Star.
London, England, 1802-11-12 00:00:00

COMMERCE.—No. I.

TO THE EDITOR.
Sta.—Every man who has paid much attention
to the nature of Commerce mutt have obferved,
that, with nations as well as with individuals, it is
2 precarious poffeffion, depending at all times upon
diligence, exertion, and the protation of the State;
yet fometimes liable to attacks and difillers, which
neither diligence nor exertion can avert, if not
powerfully protelled by the Parent State.
Unbiaffed by any political opinions or attach-
ments to any party, but guided merely by the with
of being ferviceable to a country which has dif-
tinguilhed itfelf in a peculiar and brilliant manner,
it is natural to take a view of its fituation, at a mo-
ment different from any that has hitherto occurred,
and is, in every refpe&, of the higheff importance.
The laft War, contrary to the ufual effeet of hof
tilities, produced a very great increafe of Britith
Commerce, which arofe from two caufes : the fuc-
cefs of the navy, the noble and adventurous fpirit
of our merchants, who felt the foffering protection
of their Country, and dared to purfue, nay carried
their Commerce to every corner of the known
world ; therefore one of the firft and moll evident
confiderations for this Country is, to inquire how
has the Peace affeEted us ? and what arc the objeEts
of molt importance for our fvlinifters and Rulers to
attend to ? Commerce and ManufaCtures are the
very root and branch of all our confequence as a
State, and if not protected and encouraged, mull
inevitably go to decay.
Let us look to the earlieft ages to which authen-
tic records go back, and we (hall find, that differ-
ent degrees of induftry and intelligence amongll
mankind, together with the variations of the pro-
duce of different countries, led men to exchange
produce, and thereby commence commercial tranf-
aaions.

The fine manufactures of Egypt were exchanged
againft the aromatic produaions of Arabia, and
the precious metals and jewels of the EaR, at the
earließ periods recorded in hißory. The fame
Commerce which had been carried on at firft by
land was afterwards continued by fea ; and Tyre
teems to have been the &II city that role to great
wealth in the Weftern world merely by the fruits
of Commerce.

To Tyre fucceeded Carthage. When both were
defiroyed, navigation for Come time yielded the
palm to the Ealtern mode of conveyance by cara-
vans, and railed the magnificent city of Palmyra in
the midway between the Perfian Gulph and the
Mediterranean Sea. The riches, pride, and habits
of indolence which accompanied Commerce in all
cafes, brought on the ruin of thofe who polrefred
them, by railing up enemies, who were aZtuated by
the double incentive of envy and avarice. ALEX
moose the GI eat converted the proud city of Tyre
into a miferable abode for fifhermen, and the Ro-
man arms laid low the beautiful columns of Car-
thage and Palmyra.
We have fince teen Venice, and Genoa, and
Cenflantinople poffeffed of the fame branches of
Commerce, enriched and enervated in the fame
manner. It is true that thefe latter cities loft their
pre-eminence by another caufe. The difcovery of
a 'mirage by the Cape of Good Hope turned the
Commerce between the E ail ern and We (tern World
into a new channel. It is to be remarked, that
Portugal, Antwerp, Bruges. and the cities which
fucceeded to Venice and Genoa, loft their fuperio-
tity by their enervation and indolence.
The only end in tracing this pmgrefs of Com-
merce, is to thew, that unlefs the fame means are
taken to retain that were employed to acquire it,
nn fpecies of advantage is of a nature more tranfi-
tory, or apt to defect thole who have got in into
their poll-di-lon, and England may decline as other
States have done before.

Holland, which enjoyed the greaten share of the
Commerce of Europe, after Antwerp and Bruges
funk into infignifieance, has itfelf been on the de-
cline for more than half a century, and its ruin was
completed in the American war.

It was at this period that England began its no-
b'e and grand career as a Commercial Nation, and
at prefent is in a prouder fituation than any of its
predeceffors, and ought to take warning by their
fate. It has, like the wealthy cities of antiquity,
become an objed of envy to its neighbours ; but
having hitherto preferved the warlike virtues, and
refined the effe.lh of wealth, it has been able to
refill their efforts. To continue to do fo it will
neverthelek require all the bravery and virtue of
the peorle, and the wifdom of thole who govern
the national affairs.

The year 1792, wt,ie:i was the laft year of peace,
was alfo that in whic', the Commerce of England
in time of peace was moil extended ; one may there.
fore be allowed to fuppofe, that even if there had
been no war, our commerOd fituation might have
been flnurifhing ; but, fine that time, our Com-
merce has augmented far beyesd the former Rate ;
fo thgt tildes great care is taken, that which has
been gained by valour and enterprize,maybeloft by
negligence, want of ability, or want of forefight.
During the war, when it was declared at one
time, in the bolorn of the Convention, that the
French had not even one folitary trading veffel that
navigated the Ocean under their flag—when they
bad 101 l their iflands—and the Dutch, as well as
all the. States in the Mediterranean, Spain and Por-
tugal included, were in a fituation little fuperior--
it is clear that England, by the power of her wealth
and induflry, polkaed an extent of trade that (he
never could have had while other nations came
in for a (hare ; and now that the Colonies and
Ifig:.ds are reftored, and the vac's at liberty freely
to n..vigate the Seas, Commerce mull become a
emitter of competition, as it was Lefore ; and, if
not prorated and cnconraged, mull end in ruin
and der..ty. During this war, the load of taxes
tho been fo greatly augmented, as to influence
the prices of labour and provillons in an unex-
ampled degree, which places this nation ender
tcrlideraale dif.Ovantages, and may lead us to
ealeu:ate on fume injuTtes in the competition With
other powers.
. _ _

be prevented from falling in confequenee of a
peace—the want of proper regulations and neccf-
fary protedion. To treat this fubjed as it requires,
and as it deferves, it will be necelfary to nate fails,
and enter into derails, which, in my next, I (hall
endeavour to do, keeping in every thing as free
from the politics of the nation as I poffibly can, my
only intention being merely to throw light on this
momentous bufinefs. NEPTUNE.

FRANCE.

PARIS, NOVEMBER 9.

If any credit may be given to the German Jour-
nals, one of the principal objeds which at prefent
engrotres the attention of the politicians of Vienna,
is a pretended alliance that is to take place between
Rufla, Auftria, and England. But, as the fpecu-i
in German politics do not repofe an over-
confident reliance on fuch impolitic rumours, they
take the precaution to add, that the authentic ate of
the Diet of Ratifbon abundantly prove that France
and Ruffia remain infitaraqy united, and that the
Court of Vienna !hall never obtain any conceflion
without their mutual confent. And indeed, who
in his fides could well fuppofe the exiftence of In
monftrous, fo anti-pacific, and fo anti-continental
an alliance ? How can it be well fuppofed that the
Ruffian Government, whore views are fo profound,
whole projeds are fo yak whole policy is fo Eu-
ropean, could ever thiqk of forming an alliancewith
an infular power whore fole ambition aims at prey-
ing on the vitals of the Continent ? How could it
be prefitmed that the Cabinet of St. Peterlburgh,
which prides to immortality under ALEXANDIR I.
by the foundeft policy, by the moil jut} laws, by the
incentives which it holds forth to national commerce
and indultry could, by an alliance fo much again)Nature, facrifice fo noble a profped of future pro-
fperity and political influence, while Raffia and
France, by remaining united, may for ages pre-
ferve the Continent of Europe from the scourge of
foreign, and the devaftations of civil wars? Thee
Englifh themfelves may and do confefs loudly, that
the alliance between France and Ruflia proves the
confervation of Europe and the prefervation of
France.—Lei Warfare.: de la Patric.
Five per cents 53 fr. 90 c.