The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-08-12 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 1851.

OUR PRESENT COMMERCIAL POSITION.

According to the return of imports and exports for the
first six months of the year 1851, just published by the
Board of Trade, there is an increase in the value of our
exports, as compared with the same period of 1850, of
£2,300,000.. This is treated as a "great fact" by the
ultra-free traders, and much is made of it. We undertake
to show, that instead of being a strong proof in support of
the vaunted success of free trade, when analysed, it is a
strong proof just the other way. There is- a very consi-
derable decrease in our exports to corn-growing countries ;
and notwithstanding this, our imports of corn have largely
increased,—the inevitable conclusion from these premises
being, that instead of buying our products-as an equivalent
for the grain which we purchase from them, they are
actually draining us of our gold,—a fact which is firmly
established by that other fact, that notwithstanding the
amount of specie which we are constantly receiving from
America, the gold in the coffers of the Bank is gradually
diminishing.
By the following table, which we have compiled from
the useful and well-timed Supplement to,Burn's Monthly
Colonial Circular, we find, that so far from free-trade
having in the least contributed to the much-vaunted
increase of £2,300,000, to all the countries from which we
import grain there is a decided decrease of exports. In
the first place, in order to render the statement more
complete, we will give the total exports in the first six
months of 1850 and 1851 :

Cotton Goods Exported from England first Six Months of 1850
and 1831, Calicoes Printed and Plain. in Twist.

,-________,- •
r.---......,.._-___Th
1830. 1851. 1850. 1851.
Total exprtd Ist yds. yds. lbs. lbs.
6 months.. 540,987,141 603,659.798 56,412,678 60,325,760
540,987,141 56,412,678

Total increase, 1851

67,672,657

3,913,082

This shows an increase in calicoes printed and plain, in
1851 over 185 U, of 67,672,657 yards. We will, by an
analysis of the returns, now show where this increase has

arisen :

Cotton Goods Exported from England first Six Months of 1850

. ,
and 1851.
Calicoes, Printed and Plain. Twist.

. . .
1850. 1851. 1850. 1851.
yds. yds. lbs. lbs.
To British Colonies 49,950,757 51,680,459 329,221 352,708
49,959,757 329.221

Increase, 1831... 1,120,702 23,487
To Neutral airkts. 283,656,724 371,598,816 10,330,354 14,769,952
283,656,724 10,330,354

Increase, 1851

87,942,092

4,439,598

To Grain-exporting
Countries: 207,370,660 185,080,523 45,753,103 45,203,100
185,980,523 45,203,100

Decrease, 1851.... 21,390,137 550,003
The demonstration is this : that there is an increase to
our own colonies of 1,120,000 yards; and ;,o countries
which do not export grain, of 87,942,000 yards. Then
how stand the exports to the grain exporting countries ?
Thus : they present a decrease of 21,390,000 yards !
These countries consist of all the principal portions of
Europe and the United States.
We are thus furnished with a decisive proof that. free
trade has not stimulated the increase in our exports of
cotton goods,—the particular products of skill in which
Manchester and the surrounding district are chiefly inte-
rested, and chiefly rely upon for their wealth and the
employment of labour. Whilst our exports of Manchester
calicoes to the corn-growing countries have decreased,
our imports of their produce (corn) have increased. Here
are the proofs :
Foreign Grain and Flour Imported first Six Months of 1850-51.
1850. 1851.
Wheat 1,553,518 qrs. 2,200,747 qrs.
Barley
Oats 568,815 „ 490,242 „
Rye
Peas
Beans
Indian Corn

4,551,858 „
3,799,378 ~
452,480 ~