The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1783-08-30 00:00:00, page 2

From the London PUBLICADVERTISER,
dated June 16, 1783.
Upon the AMERICAN COMMERCE, and
COMMERCE in General.
(continued from our last.)
8. „ UT T would next suggest that we have particu-
I) inr reason o frar the loss of our American cuftom
er^, in case we should alienate their esteem, now that
rivals are let into the trade; for although foreigners
Lac' not as yet a apted themselves to this market, or
changed any of the half's of it, yet they have now free
admhffion to it, thev may eafi'y fucce d in such at
tempts; tfprcidly, if the magnitude of the object in
quedion, fhoul I prompt them to reform particular de
fers in their own manners and laws, relative to corn
mere*.
9. But to check flill more diredly our zeal in favour
of the navigation aft upon this occasion; 1 shall next
r mark that mete (hipping cannot prove the only flip
port of England against her enemies : For, firfl, it is
not (hipping we are to much in want of as seamen; and
the Americans, if left to themselves, would rival us
inl earticleof Dipping, rather than of feam.n: besides
which, wealth s to be held as a principal nerve of war,
as well as teamen; and alliance also is another defira-
I :e affflnce : and, in d fault of alliance, a confident
ti I neutrality. But our avoiding the necessity of war
is a IF 1 more Orutary expedient for the public fafet y
lan it the milittry ai s put together; to produce
whict tolling can be more opposite than rendering
America fufp^ious of, and unacquainted with us, and
in the f m # - proportion connected with our enemies.
R7y olvn conjrOure is, that America will very little
advice in her pfefent attention to maritime affairs:
, but i' v^ are really Lar'ul of their prbgrefs in them,
the true mi od to weaken fl'ieir naval force is to (hew
them that they can derive no benefit from maintaining
i • for if, by our unreserved condud, we prove that
wearr not afraid of them, they will from that moment
cease to be afraid of us ; and it would soon become ob
vi>us to them that they had then nothing farther to do
with European wars, .and co frequently nothing to do
with budding of dock, and of fllips of force. By our
using therefore the charm of confidence we may (footer
perhaps than we should afterwards approve,of) dis
suade Am rica from putting herfelf to any ufeleis ex
pense in sea armaments.
to. As a last preliminary remark, and which will
lead to the general propofitjons, I would with to main
tain, let me mention, that the Northern American co
lonies, yet remaining to us, are unable to fill up the
place of thole that we have loft, especially refpeQing
the Wefl-lndies; the whole of them being defective in
point of climate, and moR of them in point of foil.
Canada, in particular, being deprived for one half
the year of a W ft-India navigation by a frozen river,
and for near another quarter of the year by the hufri
cane season prevailing in the tropics; we must never
think of the Weft-Indies being served with gradual
supplies of nec ffaries by a people who can make only
two annual voyages to them, and those chiefly in three
fucceedmg moot s ; and who, if the seasons even suited
them, cannot for ages to come have articles enough for
supplying their immense demand T And why should
we add to the burthens of the Weft-Indies, by pro
hibitory laws in favour of these remaining colonies;
when, in prop rtion to the care we took in prepoflerouf
ly foflering them, we Ihculd only accelerate perhaps
the period of their independence ; or plunge ourselves
(for a colony of foreign origin) into new Amer'can, as
well as European, wars? none of these colonies more-
I As was proved by the a^s prohibiting trade with
the revolted colonies before the war, and by the war
it^lf; during all which time the sugar colonies were
obliged to be supp led with lumber and provifiong at a
molt extr vagant premium from Europe, and the pro
riiclions of the loyal colonies at this crisis were in a
manner never heard of. Nor is this wonderful; for in
the course of three years, beginning from 1771, it appears
by parliamentary documents, that the United States
fur hfhea he iritifh Weft-Indies annually with 25
milii < ns of fret of lumber, when Nova-Scotia, Canada,
and N wfoundland furnifhed no more than 80 thousand
feet a^caMy; and the former colonies also furnifhed
500 times more (higgles, 400 times more ftaves, 1500
t;o - mor hoops, 2000 times more corn, 40 times more
oa.s, 40 times more fifn; and the latter colonies fur
n fared no horses, oven, or naval stores whatever, du
h^g this period. In a general way, therefore, we may
affirm, that the natural supply from the loyal colonies
used to be fufficient only for one day in the whole
year, while that of the United States was fufficient for
the whole year; and that if the loyal colonies had sent
all thry had raised to the islands, they would have
fuppbed them only for two or three weeks in the year,
while the United States are equal to the complete
supply, not only of our own islands, but of every
Wed-India island to whatever nation belonging.—
Whether those who maintain the fu fficiency of the loy
al colonies for furnifhing the Weft-Indies with supplies,
ar? informed of the above falls, I shall not pretend to
enquire: they ought to be informed, and to communi
cate that information where none has yet been com
municated.—l can only add, that the Weft-Indies will
vie (mugging, in order to remedy the injustice of such
reguiltions, which will consequently leave a great deal
of the competition with Canada fubfifling, and tend to
occasion umbrage and wars with the United States,
where there ought to prevail nothing but confidence
and alliance. As to the Americans filling the British
Weft-indies with foreign articles, I can only fay, that
this is very unlikely from their being few rich peo
ple resident in the British islands, and from those who
are there being by the circumflances of the country
unambitious of luxurious dminftions; and as to other
articles, British manufactures may on the whole be
conr, led in against all the world, and by means of the
free admission of the Americans into our islands, might
even find their way out to markets in the other islands.
Any final difficulties therefore made against freedom
in this part of the trade will be found unpardonable.
over were fettled in faith of such an indulgence, but
rather in full expectation of the proposed competition
with the other colonies subsisting io full force. If we
with however to bring forward these particular colonies,
or to assist those unhappy refugees who will seek a shel
ter in them frhm such of their brethren as prove final
ly relentless ; Rill the true system of jußice would be
not to tax a part of the empire by a prohibition on this
occasion, but totax the whole of the empire by a
bounty ||.
But the mirtake df all those monopolizing fyflems
will I hope moreobvioufly appear from considering that
freedom is the best general principle of a I commerce;
whether American commerce, or commercial large.—
In private life, I presume, that no chieftain could be
supposed to benefit his tenants, by conditioning that
they should only buy from each other ; because, if any
sale among them was made reluctantly it would prove
that the feller in it had loft something ; and if any pur
chafe was made reluctantly, it would prove that the
buyer in it had loft something; and in those transac
tions alone that were free and natural could both sides
be said to be gainers and contented. If the chieftain
flopped the exportation of horses, the Cables of bis ten
ants might indeed be kept up cheaper ; but the farms
that raised thof-hor fes would quickly be made the poor
er ; and as the purchafcr of the horse has the fame vi
olence exercised over the sale of his own corn, he is'no
gainer by it on the whole ; but, on the contrary, the
whole mass of tenants by such a system omit the pri
vilege of bringing back more things into the society
than they lent out of it. Conquest out of thequeftion,
no nation can be expelled to poffrfs more enjoyments
in it than what its original native flock of them implies,
unless it can exchange feme of those articles to advan
tage. The public object therefore ought to be not to
oppose foreign commerce, but rather to multiply and
to encourage such things, as will bear to be exchanged
by it. What a Rate exports, is by no means a loss to
it, if it imports a proper return (which its fubjeCts
will never fail to take care of doing) and when every
Bate thus encourages its forte, and avoids its foible,
and fuffers their neighbours to do the fame, human
enjoyments will be multiplied, human labour cease to
be wafted, and every ufeful natural produ& or ta
lent be brought to account. The only clog upon the
intercourse is the expence of carriage; but as the libe
rality of such systems always improves the society
where they are found, the loss fuflained in this way is
infinitely over-fa anced by the gains ; and an additi
onal saving is produced of all the labour which is
thrown away by those revenue eftablifhm-nts which are
kept up in order to obfiruC tthis happy intercourse.
• As instances of the improvident avarice of particu
lar modern slates in matters of a commercial kind, I
cannot but observe that such Rates appear seldom to
think of more than one ciafs of their fubjefts at a time,
and generally of the wrong class; for in prohibiting an
export, they think only of the buyers at Home, where
as they ougnt then to rink of the fellers there ; and
in prohibiting an import, they think only of the fellers
at home, and forget altogether the buyers; the very
reverie of which ought 10 happen, because when the
private sagacity of rhe fubjeft has taught him that he
can make a gain in'any sale, or a saving in any purchase,
the Rate ought in general to facilitate his operations,
which in large concerns would produce an immense ba
lance to the country. —Nor is this the only infiance in
wh ch modern Rates debate upon commercial questions
chiefly by halves; for when they have prohibited particu
lar articles on their own fide, they have always omitted
to recoiled that the injured Rate would immediately
prohibit equivalent articlesof theirs on the other fide.
And, of this species of oversight, the 'prefect moment
exhibits a most signal example: for when the language
Of many has been, that we were giving away theprivi
leges of England to America, it was absolutely forgot
ten, that America, had equal if not greater privileges
(prefect or future) to give to us io return ; and when
we were requeued to prohibit the introduction of Ame
rican mantradure# here (though in fad the Ameri
cans have comparatively no manufactures) it was abso
lutely forgotten that English manufactures in return,
might reciprocally be prohibited in America.
The principles I here adopt, I am fenffbl^ may be called
novel ; but besides that many able writers and Rar-fmen
have lately agreed to the truth of them, I incline to think
that the contrary principles are much the more novel
of the two, as 1 fee little traces of the latter in the writ
ings or proceedings of ancient times. Even in modern
ages, the United Provinces, which are about as large
and very little more fertile than Wales, by a, liberal
system of commerce had attained to a power fufficient to
struggle very nobly, not only against Wales, but our
other three kingdomsin conjunction; and the thirteen
American Rates are about to purue the fame commer
cial system, with no small appearance of advantage —
The success of our own country in commerce and
wealth, which I acknowledge has been considerable,
has not been by means of its more illiberal commercial
principles, bu, in spite of them. Were naval defence
out of the question, even our boa fled navigation aft
would be in a great degree impolitic; because, if it has
any effect at all, its effect is fruitlefs to tax sea car
riageat the expence of the consumer. As to a bounty
or a prohibition, it may be very well to favor an infant
article or an infant colony, by this means, provided it
can in the end be made to succeed; but when we
find the Tripling to be a worthless one, instead of sup
porting it through a helpless manhood, we ought rather
to regret the expence wafted upon its schooling ; and,
if we carried on the pursuit of it any further, it would
be lowing gold that we might reap River.—lt is not
||A bounty, being an obvious charge on the public
purse, would perhaps be less likely to be continued un
necessarily, than a prohibition; besides that it would
be a national expence fixed only on a part of the sup
plies required, while the other method would be a colo
ny-payment on the whole of them; and a bounty also
would leave room for a certainty of the supplies not be
ing defective, and create an emulation on the part of the
loyal colonies, without occasioning material umbrage
to those colonies which bad revolted^
BOST O N, Augurt 11.
The following Articles are extracted from the English
prints to theist of July, brought by the Count de
Graffe, captain Johnfou, who arrived at Newbury
sass Tuesday in 28 days from London, viz.
AMSTERDA M, June 9.
SOME letters from Paris mention t e arrival, in Ca
diz bay, of a French ship called the Well-beloved
Julia, with advices from the Eatt-Indies. She came
from tle isle of Bourbon, and made the passage from
the Cape in 74 days. The accounts received by her
are, that M. de Suffrein has taken 50 transports from
the English; and that three ships of the fame nation
have perished, and one French, doubtless by a tempest-
LONDO N, June 16.
The foreign prints seem to mention a Turkish war
as a matter not to be avoided, and some of them have
affirmed that hoflilities are already commenced. The
Irene of murder is no sooner elofed in one quarter of
the world, than the sword of deftruCtion is unsheathed
in another.
The commercial treaty between this country and
America is not likely to be ratified for some consider
able time. Had proper care been taken to have had
outlines of the great plan acceded to before prelimina
ries were signed, this Work would have been long since
finifhed; hut there was a supineness and negled evident
in the negociation from the beginning to the close of
our pacific tranfaaions; and it is probable that roe
loose manner in which matters were concluded, will oc
casion differences and disputes with more powers than
one.
A letter from E'fineur brings advice that three Ame
rican ships are arrived there, two from Boston, and one
from Salem, laden with the produce of that country;
these make four ships which have arrived from those
parts at that port since their independency has been
acknowledged.
June 21. The definitive treaty between the courts
of London and Versailles is not yet signed by either of
the contfaaing parties, owing to the following singular
circumflance:—Mr. Swinburne, who possessed consi
derable property in St. Kitts, sustained great losses
during the siege of Brimßone hill ; his lady, a woman
of the firft talents and address, went in confequrnce
thereof to Naples, and solicited the queen of that king
dom, by whom she was always very graciously re
ceived, to ioterpofe her good offices with the c urt of
France, in order to procure some compensation for
Mr. Swinburne's heavy losses. The Queen of France
was Immediately applied to, and Mr. Swinburne, in
consequence thereof, obtained " a grant of all the
unceded and uncultivated lands in the iflandof St. Vin
cent, to be enjoyed by himfelf and his heirs forever."
This circurnftance coming out after the signing of the
preliminary treaty, the British ministers do not think:
themselves bound to accede to the grant, on reposses
sing the island ; the cabinet of Versailles, on the other
hand, insist upon the fulleft ratification thereof; and
there the matter rests for the present.
It is said that the Spaniards have fitted out a fleet
of 80 fail, and are aOually gone against Algiers.
The tonnage of shipping taken during the course of
the war from France, Spain, Holland, and America, is
rated at upwards of 2,70,000 tons; which are distin
guished as follows :
American - - . , 57,000
France - - . _ 113,000
Spain - - - - _ 76,000
Holland ^ - - • „ 24,000
270,000
June 24. Yeßerday morning some dispatches were
made up and sent expref to Plymouth, in order to be
put on board a faft failing ship, to carry them over to
fir Guy Carleton, at New-York.
Advices from Peterfburgh fay, that no one is per
mitted to talk of the operations of the cabinet, of the
marching of the troops, or any of the affairs of go
vermnent, so that we do not know very well what is
going on there, but it is said the Ruffians and Turks
are now so near one another, that hoflilities must be
gin soon.
Advices received from Breflew bring intelligence of
a messenger having arrived from Warsaw, with an ac
count of war being actually declared by Russia against
the Porte.
June 27. The commerceof Ireland to America will
be in coar'e woollens, blankets, frizes, &c. from the
western parts of the kingdom, which no doubt in time
must make cloth their staple commodity instead of li
nen.
July i. The following is an accurate account of
the ships of the line and frigates, taken, loft, or de
flroyed by the different powers mentioned underneath,
during the course of the war.
Loss of the French.
Ship, of the line taken by the English 13)
Ditto loft - . ,3) 26
Loss of the Spaniards.
Taken by the English . . 7 )
Toft - . _ 5) 12
Loss of the Dutch.
Taken by the English - -3)
Lofl,&c. . . 4) 7
Loss of the Coogrefs.
Loft - . . . x,
Total loft of the enemy. 46
Loss of the English.
Taken by the French, one 64 and two go's 9)
Loft . . . $ ^
The enemy loft - - -
The English .... z .
therefore by such impolitic reng as these that England
has prospered: It has prospered by its security of
laws, its liberties, its religion, and its glorious daring
spirit; it has prospered by its maritime position in the
center of commerce, and in a mild climate; and it has
prospered by its having had so many connections in the
four quarters of the earth, as in effeft to have enjoyed
a free trade within a little world of its own.