(° 98) [Feb. ty 
MONTHLY COMMERCIAL REPORT. 
fPHE news from the Weft-Indies, during laft month, have been of a nature to give the 
~ utmoit alarm to all who have concern in the trade to thofe ifles, or in the culture of plan- 
tations in them. St. Domingo is, almoft every where, a prey to the ravages of the infur- 
gent negroes. The culture of the other French ifles is extremely uncertain, by the diffical- 
ty with which order is maintained among them, and by the burthens unavoidably impoted 
on the, planters tor the fupport of that imilitary vigilance and controul which the exigen- 
-cies of the time demand. Even in the Britith Weit India ifles, alarm and terror necefiarily 
prevail to tuch a degree, as greatly to embarrals the general fy{tem of ifduftry. The iland 
\ ot Demerara was, to the intimite regret of its phabitants, reftored, on the iit of December 
jatt, to the power of the Batavian government. Oi all the ifles reftored to their former 
poileflors, in confequence of the Peace of Amiens, the trade has been dilturbed and im- 
paired, jince they ceafed to be under the power of the Britihh. The Anglo-Americans he- 
hold with alarm the ceifion of Louifiana to France, and the exclufion, at the fame time, 
of their fhips trading on the Muiliflippi trom the benefits ef a free port at New Orleans. 
Their intereits are, by thefe, placed much more than -ever beiore .in hoftility to thole cf 
the French and Spaniards. The acquifition of Louifiana by France cannot but tend to 
render clofer the alliance between Great Britain and the Anglo-American {tates. By the 
fpeech ot Mr. Prefident Jefferfon to the Congrefs, it appears, that Britain, by its abolition 
of the countervailing duties, has taken a ftep by which its commercial amity with America 
is likely to be confirmed. ‘he finances and the trade of the United States are now in a 
condition eminently fiourifhing. By all thefe events, it is probable, that the prices of 
Welt India goods m general may be rather enhanced than diminifhed, in the progreis of 
the {pring. 2 r =". 
The commercial navigation between Britain aud India has been greatly increafed in the 
prefent year. It is not only the fhippisg exprefsly employed by the Company, but {till more 
that of the private trade, which has'received this auginentation. — 
The navigation of the. Black Sea, through the Dardanelles, has been opened to the Bnitifh 
and the French. While the French were preparing to be the firft to enter it with purpofes 
of traflic, Lord Elgin, with fome Britifh merchants at Conftantinople, with happy activity, 
anticipated their purpofé :—and an Enelith veifel was the firft to attempt this modern ar- 
gotiautic expedition. a ue, 
The piratical States of Barbary {till harrafs the Anglo-American trade in the Mediterra- 
nean. 
The obftinacy with which the government of France refufes all commercial treaty with 
that of Britain, has had the effect to create bodies of fmugglers around all the French fron- 
tiers, whoie boldnet’s and artifices introduce Britith goods into France in a manner that is 
hurtful above all others, to the morals, the indultry, and the wealth of the French nation. 
Several Englith inventions in manufacture continue to be introduced into France, under 
the protection of patents. Among others of thefe is the wool-combing and carding ina- 
chinery of the Rev. Mr. Cartwright.. The French merchants of Bourdeaux, Lyons, and 
other great commercial cities, have lately taken great pains to elucidate, by particular invet- 
tigation into fatts, many of thofe great queftions which are the moft important to the inte- 
reits of commerce. ‘the French Funds have lately continued to rife. The Five per Cents. 
are at 57. 
’ A very forry trick has been played to the Batavian Republic, in regard to its funds; per- 
haps, however, not of intention; by perfons having an influence on the councils of France. . 
The Batavian government, with, as was underftood, the confent of France, determined to 
tund upon realonable terms a part of its debts known by the name of Confcriptions._ The 
meafare, though not popular, was found to be not incapable of being carried into effect. At 
the time when all the provitions for it had been made ; the French ambaflador Semonvilte 
prefented from his government a note of remonitrance againft it. ‘Ihe ftock was then low. 
On the very day on which the note was prefented, orders were received from Paris by cer- 
tain bankers in Am{terdam, directing them to make large purchafes of the confcriptions 
for perfons whofe names were concealed, but who were believed to have had an influence 
in cauting the note of remonftrance to be offered. Thole purchafes wére exceedingly ad- 
vantdgeous ; for the inarket-value of the cOnfcriptions has ever fince been rifing. A de- 
putation of fenators has been fent on a journey of infpeétion through the Belgic depart- 
ments of France, in order if poflible to difcover means to prevent the fmuggling of Englifh 
goods into the French territory, on that fide.. : el 
In Germany, trade is {till greatly retarded and embarraffed by the difficulty of adjufting 
the plan of indemnity to the Princes who had made ceffions of territory to France. : 
' By a late eonflagration in the Swedilh town of Gothenburgh, it is faid, that the Pheenix- 
Fire-Ofiice,”in London, fuffers a iofs of little lefs than 200,000]. fterling. The i ip 
r 
