Star.
London, England, 1829-11-27 00:00:00

COMMERCE.

Public attention is already directed to the Rest India Question,
although perhaps not with that degree of intensity which it may be
expected to excite ere the subject comes before • Parliament. The
arguments on both sides have been so frequently and so elaborately
stated, that it may not be possible to throw much further light on
a topic so universally interesting. The great bone of contention
will be the Tea Trade. On this, as well as other branches of the
question,extretne positions will naturally be taken on both sides.
It may be safely admitted, that history furnishes no erample of
an Association that has been conducted with such general
and profound ability as the English East India Company.—
Whatever may have been the delinquencies or malversation of par-
ticular individuals, or the oppressive nature of the system under
which this long-maintained monopoly has been conducted, it were
scarcely possible to doubt that the possession of India has largely
contributed to the power of Great Britain, and to her weight in
the scale of Nations. Such has ever been the opinion en the Coo-
tinent of Europe. The French and the Hollanders continue to
deplore the loss of their valuable commerce with the East, which
no political event could now restore, inasmuch as India evidently
cannot continue stationary ; and hence to resume their former rela-
tions without it were impossible. It is clearly foreseen by the India
Company, that however they may be supported by the powerful and
extended influence they are known to possess. something must be
relinquished to secure the preservation of a portion of their mono-
poly. Of territory or territorial revenue, those who seek free
participation in the tragic wish our Eastern possessions, have
never betrayed the remotest wish to deprive the Company.
If driven from the many strong fortresses behind which
they will entrench themselves, they may finally capitulate,
on condition of preserving intact that only portion of their
commerce which is said to yield actual profit the Tea
Trade. But to maintain the entire monopoly of tire China
Trade can hardly be viewed as within probablity. Lungei to re-
strain the British merchant from that intercourse, which is open
to all the rest of the world, were an inconsistency of policy of
which it were difficult to suspect any Minister of the present day.
The mistaking principle which tolerated—nay, encouraged Ame-
rican access to the pot ts of British India, while British ships were
excluded, has already been abandoned ; but Canton, from which
American vessels cannot be excluded, is still closed against those of
our private merchants.
To perpetuate such exclusion, must be beyond hope even by the
most sanguine advocate of the Company. Experience has• shewn
in defiance of the reasons adduced on the Inquiry that preceded the
last renewal of the Charter. by the late Mr. Charles Grant, and
other gentlemen of distinguished talent and experience—that neither
India nor China is hermetically sealed against the productions of
Europe. Prejudices, alleged to be invincible, have notoriously
given way, to an extent, positively contradictory of the opinions
maintained in the evidence given on behalf of the C.ompiny. And
it may be confidently asserted, that the actual vend and consump-
tion of European productions have surpassed even the anticipa-
tion of those who petitioned for free participation in the trade with
India. . . _

It will not be denied that the Introduction of cotton twist in In-
dia was not at that pallid contemplated as an important branch of
traffic ; still less was it thought of for China. Yet. according to
the general tenor of communications, through various channels, an
increasing consumption of this article in India and in China is con-
sidered highly probable. If it be not viewed by the Chinese Go-
vernment as interfering too greatly with, perhaps. the most widen*
art of domestic life—spinning—what should prevent the subtstitu-
tion 01 English cotton thread for the one bundled and eighty.four
thousand six hundred bales of cotton imported into Canton last pear,
from Bengal, Bombay. and Madras? The greatest dilliculty in the
commerce with India is, the deficiency of homeward freight. Let
but the attention of the Company, and of privati settlerrebe di-
rected to the culture of a suitable quality of cotton—produced in
India, even one-half of the seven or eight thousand bags of cotton
wool annually invoiced into this country—give due encouragetnent

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and protection to the glow* and impureatan of cotton grow% open
the soil of India—then will British -hipping deserve that emilbtment
and ptofit which have so long been abeorbedbyi rivalorhode avowed
policy byte exclude-and sopplant the manufacterekof cotton Alston()
drawn from this country. At some period—no matter when—the
United States will be able to supply thernseivestsith falletidititures
of cotton. •Ptlaiosaiogothe. rudiments of mechanical aodowative
knoriedgc.puseveransitpid caertoos will ensure the ultimate
complishment or thittbll) . « "
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