Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-01-11
(Mr. Llouds Speech continasd. }

6
seriously affected by her want OF 6reG9 sfxl5,,
Of timber, oftobacco, or ef.cotfo7A oir, |
am sorry that in this discussion we have to
refer SO much to foreign nations, and some
times to appear. to place their resources IN
opposition to our own but know OF no
other way, into which to take into consl-
deration the propricty of this embargo, or
the effects that are likely to be produced
from it. The statements, if correct, must
be known to them, if not to ourselves ahd
zvs ought also to knew them.
The gentleman from Virginia thinks that
She want of our bread sfs.f viii affect 9.
s Britain. From his extensive knowledge ne
must know, that the annual consumption OF
grain in Great Britain is estimated at about
one hundred and fifty millions of bushels
that the whole of our exports, reconyertlne.
the -four into wheat, is about seven millions
three hundred thousand bushels. Now adj
hitting that every kernel of this grain used
s to be sent to Great Britain, (which IS very
far from the iact) does the gentleman expect
seriously to operate on Great Britain, by
retaining wishinour ports FIVE per cent. o.
all the grain she consumes? Surely not,
sir.
The gentleman also thinks that the want
Of our tirnberE may affect her. Does he re-
collect that she has at command the forests
cfSweden, Of Canada, Nova Scotia, New
Brunswick, and the whole coast OF South
America? With these resources, is ltpos
sible she can want timder ? no, sir; and
the worst evidence of it for us, is, that she
has lust laid such new duty on timber from
5 the Emitted States, as if the trade were now
open, would amount to nearly a total exclu-
sion fromsit.
VIII she want tobacco ? There are gen
tlemen on this floor so much better inform,
ed respecting this article, that shall say
little abou, it. 1t is not a necessary ofllse,
and what IS produced In the West-lndies,
the Caracas, the Braz;ls, and the Spanish
provinces, must, should presume, be suf-
fcient TO prevent the embargo from affect
ing her by this commodity.
Docs she want cotton2 Yes, sir, she
does. Although the mention made by the
gentlemen of the 6 bad trade at Manches-
ter, is not very happy illustration of the
fact, TOO lively an interest cannot be paid to
this article by the government of the United
States. Its the great staple of the coun-
try, and more especially Of the southern
states. Great-Britain imports 20 millions
Of pounds of cotton annually.
The exports from the United States of
this article amount to about 60 millions Of
pounds; of this, Great Britain takes about
two-thirds say, however, that she receives
from us forty-6ve, or fifty millions pounds
In year, and that this supply is very i'm
portant to her manufactures the question
then is, whether, if we abstain from all m
tercourse with her, she can supply herself
ELSEWHERE / fear she can. In addition
so the INCREASING supply of her own West
India colonies, the Brazils can furnish her
with fifteen millions of pounds. The annu-
al export of cotton by the British from
Bombay to China is from fifteen to twenty
millions OF pounds, which can be sent to
Europe with profit. Here then. are at
least thirty millions of pounds. The cult
vation OF cotton In Bengal is progressing
and Spanish America will further encrease
the stock. But l fear we have in our own
nelghborhood, a much more formidable
competitor than can arise from any of the
aforementioned places: the commerce OF
the whole coast of Guiann is under the con-
troloi Great Britain a coast of 800 miles
IN extent, as well calculated for the produc-
ton of the best kind of cotton as any in the
world, Until within few years II scare G.
iy produced any quantity of importance
1t now brings into the marke more ,ban 6f
teen millions of pounds annually, and is