The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-06-28

We have recently puhlifhed fllort view of
the French finances; 10y which it appears that
the whole annual expenditures amount to
6s4,ooo,ooo franks, about 1877 millions Of
dollars. We are naturally led to compare this
amount of expenditure with that of Britain as
theic two powers are ar prefent engaged in an
arduous contef, the ifiIue of which muft depend,
in great meafure, upon their reflective reform,
ces.
The annual expenditures
of Great Britain and Ireland
amount to about dolls. 91o ooo ono
ihoie OF Franceto 137,ooo,o 900
Difference againff c.. B. 17a.roo. ooo
Although the population of the latter is double
thai of the former. Whence is it that this great
difference arfes? The government of France is
Imported with hyperion fp,endor to that of Eng
land; and the objects effected by the former are
more numerous A large portion of the refour-
cesot France being devoted to internal imp
ments, to public infruttion, and to the advance
ment ofthe arts and licences. France ALTO fup,
ports an army of 100000 effective folders,
while the force of England does not amount TO
one third of that number. We can only Ctic
factorily account for the enormous expenditures
of Britain by attending to three circumstances
if. Her Watt national debt. ed. Her gigantic
navy; and 81. Her extenlive colonies. TheTe
are the ceafelefs channels through which her
wealth flows and hey are drains which tbrea-
ten to endure for ages unlefs they fhall be dried
up by fome extraordinary convulfion. II is he
cauie France is free from thefe perpe.ualy en-
creating fources of expenditure that fhe is able
TO keep her diiburfements within fuch narrow
limits.
In thefe refpecs the example of England
mould be perpetually prefent TO the view Of our
countrymen. Whenever their dfpolition to re-
tard the prefent rapid extinguiihment of the ma
tionaI debt reIaxes from a with to anf,ver fome
temporary purpofr, let them ref, Ct on the RAJ
pidity with which the Britifb debt has progref.
fed to its prefeDt enormous and alarming mag
nitude. Whenever our ambitious views lead us
to indulge ideas of conquef, let us remember
that thefe carry in their train, VAT naval eta
bliihment and whenever our pride fuggefs the
policy OF great nava! armament, let IFS preyi-
Gully decide one problem, viz. whether we can
limit its ultimate extent within narrower bounds
than The great maritime powers of Europe.
Ons otler inapre6f1r 9'isgV. The expenditures
OF Great Britain impofe an annual burthen of
twenty-Gx dollars upon each Individual thofe
OF France FIVE dollars; and tbofe ofthe United
States two daIlars. National LnfeHigeneer.
The preceding view is not ofitlcif fnficisnt
ces of the war will bear mott heavily, becaufe
this will entirely depend upon the proportion
which may exit between the e&pence of the
war and the income Of the nation. Now il may
be commended, as Cicero fays there is no error
70 abfurd which has not been Imported BY
fome philosophers, that the income of the En-
elifh is as much greater than that Of the French,
as their expence is greater. Without going
into any elaborate details on this point, we
may mention two considerations which are un.
favourable to thatopinion
n. That the refources of the Britilb go4
vernment are principally drawn from their
commerce that this commerce is NOW to all
appearances fhut out from the ports Of the
north of Germany, Of Holland, Of France, Of
Spain and greater part of Italy though in faa
the EXECUTION has not been 10 compIeat as ap-
pearances would induce usto believe, becaofe
there are numberlefs fliffts and expedienfs to
carry on an in'erditfed trade that this parti-
al interruption of their commerce nun have
been afIifted by the employment of an extra
number Of labourers in the navies and armies Of
England, aud the correspondent fuipenfoD Of