Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1801-11-18

II not the tiOildaS. l ne ponenon OF tDe1e
countries and of courle the Mifiiippi, by
the French, will place that nation in
iituation TO annoy, if not to endaEger the
Eritiih pohefiions in the Welt lndies.-
Lou Cana is a world of itleif, and the ex-
port trade of the Miiidippi will hereafter
be equal to that of half Europe. With
thefe advantages of trade, and ihip timber,
iron and naval flores in abundance at hand,
and perhaps the mines of Spanifh America
in the hands of France, and population at
home that can man all the nayies of Eu-
rope, France may hereafter become forni-
dable to all the commercial nations of En-
rope. Should her government ever ac-
quire liability, under an elective form,
which may take place, the energy of the
nation will be prodigiouny augmented,
while her reitlefs ambition will forever
keep that energy in activity.
To oppofe this formidable nation, and
her gigantic ttrides, nezv and formida
bic power m4f be created, or Europe and
the trade OF the Atlantic will be at her
mercy. Where ihal this power ariie p
Germany, by becoming all military, a
nation I'm arms, may oppoie barrier to
her projects on land, and this is the laa
refort of the German Empire and the Auf-
trian Houfe. But the moment France is
checked on land, and peace final! fee her
armies free, Che will turn her attention to
navy.
The United States, in the couife of
things, will be able 70 refiit all the fchemes
OF France. But time is requfte. At
9rcient, we want the aid of the Britifh ma
vy-and ] am firmly periuaded, that the
Ultimate exiitence of Great Britain, as a
commanding power in Europe, depends on
ne commerce, and finally on the u0vei
aid of the United States.
The mott wife and cautious policy of
Great-Britain cannot retuie 10 liiten to
fuggehions Of this kind. The truth Of
thefe ideas appears 70 me 70 obvious, tina.
no degree OF national jealonfy can blind
the eyes of the minifry, 70 as to over
look it.
The firf and perhaps the only nep at
prefeot necefary IS, for Great Britain to
relax her rules in regard 70 neutral veiIels,
ard give American bottoms, all the free
dom and privileges which are guaranteed
by what is called the modern law OF natl
ons. In ihort, to LET American yeiIels
go freely and unmolefed to her enemies,
without ieizing, fearching and con6fcsu
on. The advantages derived TO nations
at war, from the licenfc of taking little
property at Tea out of neutral vefeIs, are
10 trivial, that never could fee the policy
ct 1t. The practice neither adds to their
own itrength nor weakens that of the enc
my. defy the man who can point 70
the inltance in which any efectnal aid was
derived from the licenfe Of privateering.
1t encourages feamen to plunder-but do
NOT men fight as well on land without
plnnder, as feamen for the fake of plum
der' Butt "trip he defencelef5 merchant
man, is plumber without honor or national
advantage. At the fame time, it never
tails to irritate neu;rals, and multiply the
enemies OF the powers at war. Tie friend
IMP OF commercial nations is of Infinitely
more coniequence to nations at war, than
the pittance of property taken by indivi-
duals from neutral venels.
Some further regulations to prevent the
impeachment of American feamen on board
OF BIitiih veiiels, would ALTO be neceiIary.
Ii is certainly practicable to form fome
arrangements for this purpoEe that fhall be
efeetual. Indeed if commanders of Britih
ihips were Grizzly prohibited from taking
any ieamen whatever from American .yef.
frls, what great inconvenience would en-
fue? Very few men indeed can be obtain
sd In this way; and if real Americans are
taken either by mifake or deGgn, The
eamity and irritation occaGoned by it, in
the United States, infinitely more than
BALANCES the al uanlane