f 278 ] - [OGober 3, 
- . MONTHLY COMMERCIAL REPORT. © 
ys the year 1665, Sir W. Petty ftated the fhipping of England at 500,000 tons, worth 61. a fom, 
* or, in all 3,000,000). fterling. About.the year 1750, the merchant-fhipping belonging to the 
fingle port of London, amounted to 600,000 tons: and this, though above one-third, could be 
fearce fo much as one-half of the total fhipping belonging to thefe kingdoms. But in the 
MontTuHLiy Sureverng List—a publication which throws much new light on the ftate of the 
maritime commerce of the Britifh empire—we have data upon which we can fafely eftimate the 
whole tonnage of the fhips of all forts, in all conditions, and in all modes of employment, which 
now belon: to Britifh fubjeéts, at not lefs than 4,000,000 of tons, worth at leaft 40,000,000ls 
of our prefent money ; and-yielding to the owners, a return of 10 per cent, per annum, befide 
affording fubfiftence and wages to the feamen by whom the veffels are navigated. ‘The fame Lit 
appears to indicate, that moft of the fhips now in the Britifh trade are not old, crazy veffels, but 
of the firft clafs, and built within the laft twenty or rather within the la ten or twelve years $- 
a proof, if fuch were necefiary, that the commercial navigation of Britain, was never more flou- 
tithing than at prefent. A nation, not miftrefs of the fea, would neceflarily lofe her com- 
mercial navigation in the midft of fuch a war. But, we engrofs more of the carrying-trade of 
Europe at this than at any former time. 
The fubjeét of the East Invra Sutretye fill engages much difcuffion. It is of even | 
greater importance than thofe whofe thoughts it chiefly occupies feem to be well aware. The 
plan of the Court of Directors, ifit could be made permanently effeCtive, is the moft confiften¢ 
that could be propoied with the interefts of the company, and even of Great Britain at large. 
But it cannot be made permanently effective to the defirable extent. Should it be perfilted 
in, the carrying trade between Europe and India, will be, in time, entirely transferred to other 
Nations, . 
- The danger in which we not many months fince found ourfelves, of being deprived of the ufuat 
fupplies of iron and other metals from the Baltic, has fuggefted to the land-holders in many parts 
of thefe kingdoms, the neceflity of A Mrnerax Survey of their refpective eftates ; and if 
pofiible, by a common national undertaking, of the whole Britifh ifles. It is believed, that fuch 
a furvey will render us much more independent of foreign countries than we now are, for the 
materials of the mott effential utility in the arts, on which our ftrength and profperity depend.— 
The greatnefs of that country ftands ona very infecure foundation which does not contain within 
itfelf che raw materials ofits {taple and moft neceffary arts. . 
Nothing can be of greater importance to the political and commercial greatnefs of any nation, 
than to have a large foreign trade in Booxs and Stationary goods. Unhappily, this 
branch of the trade of Great Britain is uttérly ruined by the enormous duties upon paper, &c. 
The diffufion of our langyage, literature, manners, and opinions, and of the partiality which 
thefe would every where excite in our favour as a nation, 1s hence entirely checked. New ad- 
vantages towards univerlality are conferged by iton the languages of France and Germany. The 
Americans are reduced to print our books for themfelves, A branch of trade of infinite importance 
to this country is abfolutely lopped from the-trunk of Britifh commerce. 
On the Continent, Brit:th merchants and Britifth manufactures are ftill fuperior to almoft all 
competition in the markets. But it is believed that the late fales in Germany, &c. were at 
prices which would not repay the prime coft with any reafonable profit to the manufa€turers. So 
high, indeed, are the wages for labour in England, and fuch the diffolute luxury of the poor when 
they are not ftarving, that, if it were not for the frequency of thofe inventions which abbreviate 
Jabour, and perfect its manipulations, among us; we fhould haye been, long fince, utterly unable 
to ftand our ground in any foreign market, in which the fame fort of goods as we bring are 
offered to fale by other manutacturers. It is, therefore, of the utmofk importance, that patent-rights 
fhould be freely granted and carefully protected. Effects highly injurious to the manufacturing 
profperity of this country, may perhaps enfue from the flighting manner in which patent-rights 
have been trom bigh authority {poken of, in fome late trials in the courts of law. 
fron-rail-ways are found an improvement in the higheft degree advantageous incanals. They 
begin to be preterred continually more and more, wherever there are fteep decliyities to be 
furmounted in the line of a canal, By extenfion of canals, it appears that the number of cart 
and waggor horfes to be fuftained, begins, in proportion to the quantity of goods now transferred 
from place to place, to be fenfibly diminifhed. y 
The Cottcns of the Wei India Ifles have recently fallen in price, in the London market, There 
has been a rife, however, in the prices of the cottons of Greece, Georgia, and the late Dutch 
Settlements in South America. 
Sugary do not juft now fall in price; though, we fhould expett, that the abundance of the pre- 
fent harveft, and the advantages with which its produce has been gathered in, might tend to 
lower the price of both melaffes and coarfe fugars, by affording grain to be put to fome of the 
ufes in which thofe matters were fubftituted for it. 
Grain does not yet fall in price, in proportion to the expetations of the country. The price of 
wheat and barley rofe laft week in the London markets. 
Baltic goods have not had lately any very confiderable fluétuation in price. 
Spiritucus liquors are rifing in price ; though, about 7000 gallons of brandy were, laft week, 
imported from Hamburgh, Guernfey, and France, Very large quantities of coffee, cotton, and- 
wine, were alfo entered, lait week, 
The 
