The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-10-24

dispense. There are several branches of
our coasting trade, of degree of i,npor-
lance. not, indeed. approaching nearly to
this. but still of greater importance to us.
than Ill our foreign commerce put together.
~, tor instance, only one Years interruption
we're to take place in the exchange of Goals
tor timber between Cumberland, on the one
part, and Hampshire and Sussex on the o
Their part. the woods Of these latter coun
tries. must be burnt to keep the people from
perishing. whereas by the exchange now
going on, these woods are preserved, the
people have fuel in plenty, and that fuel, af
ter having given comfort in that capacity,
becomes valuable manure for the land
One years interruption of this exchange,
would do England more harm than woa Il
be done bv the sinking of all foreign coun
tries to the bottom of the sea. This is
however, only one instance out of hundreds
which might be enumerated and, with
out any thing more being said it must l
think, be as clear as the sun at noon day.
that If tie enemy were able to put stop to
our cossting trade, it might a once be as
serted, that he had it in his power to
reduce us to his own terms, be they what
they might.
1t isnot then worth the while of your ma
Jesty's servaDts-it is not worth the while
Quoting of the war, to enquire what is the
extent of the coasting trade of the French
empire, and to inform themselves rs to the
means OF destroying, or. at least, interrupt
ing that trade? To attack, or to oppose
Napoleon III Spain, Naples. Sicily. Sweden,
Denmark. Hanover or in the East or West
Indies, is what it would be fer an enemy TO
attack us in Nova Scotia, Canada or in any
OF our colonies where, though defeat nigh
produce modification, it would not serious.
" effect us either in our comforts or i'm the
sources OF our national strength. We should
regret the loss Of Canada. perhaps or of a
West India Island but the loss, like that
OF child out of numerous family, would
not be felt in our affairs. We should still be
as itch and as strong as before but cut off
the means OF sending corn anil timber, and
iron, and tin, and coal, along our coast, from
one part of the kingdom to the other, and
the distress is instantly felt. In fact, the
different parts of the kingdom can no more
dispense with the coasting trade, than the
farmer Can dispense with the aid of the black
smith and the wheel wright
This, it will, perhaps, be said, is not the
case with the countries under the dominion
OF Napoleon. But will it then, be asserted
that those countries, though extending al
most across the whole of the European con
tinent, and including such a variety of eli
mates, are nevertheless, so circumstanced
as TO be able to exist, and contentedly too
without any commerce with each other !;
that Is to say, without any exchange of ma
turai productions, or of manufacturers
he truth is that the commerce between
the several parts of this vast empire is so
great that conveys of eighty hundred, and
even OF two hundred sail, are frequently seen
and by your majesty's fleets too, CARRYING
on this trade in perfecJ security. These
consist chiefly of luggers, or zebecs. of 4
light draught of water, from so To 100 tons
ourthen, and are navigated by a proportion
ate number of seamen. There are employ
ed in this commerce, from tire river IF }or
deauX. alone thirty three thousand sea,nen
and upwards The coasts of the Mediter.
rantan TEEN with this commerce Its ports,
harbours and bays swarm with vessels; and
at no time was the commerce so great De-
tween France and Italy on the one side.
and between France and Holland and the
North, on this other side, as it is at this mo.
,ment. while y,ur Majesty's servants are
boastIng. that they have a navy that scours
the ocean. and that England engrosses
the commerce of the world" While they
amuse themselves, and the nation, with this
empty Wanting the commerce of France
ana her Vassai 81, es, carried on almost with
III the reach OF the naked eye of our ADM
rails, far exceeds. in the means of contribu
ting towards Acknowledgement, the commerce
gt England and OF all her allies The gen
1gal persuasion here is, that all the people
Lder the sway of France, are suffering
I'm causes almost similar to those which
thet the inhabitants of besieged town ::
nat he people of the North can get 40
WINE oil, and that those of the South can
bc' no ern; that there are no materials to
lpaAe so'ts of any sort, and that all is de-
LAY ana hitery, and that Sureiy, the poor.
pese drea' Phched people must, sureiy they
! mus, soon De EisEed to desperation; must
| feVolt, and musttea. Napoleon and his go-
Ternmeht to morels. This has been The
expectation for Year,. in like manner as. for
years before, Mr.. Pitt, and the Foreign pen.
sloner Sir Francis D'Iversois kent alive the
constant expectation, tina, France would
become bankrupt and woflS then he com.
PEELED to submit TO her enemies. AS the ma.
ton was deceived then, so it "a deceived
now and So. greatly fear, it wihrontin1e
10 be deceived, until knowledge Ind he
let OF the truth will come too late. ON
tnlhg' indeed, has staggered many of c>pn
the credulous part of the nation and thai
is the fact OF France being able still to re.
ne" her squadrons and her maritime expe-
ditions. For this astonishing power of Gre
aunS maritime force is altogether incom-
Pa'foie VITA the assertions Of your Males
y $ servants respecting the ruined state of
tne Commerce Of France. The commerce
OK france being annihiated," we cannot
nelP wondering that the ports of Brest and
hochetort should be continually sending forth
t"elr "quaorons we cannot help being