( 372 ) [Nov. 3) 
MONTHLY COMMERCIAL REPORT. F 
“HE favourable clofe of the harveft throughout the Britith Iles has yielded, both for the 
* prefent moment, and in fair profpect tor the whole enfuing year, a comparative cheap- 
_ uefs and abundance of provifions, by which manufacturing and productive labour of all 
sorts, can be furnifhed m greater activity, and at lower wages, than in any former feafon 
for a good number of years backward. Hence, the rate of the wages has been, in molt 
employments, and in almoft every part of thefe kingdoms, reduced, without mnjury to the 
workmen. Where the wages have not been actually leffened, the matters have, however, 
obtained a choice of ikilful and diligent workmen; perhaps more ufeful than if the wages 
were much {mailer Thefe circumftances give an advantage to our commerce, m its very 
elements and foundations, than which nothing could be more favourable to its triumph 
abuintt all competition in foreion markets. To the confideration of thefe is to be added, 
that in proportion to the population, crimes are, jult now, fo rare, as to fhew, that the 
morality on which the advancement of induftry eflentially depends, never prevailed im Bri- 
tain more generally or more powerfully than at prelent. vee 
Hence, the manufactures of Great Britain are, almoft every where, in a ftate of extra- 
erdinary profperity and aétivity. The eftablifhments for {pinning; weaving, bleaching, 
printing, and dyeing cottons, are continually extended and multiplied. In every branch 
of the woollen manufacture, the fame effects take place. Simular is the improvement 
in all our manufactures of metals, and in all the works conne¢ted withthe bringing of 
the ores of our mines into ufe. Never were a greater number of new undertakings ior the 
bénefit of internal traffic attempted among us, than in the prefent year. Innumerable are 
the high-roads, the canals, the port-improvements, now in a progreis toward complete exe- 
cution. Building, a branch of trade and labour that remarkably indicates the {tate of the 
wealth of a country, and the hopes of its inhabitants in regard to futare protperity, is now 
particularly active m every confiderable town. The fhip-owners of moit of the other ports 
of Great britain, have publicly fignified their intention of co-operating with thofe or London, 
in order both to precure the repeal ot the tonnage-duty, and to watch againit any attempts 
an the part of foreigners to become interlopers in our carrying trade. ‘The late loties by - 
fre m Liverpool, and other parts of thefe kingdoms, have attra¢ted the particular conlide- 
ration of the archite¢ts refident at London; who have agreed, that it may be ealy,; by 
¢ertam methods in building, to prevent fuch loffes almolt entirely in future: and have 
propoted, that for this end a law thould be enacted, to oblige fuch methods to be in all 
fubfequent buildings unalterably obferved. The herring-fifhery has proved already to a great 
degree fuceclsiul on the north coalts of Scotland. And though, tor the prefent year, the 
Dutch thare our fuccefs in this branch of induftry more remarkably than during the war, 
yet it does not appear as if they were at all likelyito maintain any formidable competition 
with us.. Asa proof of the value of the falmon-fifheries on the*Scottih coalts, it may be 
mentioned, that the Duke of Gordon’s fifheries on the river Spey, which yielded by a leafe 
which has now expired, or nearly expired, 2,5001. {fterling annually, have been again let tor 
70001. a year, on a leate which is thought likely to yield fufficient profits to the tenant. On 
the coalt of Yorkthire, herrings have been very lately taken in prodigious abundance: and 
the fifhery in the Frith of Forth is now alfo commencing. The milchiefs begin to be repaired 
which Liverpool lately fuffered by fire: and 80,0001. have been fub{cribed tor the erection 
of a new range of warchoufes near the Exchange in that town. New abbreviations of the 
proceifes of manufa¢turing labour, at the fame time, continue to be made almott every 
month, at the great feats of manufacture. New facilities are continually given to all the 
intercourles of trade. 
Fn thote foreign markets to which Britifh goods are chiefly exparted, appearances are not, 
however, at this moment, fo uniformly encouraging as might be wifhed. - The lofies of the 
Britiih merchants by the confifcations of the late Emperor Paul, have been refunded in 
Ruflia; to the amount of 800,000 roubles. But the prefent Emperor is now uiing every 
fealible means to encourage that manufacture of fugar fromr the beet-noot, by which the 
northern nations hope to tree them#eives trom the neceflity of buymg fo much ‘of our Wett- 
India and Eait-India produce: In the ports of Denmark and Sweden, there have been fe- 
veral late arrivals of ihips with merchandize from both China and the Weft Indies. The 
number of veifels which entered the port ef Cronftadt, fince it was lait frozen up, 13 771; 
of which 60 were American veffels. The number of thips which have, fince the fame period, 
failed from that port, is 612.—The banks of Copenhagen: and Stockholm are now im the 
mott flourithing circumftances and the higheft credit. As a proof alfo of the profperity of 
Ruffia in its pecuniary concerns, we may mention, that a lom-bank erected ‘at St. Peter!- 
bargh by the Emprets Catherine, has-been lately abolithed,-folely' becaufe the loans had 
accomplifhed the beneficent purpofes for which they were granted, and had been almott 
entirely repaid to the government. 
In Germany, the late droughts have produced a temporary fearcity of feveral of the pri- 
mary articles of provifions. But thefe droughts have been every where fo favourable to 
the perfect ripening of the grapes, and to the whole labours of the vintage, that the wines 
of 
