1801. ] Monthly Commercial and Agricultural Reports. 475 
MONTHLY COMMERCIAL REPORT. 
N confequence of the long threatened invafion of Portugal having lately affumed a more 
ferious appearance, it has been thought expedient, by the importers of wine, that as 
much as poflible fhould be brought to this country at prefent; a meafure they could not con- 
veniently adopt without the concurrence of Government, on account of the very large tums 
the Duties would have amounted to, and of the ufe of which the importers muft have been 
deprived for a long time; permiflion has therefore been given to import and warehoufe 
Portugal Wines, on bond for payment of the duty, when taken out for confumption s 
every ftep towards the adoption of a more unfhackled fyftem of commerce tends to the 
public benefit, even when, as inthe prefent inftance, it arifes from temporary circumftances 5 
more liberal policy with refpeét to commercial revenue would infure an increafe of foreign 
trade, and confequently of the duties derived from it. 
The neutrality of the Elbe has been completely reftored, and full permiffion granted for 
.fhips of all nations to enter and return, in confequence of which our merchants are eagerly 
renewing their connections with the North of Germany, and the trade through this channel 
will probably foon recover its late extent. 
By the annual returns of the Magiftrates at the Pontefraét Seffions it appears, that in 
the Weft Riding of Yorkfhire, during the» lait year, 285,851 pieces, or 9,263,966 yards 
of troad-cioth, and 169,262 pieces, or 6,014,420 yards of narrow-cloth, were milled 5 
being an increafe of 457,273 yards of broad, and a decreafe of 362,357 yards of narrow cloths, 
within the year. 
The followingis faid to be an accurate general flatement of the quantity of Cotton imported 
into Great Britain, in the years 1799 and 1800. 
No. of Bags in 1799+ _ Amported inta No. of Bags in 1800. 
69,673 Liverpool 93,322 
38,916 * London i 80,123 
9,214 Lancaiter 95326 
8,925 Glatgow i 34,917 
5,210 Hull 9,615 
1,306 Briftol 2,428 
1335749 ae a 
it may be obferved that 209,731 bags (the importation of the laft year) averaged at 
200 nett Ib. each, contain 41,946,200 nett lbs. ‘The importation of 1799, averaged in the 
fame manner, amounts to 26,749,800 nett Ibs. and the increafe in 1800, viz. 75,982 bags, 
15,196,400 nett lbs. 
The importation from the United States of America, in 1799) was 17,815 bags ; and 
that of the laft year 29,346 bags ; the increafe from thence is therefore 11,531 bags. 
Thefe cottons are not all of them the growth of the United States of America, but ine 
clude cottons grown inthe Dutch, French and Spanifh iflands-and Settlements, and fome 
few from the Eaft Indies. The fineft, as well as the beft cottons, at prefent known, are 
grown in the Sea Iflands, which are fituated on the coaft of Georgia ; and are well known 
in Manchefter by the name of Sea Ifland Cottons. Their ftaple isabout one inch in length. 
They will {pin to four hundred hanks from one pound ; and thefe hanks make nearly two 
hundred miles in length! Common Weft India Cottons will feldom fpin finer than fitty 
hanks (or twenty-five miles) from one pound. 
At Blackburn, about the roth of May, the current prices of cotton twift and weft were, 
as-follow. Twift No. 20—3s. 8d. to 3s. gd. per lb. Weft No. i8—as. 3d. to 2s. 4d. 
Ditto No, 30—3s. 8d. to 3s. 9d, Ditto No. 4o——4s. 1d. to 4s, 3d. Z. 
The propofed duty on printed cottons and other printed goods has been relinguifhed, and an 
increafe of fome other taxes fubftituted. 
Some material alterations are in contemplation refpe&ting the duties on Salt, and there is 
reafon to hope that the public will be permitteda more freeand extenfive ufe of this neceflary 
article by aredution of its price. 
MONTHLY AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 
INCE our laft, the weather, on the whole, has continued favourable for the general bufie 
nefs of agriculture: the latter part of the month, from the frequent alternations of mild 
warm rains and fine funny weather, has been particularly fuited to the purpofes of vegeta- 
tion, confequentiy, moft of the grain-crops in almoft all the arable diftrits of the kingdom, 
lave confiderably recovered from the effects of the too great heat and drinefs which occur. 
red in the beginning. ‘The wheat crops, taken as a whole, we believe, never in any 
feafon 
