The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1783-06-04 00:00:00, page 1

NEW-JERSEY GAZETTE.
To , Esq. one of the members of the Hon.
the Legislature of the State of New-Jersey, for
the county of .
S I R,
IN a conversation I had with you yesterday con
cerning the benefits of foreign trade to the
Rate of New-Jersey, you seemed pleated with
what I then advanced, but acknowledged you
was but little informed on that fubjett, and you be
lieved it was also the case with many members of
your house ; that however well difpofcd to promote
the good of the Rate, yet their minds had been more
turned to country affairs than matters of that kind :
And you was pleased to request me to give you my
thoughts in writing, that you might confider them
at leisure ; and, if need be, to communicate them to
others of the house in your situation. I heartily
with it were in my power to do justice to the fub
jed, and to convince you, as much as I am myfelf,
of the necessity we are under of encouraging trade ;
and how much it is now in our power elfedually
to secure it.
The advantages of commerce are now generally
allowed, we having many glaring proofs before
our eyes. What else makes to small a country as
Holland, with so many local disadvantages, so con
siderable a people? What else has enriched the Re
publicks of Venice, Genoa, Hamburgh and Dant
zick? France possesses no mines of gold or silver,
but her manufactures and commerce have made her
the greatest kingdom in Europe: And the power
and wealth of Britain have aftonilhed ail the world,
the basis of which is her commerce. But to leave
foreign instances, has not the greatness and opu
lence of Boston, Philadelphia and New-York, been
solely owing to their great trade? And it is well
known, that above one-third part of all publicly taxes
raised in the date of New-York, were always punc
tually paid by the city, owing to the great ettates of
the merchants there, tho' the hate itfelf is very large,
possesses many valuable products, and is inhabited
by many rich gentlemen, and very wealthy farmers.
Nor must we forget New-Port, which, though the
cipitai of a very small territory, by its executive
trade, has made itfelf truly considerable.
If such be the advantages of commerce, let us
contrast the object : And here Spain firft occurs to
us, which, with every advantage of climate and foil,
and the wealth of all the Indies poured into her
lap, is hill but a second-rate nation, from their want
of manufactures and trade. Portugal, tho' a smaller
object, is exactly in the fame predicament ; and so
of the rest of the powers of Europe; their wealth
or poverty is in proportion to their trade. Let us
cast our eyes on this continent, and we shall find
that the fame causes produce the fame effeCts. Con
necticut is a fertile country, and abounds with many
valuable articles of commerce ; yet, as their foreign
export is small, and their trade is mostly carried on
to Boston and New York, to these cities they are
greatly indebted : If they issue bills of credit, tho'
they bear interest, their circulation goes heavily ;
their farms are often fold by the New- York mer
chants, arid before the war there was no man of
considerable property in the whole state. The cir
cumstances of New-Jersey were much similar: Our
trade was carried on by New-York and Philadelphia ;
to these cities we owed amazing sums, nor could
borrowers be supplied within the state; and we all
know the expence and inconvenience of owing mo
ney at such a distance: Our merchants were also
obliged to go to these towns to supply themselves
with goods; and their expences, carriage and loss
of time, laid a charge on their wares of at lead five
per cent. By this means none of our dealers grew
considerable among us, and were unable to under
take foreign adventures. Instead of having a large
town among us of general export and import, and
markets for all our produce, we were obliged either
to cross the water with them at great charge, to fell
at low rates, and often entirely to lose the sale, Spe
cially for fmal larticles raised on a farm ; but the ne
cessity of keeping money among us is now more es
sential than formerly, for our great and necessary
taxes ought, in equity to our creditors, to be punc
tually paid; yet, if matters go on as usual, how is
it possible for us to find money ? How many of us
remember, that in the year 1764, tho' at that period
we had province bills in circulation to the amount
of near £. 300,000 ; yet being called upon for an aid
against the Indians, we were obliged to issue a fur
ther considerable sum, not to be funk finally before
the year 1783 , and tho' our taxes did not exceed
£. 15,000 per annum, yet in many places it was
difficult to colled it, and few were able to lend
£, 100 to a neighbour, while at New-York scarce
[Vol. Vl.]
WEDNESDAY, June 4, 1783.
any money but that of New-Jersey was current. —
Some merchants there had £. 10,000 by them to
put out, befidcs having £. 50,000 or upwards on
bond, and fufficient flock in trade.
The states of Maryland and Virginia have many
advantages in foil, and situation for trade; and be
sides many smaller branches of produce, their staple
of tobacco alone is in value above a million and a
half of our money yearly. It might be thought that
money would be a drug in such countries ; yet the
reverse is the case. The trade is almost entirely car
ried on from Europe and by strangers. Money is
actually scarce there ; most of the planters are much
in debt, and many New-York or Philadelphia mer
chants can command more money than the richest
of them.
I might give more instances on this fubjeft, but
supposing it already fufficiently clear, I shall not
enlarge, but endeavour, in my next, to point out
what seems to me the most likely means of obtain
ing, at this critical juncture, this deferable end.
I aw,
Your humble servant,
MERCATO R.
L O N D O N.
March 13. Many people are unable to form an
adequate idea of the extent of the diftrids ceded in
America, because the geography of that immense
country is not well known. It will not be amiss
therefore to compare the diftrids ceded with coun
tries with which we are more acquainted. The fol
lowing measurements are made with accuracy :
The river Ohio is navigable from Fort Pitt to its
mouth, which is a length of 1164 miles.
The lands on the banks of the Ohio, and between
the Alleghany Mountains, the lakes Ontario and
Erie, and the Illinois and Miffifippi rivers; contain
233,200 square miles, which is nearly equal to Great-
Britain and France, whose contents are only 235,237
square miles.
The lands between the Illinois, lakes Huron and
Superior, and the Miffifippi, at the falls of St. An
thony, contain 129,330 square miles, nearly equal
to Great-Britain and Ireland, which contain only
131,800 fquareoniles.
The lands from St. Anthony's falls to the south
line from the Lake of the Woods, to the head of the
Miffifippi, contain 59,000 square miles, which is more
than Holland, Flanders, and Ireland, which contain
only 57,908 square miles.
East Florida alone contains 35,000 square miles,
and is nearly as large as Ireland, which contains only
35,400 square miles.
The United States of America contain 207,050
square miles, nearly as large as all Germany, Flan
ders, Holland, and Switzerland, which contain
270,483 square miles.
The national bank in Ireland commences business
on the firft day of July next. A chamber of com
merce is also about to be eftablilhed in that king
dom.
March 15. Yesterday Colonel Onflow gave notice
in the House of Commons, that he would, on a fu
ture day, make a motion for a humble address to
his Majesty, to entreat, that he would be graci
ously pleased to give directions, that the fortrefs of
Gibraltar be given up for an adequate compensation.
By the late general returns of musters from New-
York, the number of men killed in the British fer
wce amounts to 43,033, exclusive of officers.
Dr. Franklin daily increases in favour with the
Court of France; the queen lately presented him
with a gold fnuff-box, the intrinfick value of which
is said to be upwards of 10001. sterling.
Lord Howe set off for Portsmouth last Friday
morning, in consequence of an express received from
Sir Thomas Pye, giving an account of frefh irregu
larities having prevailed among the seamen. The
crews of many of the ships had, it seems, paraded
about the streets, with ' bludgeons, in a most terri
ble manner, to the great dread of the inhabitants,
who were under the necessity of continuing con
fined to their houses, to avoid danger.
The printer received the following letter by yester
day's post, dated Portsmouth, March 19, 1'783.
'' The tumults of this place are now at such a
height amongst the seamen, that alarms every body
here. They will do no duty for their officers, nor
will any of them go to sea in the men of war. Sir
Thomas has just now been under the necessity of
fending the Expedition cutter to the Weft-Indies,
with orders for Admiral Pigot.—God knows where
these riotings will end."
March 21. There is a Scotchman now alive in
THE
the county of Antrim, in Ireland, who was prefifed
into the sea service in 1688, and was on board the
ship which broke the boom at the siege of London
derry. His age is 120 years, and he retains the per
fed use of all his faculties.
By the brig Apollo, from London, and brig Coun
fellor, from Liverpool, arrived at New-York, we
have the following :
LONDO N.
March 30. The publick may be assured that no
new Administration is yet fettled. The projected
coalition was too unnatural to bring forth any off
fpring that could live ; and in all probability the par
ties concerned will reap nothing but the disgrace of
having been willing to form any junction, and to fa
crifice any profeffed principles, and all appearance
of consistency, for the fake of office. The intelli
gence we communicated to the publick, on Friday,
was true. His Majesty desired a written arrange
ment. The coalition either could not agree, or were
themselves ashamed of their own proposals. It is
thought by many that his Majesty has aded with
great wisdom in demanding it; that he might be
able to fatisfy the publick that the ftipulalions and
conditions of the patriots contained nothing for the
benefit of the people, but all for themselves; and
that the object of the present coalition was merely
to usurp the whole power of the state, viz. to ap
point the servants of the crown, and the servants of
the people, by forcing an Administration on the
King, and defeating the prayers of the people for a
reformation in the House of Commons.
Matters standing in this situation, it is expelled
that there will be a grand display in the house, both
of principle, and no principle ; and those who are
fortunate enough to fee the exhibition, will be able
to separate the iheep from the goats; for that day
will be a day of judgment.
March 31, The Bedford interest, it is thought,
will at length prevail over the joint firm -of North,
Fox, and Co.
They write from Cadiz, that it is the intention of
the Spanish Court to conftrud a number of forts in
that part of Florida which has been ceded to them,
and to strengthen the garrison of New Orleans, by
some drafts from the troops at Hispaniola.
Mr. Macdonald's speech on Monday, appeared to
gain more attention from the house, than most that
were delivered on that day: a manly reprobation of
an impudent and unnatural alliance seemed to meet
the applause of every disinterested hearer, as a pro
per chastisement for the audacity of the parties, who
in the delertion of their characters and their prin
ciples had set every species of decency at defiance.
Yesterday morning his Majesty took an airing on
horseback, and afterwards went to the Levee at St.
James's, but few of the nobility except the Ministers
of State attended ; Lord Mansfield had an audience ;
General Conway, Lord Sydney, Lord Howe, and
Sir George Younge, flaid with the King till near
five o'clock, before his Majesty went back to the
Queen's house.
All the friends of the Americans, the French, and
Dutch, and Spaniards, are rather profiting by their
diftrefles than relieving them ; they secure an enor
mous balance of trade in all the assistance they af
ford, and endeavour to beggar the individuals of the
state, while they affect to lerve them collectively.
A large body of troops has been marched into
Alsace, on account of the moving of certain neigh
bouring powers, the extent of whose designs is by
no means clearly understood, and in consequence
must furnifh a proper fubjed for suspicion to those
whose eyes are open to every event in their vicinity.
April i. The arrangement of a new Administra
tion remains at present precisely in the fame sus
pensive state. Lord Temple is' expected soon in
England, and it is a fact that proposals have been
made him to assume the lead at the treasury hoard ;
but it is also a fad that he has peremptorily declined
the overture. On the whole, from the resignation
of Mr. Pitt, and from other circumftanccs, it is
supposed that the Duke of Portland will be again
sent for, and that his Majesty will at last accede to
the formation of a Ministry, whose patriotick prin
ciples may ensure the confidence of the people.
B OS TO N.
May 16. What emotions the fight of the thir
teen stripes will excite in the breasts of the British
Custom-House Officers, we are not able to fay ;
but it is very certain that those stripes have left
such an impression on the backs of the British
nation (occasioned by her own unruly behavi
our) that time itfelf will never be able to efface.
[Numb. 284.]