The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-05-15

The annual Spanfh fhip, from Manila to
Amboy, has been captured by the Briti(h frigate
PhE,on, capt Wood. The prize is valued on
moderate computation at s5e,oool. ferling.
:. STATE OF ENGLAND.
The following letter, from Respectable cha
rader in England, to a gentleman in Phila-
delphia, though it evidently bears features of
national Partially, it is yet 70 candid and H.
beral on the whole, as to be entitled to much
attention. aurora.
BIRMINGHAM, DEG. so, 1906.
"You dehre me togive you true tatement
OF the country-in anfwer TO which, we are in
very houriihing way, for our manufactures
are 70, and that makes every thing appear light,
our debts are indeed enormous, between five
and fix hundred millions of pounds fterling {;
and we pay about thirty millions annually in
teref of Notwithstanding the intereh of ex-
chequer, navy, and vietualing bills, and the adj
vances upon the revenue every year by the bank
of England. The other expences of govern
ment are about thirty million more, in all above
hxty millions per annum ;-and the expenses
of collection, the million paid TO the king, about
three hundred thoufand paid to the Prince of
Wales, Duke of York, Prince of Orange, and
the other princes and princcfles of the royal fa-
mily, together with the poor rates, which
amount annually to about five or Fix millions,
the whole fun RATED cannot De lefs than feven-
ty-hve millions fterng, an enormous fun in
amount to be fure. Yet owing to our extern
five hourifhng, and numerous manufactures,
we do not find orr taxes 70 very hard on us as
might be iuppoied-for our manufactures are
| carefully protected, by high, very high duties,
on all foreign made articlcs-not Jingle manu-
featured article being worn or imported into
Great-Brltain, excepting Rufia and German
| linens, French cambricks, and few Of their In
dia nankeens, that the company are allowed to
| fell for home confumption, and of late, French
laces-all thefe articles pay heavy duties, fome
of them as high as two hundred per cent. and
the lowet of them twenty-five per cent. and
none of the duties on them are given back on
being exported-hmilar articles to all thefe are
made at home, though they are neither 70
good, nor 10 cheap--yet good many of the
coarfer fort are continued, and government TO
encourage thole made at home, give bounties
upon the expectation OF the home madearticles
to incresfe the competition and drive out the
foreign articles from being confirmed in Britain
fay linens, for inftance, the government gives
a bounty of one penny half penny per yard up
on green or bleached, and five or fix pence it
prnted-and alto exempts them from the war
tex or export duty; to be fhort, in fumming up
| the whole, the government and people look up
! on manufactures as the fupport of our COM
merce, fhiPping, and agriculture, what makes
our iEand the mott flourifhing part of Europe
under all our burdens, and what alone brings
money into the nation and fupports the mott
expenive Of all wars. After confirming all our
own wool, fax, hides, hemp, iron &c. in our
manufaStures--we employ about four thoufand
fail of fhips yearly to bring US the raw materi-
ITS of foreign nations, from the Baltic, Gsrma-
ny, Italy, America, &c. what immenfe encou-
rsgement, four thouiaHd fail employed in bring
ing home fax, fix, cotton, hemp, wool, ind-
goes, fax feed, iron, iheep's wool tar, afiles,
&c. for our different manufactures what i'm
menfe numbers of people NUT they employ
and what great confumption of provfions, as
well as immenie quantities Of grain ufed, for
making malt and fpirtuous liquors; it is faid
that no lefs than lixty millions of bpGles of
grain are uicd in making malt and fpirituous H.
quors in Britain; what fpring does this give
to our agriculture hence it is that our land
continues to rife i'll confequeDce of the demand
for the numerous clals of manufactures both in
value and in rent-Both government and peo-
pie OF all ranks are now very patriotic in encou-
raging home manufacturers in preference to TO-
reign, though the latter fhould be better in qua
iitY In the bef gentemen's houfes it is now
cultomary to fee whilkey in preference to BRAN
dy and gin-and rum is very little drank either
The poor universally prefer whifleey on &C.
YUM VI no Outy OH DrdnOY on
Iy is about SIS per gallon-and whifey is re-
tailed at and los per gallon-of all the arti-
clcs fully manufactured, allowed to BIZ import
ed into Britain, the quantity confirmed is yearly
diminiihiug and giving way to their fubftitutes /;
fome of the duties as high as goo per cent.
and the lowef, for example Ruffia linens are rs
per cent--io that the home articles, though not
quite 10 good, come now as cheap.-In Mort
every article for men and women's wear---e.
very article for furniGhng our houfes, &c. &c.
are all manufactured in Great-Britain.
I" In fhort no people in the world can be
more attentive to encourage their own manu-
features than we are nor can any government
be more ready to grant protecting dsties. At
the fame time mutt acknowledge there is too
much ignorance and unbounded vanity among
all ranks-and no where does it appear more
than among the publhers of newspapers--who
mlilead and hdtter the people, becaufe they are
exceeding willing to be miIled and aattered.-
Would you believe it, that they actually are
made to think that the late prohibition by your
congreis, againlt the importing Of certain arti-
Giles Of Btitjfh manufactures, NUT be repealed,
becaUie they FAY you canot do without our ma.
nufaeiures, and il we only have little patience,
you will be glad to humble yourfelves at the
feet OF Britain, and beg them to fend you goods.
We are taught to believe that all France is win,
iug to diiplace BonaParfs, and put on the fuc-
ceiiion again in the line Of the Bourbons al
though Bonaparte is 1000 miles from his CAPT.