Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-07-04
From the Rsstos Daily advertiser
COMMUNICATION. i

France.
This writer who has had in all cases re 4
coarse to official documents where they
could be procured, states the external COM
,nerce Of France to be but one slxteenth
mart of it's internal trade. This we have
10 doubt = correct. We have often en-
leavored to impress this idea on the
minds Of our friends, that no country ex-
cept perhaps Great Britain can be com,
pared 10 France, in point OF resources and
opulence. Its interior trade and capital
are vast, we may say prodigious, and
these are the most unequivocai marks OF
general prosperity. Such opinions we
have always entertained from close IN
spectioa Of the cities and internal COM
aerce Of that country.
Although the external commerce Of
France, bears but the proportion Of one
sixteenth to its internal trade, yet France
experts one year with another says our au-
thor, from $40 to $50 millions OF Francs.
that is. from 60 to IS millions of dollars ;
of which more than half arise from ma
nusactured articles-one third from pro-
ducts of the soil, and only ono sixth from
foreign articles re.exported. What a
vast idea this affords Of the interior trade
az d industry of France
She supports population Of 80 mil.
lions. many Of them in great luxury, and
exports so millions OF dollars Of her own
productions besides.
Supports do We say . She has for so
years waged war with all the world, and
comes out of itas vigorous and wealthy as
she entered it. Think only Of her being
able to pay in cash as lord Castlereagh
states, pounds sterling head for one
million other enemies troops on her soil,
and this besides supporting them. Yet
her public credit stands as high as it did
three years since, and almost or quite as
high as ours. Her FIVE per cents are at
SO and 60-nr 7 per cents at about go
|or 81.
Though France exports $50 millions o.
francs, yet she imports only ESQ millions.
The balance of the trade as it is usually
called, is in her favor. This will proba-
bly, long endure. Her productions are
in demand in every country where there
is any luxury. Her demands on the O.
Their hand from other countries are not
great, except for colonial produce and
cotton.
The French have cultivated more than
any o,her people a taste for their own
predictions, and disrelish for those of
other nations. Wit, ridicule and arsu.
ment, are all employed and have been for
centu les in rendering the predictions of
other nations disagreeablo to the French
people. The effect has been great. There
is nothing which thev can endure fran o.
taer countries, at least of the productions
OF human industry, except the hard ) are
of England, her manufactures in leather
and her carriages. They do acknowledge
soa. e merit in her fine cotton goods, 6 in
her Embellishments they admit she is
Although We find much to praise in this
French work, yet there are other things
which we would censure, Il some which,
create smile,
A frenchman can never think Of the L :.
States without either :. an itching palm
Or watering meuth" il one may be Per
'ntted to quote vulgarisms on such to
nick. They have longing desire, an
mex inguishable thirst 6 a Sc meier de
nos affalres.'
Nothing vexes them SO mach as to sec
SO fine and fair portion of the world, so
Aourishing, SO full of money, with which
they have so little concern. Tallevrand
wrote book purposely to complain Of
this, and to sowieaIousles between us and
Bnslahd. F ance always looks to sur
policy with interest, and although we
have for a shor, time escaped from her
tolls and have begun to breathe, she is
spreading them anew with wonderful pa
tiencs
Depend upon it. an intimate union with
France will be the scope of the policy Of
both cabinets. The last 60 years will
show what viii be the consequences :!
All our foreign broils have resulted from
the intrigues of France.
Our author thus concludes chapteron
the benefits which France eau derive iron,
the United States.
8: TO these considerations, Of interest
in commercial view, may be joined
those of policy. The United States of
America are in regard to England, in tie
same situation in which France is placed.
They will be by their vicinity t. Canada
and by the jealousies of trade, eternal RI