ee a [July 2, 
MONTHLY COMMERCIAL REPORT.’ 
N the courfe of the Month of June, new changes have occurred in our commercial relao 
tions tothe Continent, by which the ftate of our trade to all the ports fubjeét tothe aue 
thority of the French Government muft be exceedingly affeéted. From the Elbe to the 
fouthern extremity of the French coaft, our merchant-fhips, our manufaétures, our colonial 
produce, are to find every harbour and emporium barred againftthem. Even neutral tra- 
ders are denied. permiffion to import Engiifh colonial produce into France. The Firft Conful 
has left but one expedient, and that fuch as he intends to operate but by chance, for the 
introduction of commodities of Englifh produce to fale in any part of the French territories. 
A fhip laden with Englith goods, that touches at a French port by chance, and from fome 
fudden change in the firft deftination of her voyage, may there difpofe of her Englith cargo, 
en.the condition of taking French manufaétures in return, to the full value of the commo- 
dities fhe has fold. This provifion, extorted from the Confular Government by the abfolute 
meceflity there is in France for Englith goods to anfwer the common conveniences of life, and 
by the murmurs of the French manufacturers and merchants under the difficulties to which 
they are reduced by the war, is likely to be abufed, by the artifices of the traders, and by 
_ the knavith vigilance or connivance of the cuftom-houfe officers, to efteéts extenfively mif- 
chievous to the trade of France. By means of this regulation, and others refpeéting the 
cartying-trade of neutral nations, moft of thofe commodities will probably be introduced 
Into France, with a great addition of expence to the confumers, which the Government fhews 
the moft earneft zeal to-exclude. It is little more than the mere fea-carriage of its own 
goods. tothe French ports of which the commercial jealoufy and hoftile rage of France can 
deprive the merchants of Great Britain and Ireland. 
Qur trade to Germany and the North is, in the mean time, by the port of Gothenburgh 
im Sweden ; a change by which the dominions of Denmark and Sweden will, for the prefent, 
be much enriched. The civilization of the countries on the Baltic, by commerce, is, in 
fa&t,, likely to be haftened and advanced by the envy and hoftility of the Rulers of France 
again the commercial and political profperity of Great Britain. It will bea curious thing 
to fee the people of France, Holland, and Germany,, repair to marts on the Baltic for fuch 
fupplies of Britifh goods, as Ruffia and the other Northern Kingdoms ufed to receive for . 
their inland parts from the German fairs of Frankfort and Leipfic. ’ 
Except in the carrying trade to France merely, in all its other channels our mercantile 
navigation will be greatly increafed by the war. Our fhips failing under convoy, and being 
at all times and in all places vigilantly fupplied with convoy, and obliged to fail under its 
eontroul, are, in elmoft all cafes, equally fecure at fea, asif it were in a time of profound 
peace. Inthe Greenland and Southern whale-fithery, we are likely to be delivered by the 
war from almoft all competition of the Dutch and French. Our trade to the Mediterra- 
mean, partly for the fupply of our own fleets and armies, in part for the fupply of the 
Turkith and Auftrian dominions with Britifh goods, which they would, in peace, have 
xeceived by. different channels of conveyance, will undoubtedly encreafe as the war pro- 
eeeds. It is eafy to perceive that, if no new wars fhall break out on the continent of India, 
the profperity of our Eait India trade may be advanced by the war. French and Dutch com- 
petition is prevented from rifing againft us, as in peace it unavoidably would, in that quarter 
ef the world. Thecompetition of the other weftern nations cannot, for the prefent, acquire 
advantages in that quarter of the world, fufficient to make it formidable to us. In the Weft 
Indies, ourtrade, and that of the Anglo-American States,. are likely to advance greatly 
during the war; at leaft, if the infular fettlement fhall not be ruined by new, more exten= 
five, and finally fuccefsful, infurreQions of the negroes. 
The plan to favour the trade of the out-ports, by permitting. goods imported to be depo- 
fited in the warehoufes at a certain number of thofe ports, without immediate payment of 
the duties, but under fufficient bonds for thofe duties, is likely, as it advancesinto complete 
eteé&, to enable the merchants to mcet, with lefs difficulty than they muft have otherwife 
experienced, the temporary difadvantages oppofed againft their export-trade to the con- 
thoent. i 
It appears that French lace, being fo little bulky, has been laft year {muggled into thi 
country in prodigious quantities. The total value of the lace imported laft year has been 
ftated at g4oo,cool. Of this the duty was paid on not more than 20,000] worth. Smug- 
glers can infure the deliverance of fuch lace at 10 percent. in time of peace, at 20 per 
Gent. in war. Government was, hence, induced, in the bill for the confolidatian of cer- 
tain of the cuftoms, to reduce the duty on the importation of lace to 30 per cent. in order 
that the fair trader might thus be enabled to meet the competition of the fraudulent fmug- 
glere y 
On 
