Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-04-10

mes ana tVesV' Au shc 'HohH VI mo.
ysnber 1906, when Bonaparte had over.
thrown the kingdom Of Prussia, he issu..
ed d decree, dated at Berlin, its capital,
in which lie stated, that as England had
adopted nequ principles of mara,ime law,
injurious to the commerce OF his domi.
Mons, carried on by neu;rals, to retaliate
ON her, be thought it proper to decree
that Great Britain, her colonies and de.
Tendencies should be considered lin q
state of blockade-so as to make the
commerce of neutrals to any port within
them illegal, subjecting to capture and
condemnation, every vessel and cargo
going TO or coming from any such port
Great Britain in January 1907, adopted
an order in council, prohibiting the di.
rect trade of neutrals between the ports
of her enemy, or what is called the
ceasting trade. And in November, in
the same year, France having in the
mean time carried into effect her Der.
lin decree against the trade of this coun.
try, Great Britain adopted another order
in souncil, by which all the commerce
of neu,rals with France, and her deten-
deneies, was prohibited. This measure
being adopted as retaliatory of the Der.
lin decree. Subsequent to this time,
the French emperor issued another de-
cree called the Milan decree, whereby
it was ordaiped that all neutral vessels
and their cargoes should be lawful prize,
if their commanders permitted their
ships to be visited by the officers of Bril-
fish cruizers and to obtain evidence OF
such visits, one third Of the proceeds of
the prize was offered to the seamen on
board, who should give information to
the officers Of the French customs. In
April 1909, the British government mo.
CITED their order in council, so as to IL
init their prohibitory effect to the neutral
trade with France, Holland, as far north
as the river Ems, and small part of
Italy. By this modification consde.
rable part OF the coast Of Europe, COM
pretended in the order of November,
1907, as the I" ependencies of France"
was thrown open TO neutral commerce.
Thus stood the orders in council, in
point of principle, when war was declar.
ed.
OF their effects on the commerce Of
this country will say few words. The
principal articles which we had been in
the habit of sending to France, Holland
and Italy, were tobacco, cotton, and w
India produce; such as coffee, sugar, sc
BY the municipal equation" ofFrance
our merchants were not permitted to sell
their tobacco, after having paid enor-
nous duties, to any person but to the
agents of the government, who being
without competition, gave such prices
as suited themselves. The consequence
was, that the tobacco sold there did not
bring first cost. Cotton was taxed upon
an average sixty cents pound impos'
duty, which in effect was calculated 70
exclude it entirely. And as to all kind.
of West India produce, their impnrta
ton was prohibited unless by special Ii
censes. Besides all this, our merchant.
were not permitted to bring away the
proceeds of their investments, either in
money or such articles as they wanted
they were compelled to take chiefly
French brandies and silks as return car
goes. The effect Of these regulations
was, that no regular merchant would
venture his property in such trade
4 IL fnnCflu Il
making shipments OF domestic produce
to france and her dependencies Thus
you will readily see tina, if the British
orders in council had not existed, our
trade with her enemy could have been
of little Importance to the interest of this
country.
This being the state Of things, could |
not consent to go to war for commerce,
which itaccorded to US unmolested, no
prudent man in The county would be
concerned in. Though teH the in U.s.
tice of The British government in assam
ing control over neutral enterprise, to
which it was not Untitled, yet was not
so far carried away by the impulse o!
my feelings, as to suppose Wal Tor a
mere abstract right, either prudent or
necessary. Had Great Britain by an OIL
der In council, interdicted all trade with
the empire Of Japan would any person
have advised war against her on that
account No Aud ahylnst? Because
we never had and never can have any
trade with that country, so long as the
regulations fits government, excIud-
g all Christian nations: shall remain
And yet such an order in hoint cfhri"-
'itle, would be as much a violation OF
'ur neutral rights, as any that has ex-
stcd.
On the subject of impressments of
our seamen the public sensibili,y has
been much excited, and confess have
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