The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1823-04-15


information, upon subject which has become very
interesting 10 the people Of this country grea
excitement IS getting up the relative importance
Of commerce and manufactures it may be well tc
draw some wisdom from facts and the experience
OF other nations
Extracts from an official British Pamphlet, entitled
administrator. Of the affairs Of Great Britaia &c
at Che cOmmsneenient Of TIE gear 1928"
NATIONAL RESOURCES OF GREAT
BRITAIN.
| At the head Of our national resources it is
usual TO place our foreign trade and commerce.
/ When we carry our attention to the general
imports and exports, we see that they admit Of a
! two-fod division. They may be conveniently
distributed either according to the importance
Of the articles or according TO the.ordcr Of the
countries. IL we follow the first method, our
imports may be stated TO consist of three raain
classes first, the raw materials OF our manufac-
lures second, the materials Of foreign trade :
and third, imported articles for our d lily con-
sumption. If we follow tle order Of the Coun-
tries, the main heads Of our commerce will be,
our trade with Russia and the north of Europe
with Germany, including Prussia aud Holland ;
| with France with Spain with Portugal, in
Guiding the Brazils with the East Indies, and
China and places eastward Of the Cape Of Good
Hope with the United States and lastly, with
the British West Indies and North American
colonies. Whichever of these methods we shall
adopt, the general result will be found to be the
same. Il illaPpear beyond all question, that
the general and particular commerce of the
country has very greatly augmented, and is in
that condition of monthly and annual increase
which promises highly for the national prosper
ity. The increase Of Commerce is necessarily
the increase of national wealth. and is attended
with that energy and spirit Of circulation, which
administers funds to labour, and 10 productive
industry Of all classes. They know but little
of the true nature, and Of the necessary effects
Of trade and commerce, who consider their con-
dition to be matters Of indifference 10 all but
merchants. Ii is only by an active commerce
that the circulation OF money can be maintain
ed and augmented, and such an extended de-
mand for agricultural produce created as must
necessarily raise its price. II is il vain to pos
sess a large and increasing production, unless
such populati~N be supplied with the means OF
purchase. But the MASS of the people can only
be so supplied by an augmented demand for
their labour, under a flourishing state Of COM
MERGE The prosperous condition of commerce
is, therefore, Of equal Importance to the landed
interest as to the mercantile class and Consti-
tutcs, in fact, the best hopes of farmers and land
lords, under the actual depreciation of their
produce. The annual increase of our popula-
ton would soon consume the annual produce Of
the soil, if all could be plenhfully fed. But it
is only through an active commerce, that our
mess of labourers now yearly increasing with
our population, can be supplied with the means
of consuming. The more commerce, the more
call for labour the larger employment of la
bourers, the more demand upon the market for
%hoal Il i xuhs .b IL,
es the market; namely, the demand Of those
who can pay for what they require. Without
such means of payment, il is not an inconsistent
circumstance, and is in fact verified in q neigh
bouring country, that there may exist at once
too many mouths, and too much food an excess
of population, and an excess of produce. The
population may be excessive as regards the de-
mand for labour, and the produce maybe exces-
sive as respects the means of purchasers. OF so
much consequence is the condition Of cur trade
and commerce TO all classes of society, and to no
class more especially than to landlords and
farmers.
Another observation before we proceed to the
examination in detail of eur actual commercial
condition. Whilst some writers affect to undes-
value our commerce, and to represent it as to-
tally Insignificant in comparison with our agri-
culture, others appear to fall into contrary err
ror, aud whilst they justly regard our commerce
TO be the support of our home market, they i'm