing from fituation and other cir- 
cumftances, continued to maintain its fupe- 
riority in extent of commerce over the 
other parts of the kingdom; the increafe 
of population, which was probably in fome 
meafure the effet of its expanding com- 
merce, alfo contributed in return to draw 
more trade to the port, by an increafe of 
demand and confumption ; fo much, that in 
1700, the value of the imports of London 
was 4,735,538]. while thofe of all Eng- 
land were only 5,970,175]. the former 
being more than four-fifths of the latter. 
The increafe of the trade of London, as 
far as it can be eftimated from the imports 
and exports, will appear from the follow- 
ing fiatement : 
Imports. of London. 
DAG 7 a ime» Oe 155395, 284 
ES): tow ome Set 9B BSS 7 
BFOZS enh meee S51 46,47 
E784- = =~ —=  10;314,872 
L79Qh =e =e = 12,016,229 
179% = = 12,071,674 
Exports of London. 
BI SY OPS 8695969 
1756 + --—e  Ss  - 85,347,100 
RTOS Ss! Ya 9,389,575 
1784. ——- —- —— 8,260,278 
2790 == = = «82,944,192 ° 
1792 wee own ee 474255 06 
State of the Port of Londen. 
[May 
The year 1792, being the laft year of 
peace, 1s perhaps the moft proper.to efti- 
mate the prefent ftate of trade from. In 
that year the grofs produce of the cuf- 
toms of London was about 3,580,000. 
which, deduéting drawbacks and charges 
of management, amounting to 1,350,000). 
leaves 2,230,ocol. nett revenue, being 
more than half the nett produce of the cuf- 
toms for the whole ifland, which amount- 
ed to 4,039,9241. ‘The number of fhips 
in foreign trade, that cleared out from the 
port of London in that year, was ¥570, and 
the total number belonging to the port 
about 1860 veffels of 274,000 tons. Dur- 
ing the prefent war, the imports and ex- 
ports, fo far from being diminifhed, have 
apparently increafed confiderably, but the 
accommodations of the port remaining 
nearly the {ame as they were centuries ago, 
inevitably clogs its commerce with detri- — 
mental impediments and heavy expences. 
The crowded ftate of the river at all times, 
but particularly when fhips arrive in large 
fleets, caufes great delays, and expofes the 
cargoes to plunder, favours fmuggling, is 
injurious to many articles of commerce, and 
frequently renders goods liable to feizure, 
from the impoffibility of getting them land- 
ed within the time limited by law. The 
want of fufficient wharf-room for difcharg- 
ing cargoes without the intervention of 
lighters, fubjeéts the merchant toa heavy 
expence and additional rifk. The acci- 
dents and damages to fhipping, arifing 
from the prefent ftate of the river, are very 
great ; and the annual lofs from plunder 
and {muggling has been eftimated at from 
3 to 400,000l. per annum ; on which the 
lofs of duties to government is from 70 te 
100,000]. per annum; the lofs on Weft 
India produce alone is about 150,000l. per 
annum to the proprietors, and 50,0o00l. of 
revenue. Thefe facts, it is prefumed, ftrong- 
ly fhew the neceflity of tome immediate ~ 
fteps being taken for the better accommo- © 
dation of the trade of London; and what- 
ever plan may be adopted, it is to be hop- 
ed it will neither be formed on partial 
views, nor influenced by partial interefts ; 
but fuch as ‘ by giving convenience to 
commerce, fafety to fhipping, and fecurity 
to revenue, may preferve and extend to 
the port of London its natural advantages.” 

Io the Editor of the Mouthl: Magazine. 
SIR, March 22d, 1796. 
ERMIT an admirer of the plan of 
your new Magazine, to fend you 4- 
few ftriGtures on a work lately publithed, 
replete with, acutenefs of obfervation and 
: poignancy 
