Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-05-20

but they are likewise volumc of POLITICAL
mater, more Instructive nan has ever be-
fore been submitted 10 the public. 1t may
be confidently said, that the rights ct neu
raj nations are explained and defended In
them with greater perspicuiiy arl iorce
Than in any perfDr mances extan;. "A.
these are at present, and will probably
long continue 20 be the great poiats al is
sue between This and other countries, and
will constitute the causes OF most Of our
rup.ures with them, it becomes indispen-
sibly requisite, that the constituent body
should be fully and correctly informed, to
qualify them for forming just judgmen,
OH the measures Of their representatives.
The most important debate that remains
TO be published is that which took place
on The act giving The President power TO
suspend, on certain events, The embargo
This debate was conducted with much
talent, and ;nvolved q discussion not mere
ly OF the bill under consideration, but OF
he embargo generally, and of the state
oil our foreign relations. We shall give
the whole oft as soon as possible. There
iY interesting debates in the Senate in
the case OF John Smith as well as g.
Their deba IS Of interest in the House OF
representatives. Ed. Nat. Intel.
From Cofoia's WashngtOn city Monitor.
British Commerce. --Itis well worth
inquiry by what means the English
nation have risen to their late exalted
ctatc of commercia! and naval prospe-
rity. In former times it was with
great difficulty the sovereigns Of that
contry could procure money sufficient
to maintain their royal state, without
resorting to the most cruel exactions.
In the 18th century Henry the third
consigned over the Jews of England
to the earl of Cornwall as security for
the loan of sum Of money which his
necessities required. The case of the
Bristol Jew is well known: being ve-
ry rich king John demanded Of him
10000 marks, and adjudged him to
have tooth drawn every day until he
paid the amount; having lost seven
teeth, he complied. To such misera-
BIZ shifts were they obliged to reso,
for pecuniary supplies. 1t was in the.
year 1877 that the English first began
to extend their navigation to the Bal
tic; andin 1914 so ignorant were ley
of geography, that the pope having de-
clared Lewis of Spain prince of the
Fortunate Islands (meaning the Cana
ries) the English ambassador and his
retinue at Rome thought he had been
created king OF England, and hurried
home to convey the information vet
at that very tips there were 10000
learning bad latin and worse logic. In
1853, in the reign of Mary, 1900
pounds being voted for the Navy, it
was thought that 10000 pounds per
annum would be sufficient thereafter,
repairing and victualling included. In
1853 the seameu in ENGLAND amour
ted to very little more than $4,000
the number of vessels az the same Pc
Rod was about 1892, and only ply of
them were above 80 tons. In 1888,
at the death of Queen Elizabeth, she
left only ~ vessels of war, of which
none were above 1000 tons twenty
three below 500; some of so, and
some of 90 tons the whole number
of the guns of the feet was IA. A
bout the year 1890 English manufac-
tares were very low: and foreign
wares had preference.
How has il happened then. that in
the course ofless than three centuries.
England has increased her navy 10
more than 1000 ships of war, laid the
world under contribution to her manu-.
features, and filled every sea and ha-
ven with her commerce? How comes
1t that her monarchs, who were wont
to sell and torture Jews for few thou
sand pounds, have now at command
as many millions as they wish?
The rise and progress of the mari
time superiority of that nation can We.
ry clearly be traced in their history
Though the English were not the first
to discover, they were always the first
to improve any branch of trade com
menced by others. In 1851, when
tie privileges of the stilI-yar.! mer-
chants were revoked, English com