The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-08-08
FROM THE AURORA.
POLITICAL VIEWS.
= No. VIII.
COMMERCE OF THE LHvANr.


The woollen trade affords very excellent criterion
OF the proportions poeied by the feveral nations in
the general commerce Of the Levant. The linen
trade appearsto be comparatively ingnificant that
is, frers the produce Of fax and hemp.
: The linens of SleGa, Carinrhia. Bohemia, Lower
Auitria, and comfortable portion from Belgium
found their way to the Levant from 1000 to 1900
pieces, and found market fonie of thefe were or
samented with needle work to the tale of the coun.
try but the trade has fallen off, perhaps owing to the
unvertal introduction of cotous and the cotton cloth
being at once more comfortable and heaIthful The
daniaked linens Vienna, Trelfe. Venice Chent Bruf.
fes and Holland and other parts of the low countries,
with grotelque figures and variegated borders, con-
tinue their value and in demand; bat in the bel
periods Of the linen trade England fen, none, and the
whole OF that commerce did not exceed 100000 dol
bars. s!ss
The cotton piece goods of Afia nv their cheapnef.
and probation, appear have obtained the preference
Of the univsre. to have uperceded linens in all warm
climates, and TO great extent in cold climates. their
hexib'lty, the abforbg quality of the eoftou the ia
eity with which it is ceanfed and beached :wrouyh,
into various patterns and Aaied Nth various dies
renders the trade IN cotton Of the moi important
articles chat into univerfal commerce and il
Premfes to be the mot durable and erteufivs with
the mapufiGurcrs of iron.
The cotton goods confirmed in the Levant cannot
be eafly conceived by thof who have not am acouan
lance with oriental habits aud manners The Gained
cotton called callicoes which in universal demand
require patterns of tate peculiar IN the country
thoie which faihion produces in Europe would mo,
h'd vent in the Turkih empire; taae as barba
rous and outre, that Of the C5ree (eoithets which
they believed perhaps with egsai isaiee upon the
rare OF EarnPeans) prevails IN Turkey and the Greeks
who abhor their tyrants their aves in this parti
cuar.
For comfortable number of years the cotton
goods and iiks, the callicoes mullins and the inf
mite variety of EAT India cotton goods were furpib
ed at the Leysnt by the Of the Red fea Diud-
da, Suez al Egypt-by the Gulph of perfia, Buff.
sah, Aleppo and Damafcus. But the growth Of th;.
commerce became 70 great from the ceapnefs of .ran
Portation by the caravans. compared i,h .= hes+T
expenfes of navigation roand the Cape, that the En-
gliih redent merchants who were not in the fervice
OF the company, the Americans and Greeks who are
numerouily dfperfed throughout India were able 70
rival the goods brought by way of England and un
derieil them. Sir Robert Aiaaie, the Engn ambaf.
fador at Conaantinople directed in I77e to put
an end to this traffic, and he accomplished BY hiring
atribe OF the vaSahond Arabsto way-lay the cara,
vans The hiaory of this extraordinary tranfat ion
though not Immediately, is remotely come sfed with
the fubjea OF the trade the Levanr and merits no.
tice that account.
The caravan which was interrupted fet out from
Suez at the head OF the Red fea. in rhe Grn r
january 1878, and feveral Englh officers AID other
pertons who we're their route over land for Europe
and had recently landed from two veIel, az Su.z ac
tsmpan'ed the caravan, among others M de ST
Germaia from the i1snd Of Bourbon in the RaR A.
fr1can ocean. Their route was by Cairo Five
leagues from Suez the was attacked by the
hired Bedouins, and rich caravan became their
prey; the travellers had no fort of arms md were
OF courfe incapable of rei(iance; they were hripped
HART naked and left in that condition in the fandy def
ART but not otherwife moleaed few made their
way back 10 Suez in that depIorabe condition of
eight who thinking to reach Cairo feven perfhed BY
hunger, Thrift aud heat of the fun; M de ST, Ger
man alone furvived Of hefe; and during three DAYS
and nights. This execrabe nratapen put an end IN
the traffic of India through thofe channels. and ,be
only overland interconrle with Inda,. OF any mpor
tance, has been iince confu9ed through America.
But the market increafed for Engli goods and gave
encouragement the Establishment of cotton mann
features in Germanv
In the commerce Of the Levant there were difpo-
'eh of before the French revolution twenty thouand
pieces OF n,uflinrnanufaeaured in Sssosy Bsbevy;s
Upper Auifra, and the swfs cantons of 81. G,N and
Hp'tnzeL The cotton from which theie were all ma.
kntactured was all the produce Of the Levant-a faa
which IS worthy of the confederation of the American
cotton planters, and of thofe merchants who have
hiPped cotton as good cargo for China.
The ealieoes OF Auaria at period had the great.
cit run IN the Bevsnt thofe of Saxony az CONTAIN
tinople alone; but thofe fuoa generally covered
throughout Greece and Turkey, we're manufactured
at Pleven in the dirici Of vaghtlaAd in Upper Say
ony THE revolution terminated the CONN et;ton If
the French, who fuppiied from Hvirass and Beora.
ealIeoes ct brighter tints than the German and of
hper texture; their patterns ALTO were accommodated
with happy ingenuity To the faion of the country.
and were rapidly out-feng the Germans, when the
revolution iulpended their Dduary and their eonpe-
q. I'm
Venice formerly furnfhed the Levaut with gIafs of
every kind as me formerly fupplied all Europe with
her pohihed mrrors-Franee had outIlript her in her
manufacture OF mirrors both in ze and ran(parenev
~ the hnenes OF the plate and the perfeisn of the
poiih aud the lilverng England has attempted 20
rival France in this branch, but hitherto without fc.
GELS. The Germans fupereeded the Venetians in the
interior gsfs trade, which however was Of differ
ent Pecies Of articles from thofe uled by European
nations.
Tie ehryRals Of Bohemia vafes chandeliers. olafs
globes ihadesfor apers lanterns and ome other fan
e""l articles, were lurnfhed in abundance from, Ger.
many The French fupplicd the fnaller elafs wares.
ara niesfurPled only the common asd ordinary
KINDS; particularly glsfs beads which the .Turkin
women and other eIsale ubies Of Turkey ue in tbe
decoration Of their pcrons bu, great proportion Of
the eoarle glafs manufacture finds ven; in R0yp, 81
Araba, and along the African coaR.
In works Of iron ard Reel, commonly called bs,3
soe,e, The Englih urpafs and 1t may be faid fuoply
tine whole world. The Turks whole tane for fine
wrought hardware is 70 powerful as their love Of
money purcsfe hsrdwws Of an inferior Es6, becau(e
the patterns nearly the fame and the German is Of
al9wer price. The Eugifi made neeI alfs Is prefer.