Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-07-13
From The Sdrunaah Republicans.
FAST-ELORIDA.

y
E.st-Florida abounds IN internal advan.
,apes sufficient to make il one OF the most
important divisions of North America, and
much more so than many that are already
opulent. lis level face and mild climate is
nol exceeded in point of salubrity, by any
par, of either continents of America. Its
extensive lands, fertile in the production Of
many valuable articles OF agricuture-rich
IN spontaneous high growth and pasturage,
and Astounding in native quadrupeds, lay
waste to the amount of above fifteen mil
lions OF acres. It's water courses are nume-
rous, navigable and proiusely supplied with
variety Of seal skin and shell fish, and
their shores at certain seasons well supplied
with wild fowl. Its stores Of lumber are i'm
mense and the qualities OF many of them
are preferred in all countries where they
have been used, TO those OF the same classes
found elsewhere, particularly It's pine,
cedar, cypress, and live oak, which are
kinds OF himbe- more universally desired in
terrestrial an Smarine structures and are the
CLASSES in which it most abounds. Florida
zinc has beeD purchased in Savannah for
Ship building at so per cent. higherin price
than the pine of Georgia, though but about
degrees difference in latitude, and il is
well known that the Florida pine has had a
preference in the royal dock-yards OF Eng
land TO any other pine that has been used
there.
The expectations Of Florida, amounting
al present; to almost nothing, could be very
great if il had sufficient population. For
the last twenty years, there has been eSpor-
ted one barrel OF turpentine, the produce OF
this province, whereas when 1t was an in
FAINT colony OF Great Britain, one contractor
shipped from St. Johns river, in one sea-
son twenty thousand barrels.-Again in
Savannah river, Georgia, which is in no
wise superior 10 the river ST. Johns, are
loaded hundreds OF vessels per year. while
fine whole Of this province does not load ten
vessels in year, Notwithstanding Florida
has many more advantages arising from its
local situation--such as extensive fishing
streams, superabundantly supplied large
fields for wracking in the peculiar situation
of IFS coasts and keys-a more southern
climate. more genial to the cultivation OF
some important articles of commerce, and
10 many valuable spontaneous productions
of>nature, &c.
It's expectations might consist of many
articles, viz: the four classes Of lumber al
ready mentioned, and many others; cotton;
wool, hemp. indigo, tobacco, pot and pearl
ash, myrtle and beeSwax, turpenllue, tar,
rosin, pitch, indian corn, rice, rye, barley,
oats, grape and orange wine, grape brandy,
whiskey, malt liquors, pease and beans, o.
mary kinds, a long list OF esculent and me.
dicinai roots, culinary, medicinal and ma,
nufacturing oils, beef, pork, fish, butter,
cheese, lard, peltry, &c. &c. Sugar and
llour have not been fairly tried; but in
Georgia, lying more north, the former is
made in gseat perfection, and the latter in
Loui,ians directly west: there is 10 reason
10 lou5t of the lucrative productions in Fio-
riis-and its southern parts viii suit the
growth Of coffee for forming long Pc
ninsula between the two CULTS, the Atlantic
and Mexican. the climate becomes much
more southern than the latitude warrants.
These advantages lie dormant only from
the want of hands 20 pa: them in motion.