The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-01-28 00:00:00

AIUERTCAN TRIZIE.

The folloeirig article. which is extracted from
The National Intelligencer, it interesting to the
coinmercial world :
I, BOARD OF TRADE.
" GZIITLEMEW-1 observed with pleasure, in
your paper of the Erb instant. an article copied from
the Arw York Gazette, suggesting the expediency
of establishing, at the scat of Government, a Board
of Trade, to he composed of three lormest and
merchants. selected from different sec-
tions of the Uirion. lam happy to see that the sug.
gestinn is circulating exiensively through our poll.
lic 1 9, and hope that it will excite that serious
atteution, both in and tout of Congress, which the
great impo-tance of the eintoject so well deserves.
I perfectly agree with th►e venter of the article iii
question. that in a country like ours, which can
cl.rioi at least the second place among commer-
cial nitioisr, it is matter of just astonishment that
such a Board does not already exist. It is a me-
lancholy truth, that in this country, the only
men deemed competent to any public business,
or deserving ',oldie confidence, are lawyers; thus.
not only is Congress composed almost entirely
of gentlemen of that profession, but our heads
of departments, and with only our exception,
all-our foreign Ministers are lawyers. If a tariff
of duties is to be enacted, the Committee which
frames and rrports, as well as the Congress who
deliberates on and enacts it, are all lawyers. If
a Cotnmerciel with a foreign Govenimentaa
to be made, otie or wave lawyers are selected on
• our part to define( tusikosillowise commercial, rights
and interests. lu both cases, the vast detail of mer-
cantile knowledge necessary to the correct under-
standing of the subject, is informally collected. and
soinetiines drawn from interested or corrupt sources.
i• In any grist international measure affecting
commerce. the Executive. with the purest and most
patriotic intentions. is often obliged to act without
that perfect mercantile knowledge which would he
so eminently advantageous to our country. Fur
example—when in IRI6 our Government mad* to
all the 'anions of Europe the offer to equalise
duties between the foreign and native flags. with
all such as would adopt s similar system. that
which► has taken place would have occurred to an
intelligent merchant at the time—to wit : that art
those merchants who found their advantage in it
would seise on the offer with avidity ; while those
with wit we should find the equalising system
beneficial would decline it.

"Thus, we find that France, where the diff‘r-
ence of duty on one of our greatest staples (to-
bacco), is ten or twelve francs per quintal, bring
equal to a freight and peace profit, will never ac-
cept our proposal ; while on the other hand, I-11m-
burgh and
.Brenien, where the highest duty on any
imported article does not amount to two per colt.
will very gladly accept au sloel competition with
us, in the earl yilig of Gerinou products and manu-
factures. If it were necessary to my arguments to
multiply exansp!es, there would be found but tow
many errors committed in our commercial legisla-
tion far want of sufficient practical knowledge. Its
this great international measure just alluded to, it
will he admitted there is more of magisanisuity oil
our side, than of bouud policy or commercial ad-
vantage.

N %Pe are too often disposed to bong of our ex.
traordinary national intelligence. prudence. and
policy; but whence, let the ask. do we derive our
light en political and commercial subjects f Not
from intuition. No ; we enjoy all the advantages
to be derived from the history ■nd experience of
the nations of the Old World, from whine
institu-
tions, if we are wise, we ought to select and adopt
those which, on lung and extensive experience,
have been found to possess the greatest practical
advslitages. If, on the subject in question, we
turn our attention to the existing practice of
the nations of Europe, we shall find that
those Governments, it is believed without an
exception, make commerce the object of a sepa-
rate branch of admioistration. Englund his her
Board of Trade; France and the Netherlands each
■ Alinister of Commerce and Manufactures; Kos-
sia a Bureau in her Ministryof Finance, exclusively
devoted to these objects; Prussia • Comminion
(or Board) of Commerce; Denmark and Sweden.
each its College of Commerce ; and so on through.
out Europe.
" It may ite pretended that, through the various
Committees of Congress, all the necessary in-
formation 011 commercial topics, may be as ef.
fectually concentrated, as through the agency of
a Board of Trade. But, when it is considered
that Congress only remains in Session during a small
portion of the year ; that the turmoil recited
by the animated discussion of a variety of strongly
contested points, necessarily distracts the atten-
iion ; ■nd further, that the information collected
is to be digested by minds not prepared by the
habit of thinking and acting on commercial sub.
jects ; surely it will not be insisted that the ephe-
meral labours of these Committees, enlightened as
they are on other subjects, can promise as sound
results as may be expected from the combined ope.
timis of a Board of experienced merchants perm-,
;wilily established, consecutively and exclusively
employed on these wallets, during a series of years,'
" Pt emit me now to advert to the necessary ex-
pense of the contemplated establishment. The
Brand of Trade should be composed of three Com-
missioners, whom:gip to have three thousand dollars
each p. r Hlllllllll. As the Commissianers ought
to exa 000 io le Anil prepare every thing. till tine secre-
tarial aid they will require will be one clerk,* mere
copyist, who writes a fair cot-tent hand, and may
be bad for am annual salary of one thousluid dollars.
Thus, the whole annual expense will slot exceed
ten thousand dollar.. 011 the oilier side of the
account, if we take into view the great value of the
time of Congress, which will Ibr saved by the pre.
riots preparation and digesting of the several sub-
jects of a commercial nature, proposed to the ISII
unsaid Legislature by this Board. it will be found
that public ecutiomj, the idol which we all worship,
will be moist materially promoted by the due or.
gusltzatiur► of a Board of Trask."

Ths JAN Comp& It, from Prance rAwarers Island, was
drives oo shore the "2 0t h ',whim in a heavy gale at wild, tie
the west side of St. Mmineis Scilly, and it was feared wnnkl
be lust : Crew saved.

:f.1111.1..1 irP44411.

now •reerr
Yesteramy Lig ortinnwe-ahnrns real Jitg 'orye,
Moyne, R.►V. aniergreNt a stewed exemin,tiw. lbeture J.
Conant. ehargva

Esq.. . with feloniously stealing a large
lovitros, the property of Mr. John Gale, also keeps a
atop sod sioffor.bousee in oCisetk-coort, Strand.

II •pesemed Om nu the 9lk lost:mit 110 w Primo.* went to
the Promcatur's house, and agreed to ludxe there rue a slaw,
time, saying he had just arrived fessm the ouustry, and lus
I,,cpre will. coming after him. Ile slept there that meta,
and likewise dined the fallowing Amy, after whieh Ile Ill.(
the opportuuity, while the horse was rl.ar of eissions,
and while Mr.. Gale bad turned her back upon him 1.,
less lime than three minutes, to snake off with Ili,
Mr.. Gale Malautly missed Cie Pri•usuer and Ilse
gave au alarm. He was roamed, host 110 Lit '1,,,,.
slay a gealleataw who had seen bon in Mr Guiv% house .1
few mimeos before the discovery of the robbery, a -.1 shus.
the Prisoner stria very assassins to know when he we.. -
am house, saw the Prisoner as Cheissea, and had him toss .us
ed. —Tbe Primmer was committed fur frost
Jolts Belatead was charged wish robbing she home ..r
Mr. Andrews, No.?, Moor-st reef, Soho, tallith it mimeo. .1
he had entered yesterday, shoat IV/I lee o'clock. the
door laming beer left epee, mid 11 Doom an (As, key as
entered a bed-room, and was detected as he was ensuing not
with two large bundles. containing Iwo bed-curtains, •
!mice, a quilt, two sheets, two pillows, two pillow-4w,,
two picture., and one lookisig-glass.
The Prisooer is well known at She office, though nor su a
thief, having beets taken Into custody some l.ine since at a
disorderly assembly in • house to liskt.e...foitr 00111.-.lteel •
dressed ilb female attire. He was aly,s tintsct,d aoms,
since goiug into the Italian Optlll'hOUM 111 fr inale astir._
He was committed Air trial.

Thoweas and Joseph Gates, two brothers, anti although
Mere youths, they Lave frequently ifteti et the trace
rhargeoof retool. They were yestri .131 r ttttt misted for tans.,
oft a charge of breaking the shop gl,.y.•r ..1 V. Win, 1
ailverawritb ►ad jeweller, in tit. Msriin's rot.' t, with au
last to commit felony. on Thursday shiny.: in, the 20th
instant, abort half past 1 o'clock
They were charged with a siaanur offence, ah,oit the .sine
lime, at the 'bop window of Mr. ftisapatort, in r.otle.street,
idireater-square, and waling a gold ring.
They were committed foe Dial ow bob charges.

ALARMING FINN
AT CHINA MALI. MK MI

Yesterday sensing, helve,* rider end Rea echork. Ile
large manufactory of :11r Fuerler', ;ilk-throwster, Chum* Hall.
1/rptforiLriond, ssa• oliscurr; ed to be h. Iloilo-R. The watch-
men and patrol immediately alarm. 41 the neigli,.inhouit,
and in a short time onailsers were ono the *poi, aus.oso n.
render masistance to extinguish ohr et!, and nave the hers
and property of the ',enrols within be snits. It was well
known that a coral number ef ebtldrra, •ire were urn-
pluyed in the silk-wills. eh pi in tar mattufsrloty, and
their safety was the Orel object of consideratinn. Tiny
were removed in their night Arabes front their lords lit a
limier in the neighbourhood. It was reported that two of
the children were 6,1111 to dertilk bat spew inquiry, we are
happy 10 learn, it is nut 'rue. Upon the evil alarm peesou.
were dispatched to town for the eirgiaes, brit before they
arrived, although the envoi., ref ihe palish bad played upon
the flames without intro mission, the wianufactairy was re.
deceit to a complete rain. Thc premises were hissitil is the
Sun Insurance Office.