Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-10-14

lniSS VIII Dc turtucr Illustrated Dy the evil
dence of Mr. Maryat, supported by sa,isfac-
tory documents, which show the charges OF
freight and insurance on sugar from the hos
tile colonies, through the United States Of
America, To- the ports ofHoliand and Fan
ders, and to those of the Mediterranean, to
be less by IS lid. i'll the former, aud by
lbs. Cd. to the latter, than those charges OH
British sugars to the same ports.
Your committee cannot omit 20 state a.
mother important advantage enjuyedby the
French colonies from the sale of nearly the
whole French mercantile marine to neu-
trails, under the stipulation of each vessel
being returned into French ports, in order
to be navigated as French ships, within
twelve months after peace, and with the
IenJoyment during war, OF the sanTe priv
ieges i'll the ports of France, as if they were
actually French for instance, import su-
gar at a duty Of Is. per cwt. less than the
duty imposed OH sugar imported in neutral
vessels.
| In order tn Counterbalance, in some de-
gree, the advantages thus enjoyed by tie
hostile colonies, 70 the detriment Of the Hr,-
fish planter, it has been recommended,
that blockade of the ports of the encmy's
settlement should he resortcd to s,Ich a
measure, if it could nc strictly enforced,
!
port trade.
! But measure of more permanent and
certain advantage would be the enforce
tnent OF those restrictions on the trade be-
tween neutrais and cncmy's colonies which
were formerly maintained by Great Bril-
tam, and from the relaxation of which the
enemy's colonies obtained ind recJly, du-
ring war, all the advantages If peace ;
while our own colonies, in the intercourse
with whom that syStein of monopoly, which
has been held ESSENTIAL to the commerce.
ia' and military navy of this country, is ri
lgcrously enforced, are deprived of the ad-
lNamtaScs under which in former wars they
Carried their produce to the foreign mar
kcts, and which in the present war, by
means ot oar dec d.d naval superiority,
would have amounted to the exclusive sup
/ ply OF the whole OF Europe and when those
extraordinary measures are taken into con-
slider ttion which have been adopted-to ex-
clude the British colonial produce from the
European market, it appears to your COM
mittee to be matter of evident and impe-
rious necessity, to resort TO such system,
as by impeding and restricting, and, as
tar as possible, preventing the export Of
the produce of the encmv's colonies from
the places OF lis growth, shall compel the
cnntlnent TO have recourse To the only source
OF supply which, in that event, would be
open TO it.
As 1t may be apprehended that from the
ador,i ion ofsuch measures. difficulties might
arise IN that intercourse from which the
West Indies at present derive consider
able proportion of some of their supplies,
your committee have thought it their duty
to make enquiry into the resources IN that
respect to- which recourse might be had in
such an event. During the only period
which affords an example of the suspense
on OF that intercourse, the evidence c1ncurs
as to the fact of supply having been OBJ
tanned (though not Without temporary and
occasional Inconvenience from a variety
OF sources which may reasonably be relied
! upon, III case of such necessity, at the pre-
sent moment, to n greater amount than tue
former period. From the examination of
| persons wholn consequence oftheirrCsidnce
III the British North American settleIn ents
}or extensive commercial connections with
them, possess the best information as to
their present and future resources, there
rs ground 10 believe that some supply ofthe
principal articles OF lumber might be OBJ
tanned from thence Immediately, and to
expect that, with due encouragement, the
quantity OF that supply might be increased
to any extent.
| Inc supply OF Hour which they could at
/ present afford to the West India market
would be small and of inferior quality.
They appear to be capable of affording a
large supply of fish and what deficiency
might exist in other articles of salt proyi
SONS might be made up by supplies from
Europe.
| Upon the whole, the impre ssion which
| your committee have received is, that the
trade now carried on between the British
West Indies and the United States of Anne
RIGA, Is very convenient ard advantageous
TO the inhabitants of our colonies, and one
which they could not relnquish without es.
sehtal detriment, unless it were compen-
stated by other advantages-but that it is
not essential TO their existence, or eauiva.
ltntto the disadvantages of their situation.
IN those respects which your committee
have already gone through in the present
statement.
Your committee having briefly stated the
distressed situation OF the West India plan.
ter--the causes which have gradually pro-
duced this distress, which were beyond his
reach to remedy, and which must continue
to operate with increased cffect-and ha-
wing stated such measures Of relief AS have
lbeen suggested to them, and such as, from
The best sources Contamination. appearances
adequate to the end in view, have only Il
add, that IL those remedies are liable to oh.
Elections and difficulties, there is on the o.
Their hand the strongest concurrent testi.
moDy and proof, that unless some speedy
and efficient measures of relief re .,tc,,