1800.] fj 199 J 
MONTHLY COMMERCIAL REPORT. 
E are forry to find that the commercial intercourfe between this country and France hag 
lately experienced a check which will caufe it to be confidered {till more precarious thaa 
it was. Though it had been revived under much reftriétion, and had not yet been carried to 
a very great extent, we are perfuaded it was attended with mutual benefit, and had it been 
continued and promoted, it muft at leaft’have inclined the inhabitants of the refpe@tive coun 
tries toa more friendly difpofition towards each other; two nations fituated as Great Britain 
and France are, cannot prohibit the intercourfe of trade without each participating in the 
lofs and inconvenience intended to be thrown on the other; thus, if France has occafion for 
Britifh Weft Indian goods, and cannot get them direct from hence, they will be obtained 
through the circuitous channel of fome neutral port, and confequently, though the people 
of France pay dearer for the article, the profit of the merchant here is lefs than it proba- 
bly would be if the goods were fent direét from this country; and if French brandy is ia 
demand here, it willbe procured in the like manner, with a great additional expence to the 
purchafer inthis country, anda lofs to the merchant in France. All fuch prohibitions in 
fact throw the chief profit on the articles into the hands of the merchants of other coun- 
tries, which might eafily be retained by permitting a direct commercial intercourfe, under 
proper limitations ; we can hardly expect, however, to fee any meafure of this kind regu- 
Jarly adopted, as it would tend to deftroy that blindand violent animofity which governments 
in hoftility are in general fo defirous to encourage. 
The proje& we mentioned fome time fince, of improving the port of London, by rebuild- 
ing the bridge with a large iron centre arch, and deepening the river from thence to Black- 
friars, has lately been revived, and may poflibly be attempted, This plan, if praéticable, 
which we are ftrongly inclined to doubt, would have been adopted with much more propriety 
three or four years ago, than at prefent, when fpacious wet docks are forming, capable of 
containing all the large fhips that frequent the river, which of courfe will be left fufficiently 
clear for navigation, and for the accommodation of coafters and ail other {mall veftels. i 
In our laft we noticed the fithing and coaft trade of the port of Berwick: the maaufatures 
of this town are not very extenfive, and confift chiefly of linen, fail-cloth, feveral woollen 
articles, gc. Inthe neighbouring village of Tweedmouth there is a manufactory of fhoes 
with wooden foles, of which in fome feafons upwards of 2000 pair have been fold. A pair 
for a man ccfts 4s. and for a woman 2s. 8d. The fole is an inch and a quarter, the heel an 
inch and a half thick, and the upper leathers are nailed with fmall broad-headed nails to the 
edges of the folee and heels; they are now made in all the confiderable towns in Northum- 
berland, Cumberland, and fome other counties, and fome few are manufactured in London. 
The following ftatement will give an idea of the foreign commerce of Berwick , 

Countries. No. of Ships. Tonnage. 
Denmark ——— 2 159 
Holland we ee A000 340 
Pruffia wns 6 —_— 960 
Ruffia —_———-- 5 Taian 640 
Sweden ey LO re 786 
Norway eas 13 ———— 1260 
40 41 
Raw fugars remain nearly at the prices given in.our lait; refined fugars had advanced a 
little, but at prefent are not higherthan about a month fince. 
Coffee of all kinds is lower, except Mocha, which from the fmall quantity in the market 
remains very high; fine coffee is from 154s. to 162s. Good, from 140s. to 153s. and mids 
dling, from 125s. to 1398. 
Currants are rather lower, as from the late importations there is nowa very confiderable 
quantity in the market; the prefent price is from 60s. to 63s. 
Pepper has advanced again; Jambee is from 1s. 3d, to 1s. 3§d. Billapatam from ts. 291. 
to Is. 3d. and white from rs. 43d. to ts. gd. 
Cotton wool has not experienced any material variation in price for fome weeks paft. 
The Eaft India Company have lately declared for fale the following goods, viz. 
Cinnamon, more or iefs, 300,000lbs, Cloves, 100,0colbs. Nutmegs, 13,000lbs. and 
diftilled oil of nutmegs, 94 quarts. Private trade; Nutmegs, 2¥,00a0lbs. Cloves, 30colbs, 
Neutral property ; Cloves, 46,0o0olbs. For fale the 24th of September; prompt 19th Decem- 
ber : they referve to themfelves the liberty of felling a quantity of mace, and a Further quane 
tity of nutmegs, not exceeding 200o}bs. if they fhall arrive in time for the September fale. 
Mocha coffee, more or lefs, 1650 bales, and Java coffee 24 bales ; for fale the 15th of Oc- 
tober, prompt the r6th of January next. 
Bengai damaged white and prohibited goods, and packing cotton; for fale the 16th of Oce 
tober, prompt the 16th of January next. ; 
Black pepper, more or lefs, 7000 bags, white pepper 250 bags, black pepper in private 
trade, privilege, &c. 700 bags; for fale the 21ft of October; prompt the 23d of January next. 
They will fell no more pepper until March fale 1801, except fuch as may be damaged, un-- 
Gleared, in privilege, private trade or neutral property. 
MONTHLY 

