The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-02-19 00:00:00

tnerce into her territories 1 (Hear! Hear!) is
there any chance of their doing this, could they
be supplied by other means ? It is true, that before
these Orders of Council were issued, there ass a
coniiiderahle degree of benefit, in my opiuion, de-
rived by the effect of the order of the 7th of
January. That Order pressed very considerably
upon die continent of Europe ; and the mere so as
the powers gradually came under the dominion
and controul of France, as there was then no neu-
tral intermediate power through which they could
violate those Orders. We must be eware.however.
that the coasting tattle of Europe was necessorily •
open to very considerable evasion, by stealing along
their shores in small vessels; and besides, that
there were means of communication through the
great rivers of Europe, by which, with considerable
inconvenience to themselves, they might be sup-
plied with the serious products of the continents.
But with lespect to the foreign commerce, they
were actually under no inconvenience whatever,
notwithstanding all our Lasted maritime supe-
riority. Our enemies had in fact better opportma-
ties ,or procuring foreign commerce, than if they
had employed a great mariteme force, to pi ntect
their trade. This may, indeed, appear paradoxical,
but the troth is, that by memos of neutral vessels
they could bring home not only all the produce of
their islands, but even the produce of America,
as securely es if they had not been in a static of
warfare : uuder neutral names they eanoverf a cow-
,,plete supply of all the products from the various
quarters of the world. They cold-etc.; the duties
'upon tine export of them from their colonies, and
they were even doing something more than this;
they were granting Lounnes for the carryi of
those very products to the mother • country.
Wines and brandies, and other product. of Franca.,
went iu eachange for oils, soap, cud other products
of their colonies, without being in the slightest
degree questioned. In short, they were in the full
!ejoyineait ofaill the advantages of peace, havir g
au afhpleaepply of all sorts of goods. The regu-
lar tea odes at Ainstenlam weabon without any
the Smallest interroptiou, just as if the Dutch were
in Sainte of the most profound peace ; ships that
trieled from Amsterdam to Clainabeing allowed to
havigate with the greatest facility. Evert the capi-
tatef here batch merchant; was fhtlyemployetl.
Moat of eie houses in Amsterdam have houses in
America, or have ugents. in that roe any, so that
the money was advanced in many instances before
a single bale 61' goods left Aintricit. They had
then colonial and other iroduce ocolvesed to them
' just iu the same manner as if we. had not the enjoy-
ment of any maritime eupenority at all. Ido not
know whether oe not I have been sacceisful in my
view of the subject, but it does seem to me, that
looking to the situation of Europe, sad of this
country, at the time of issuing these Orders, it was
ruinous to us in the.estretue. While this country
war in this state of blockade. Ainerica.could not
take from us I single bale of British goods. without
the risk of her vessels being lawful prizes to the
Freach. Our commerce and colonial Nodose
might have remained iu our warehouses mad rotted
there ; ar I cannot help thitaking that the more
Bo:up:ate Acquired of the cotament, the Inure
rigorciitly aouid he be inclined to enforce his mea-
sures. And be it recollected, that cur commerce
constitutes the sinews of war, and therefore those
measures of retaliation which we adopted were atr.o-
lately necessary for our preservation load defence.
We have only imposed those privations upon
France which Would induce 1 ranee, or at least the
iuhabit tuts of that cottony, (for 1 am ant suppos-
ing that we could, compel their. Go'vernmeot to
agree to these messurell, to become the violator*
of their owa decrees. Now upon the ground of
retaliation we ere perfectly justified. It has been,
said. that our orders have been a violation of
the Law of Nations.; hut need 1 revert to
'any cellar authority upon this subject, than that
of the late Government themse'vcs? 1 confess
that i cannot see any difference in the orineiple,
altbonois there may be some in the degiee.
teem these orders and that of the 7tb of delioary.
I see no difference beta een those. Order*, and that
issued by His Majesty's late Government; they
were founded upon the principle of retaliation.
This principle was eariplitely set forth by a Noble
Lord (Howick) in a note to 'air. Hirt, in which lie
strong) y represents the injustice of the Freuel De-
cree, of Nov. isseb. nod justifies the conduit of shin
Majesty in issuing the Order in Council, of 7th Ja-
uuary, which Order was founded, according to that
Noble Lord (liowick). upon the just principle of
retaliating. This principle seems to have been
asserted by France herself. Ido not feel it, not-
withstauding these authorities, necessary to plead
the jostificatiou of. these Orders, be the precedent
of :hat issued by His illajesty's late Government.
No; I think, and 1 sin sure this. House will feel,
that they are perfectly justifiable; and, I wilt add,
founded on the law of nations.. lo Ins, Russia,
feeling at that period the aggesisions anti overween-
ing tyranny of Frauce, des issue an Order. of a
lunch stmager Aesop than thaw issued h': Great
Frits:is and so much complained of; that fattier
authorised the :rigor* of all ships preteeuirt7 to
Framer. Ido cuateod, that the' eutastice of the
conformity of those Orden to the law in nations,
cannot be viewed in the abstract. It may be
asked, will vos repel injr,tice with houtoce ?
N0..-11nt. I IrcaLti awls, is It to be
that one -Belligetria. *heal be suffered to act towards
another in a roaturatr tee most unipst. load the meet
coatrar; to that law: of oatiota, anti thatthe otter

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Clgrailthh COMiIIeTC!.: 11 tiiii 'theft wii the ease.
what 'wail* nitintron of this cOuntry? We blight
reuttouliisimutictures for the consumption of our
colonies, and.ia rettira we could brinF home our co-
lonial produce, but there our cotuineree ended.—
Not one article of British mauufactur6 could bud
its way. to the coutiactit of Europe. Mill an)
persOn limy, that this situation would not be the
destruction of the resources of this eountry ?
We'could hue Dahill% to do, but either to attempt
to force *Pen the door to the. Continental Market,
or submit to those terms of Peace which France
was willing to impose upon us. If France had the
wean. of obtaining from other sources those articles
of which she stood in need, is it at all rolvable
ever have consented to tit our
stile
that she would
produce? When Prance is deprived of tl arti-
cles, is it not natural to suppose that she will
become the violator of her own prohibitions ?
Will she tun then he induced to receive our coin-