The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1837-11-22
MEMOIR or RHODE-IsLAND.
1863.
The topn of Newport in the zenith Of its
80. MAGNITUDE.

4 ne fODH OI NeUpOTt W. tHe ~tHHH ~ HS
s ss.s 80 magnitude.
We have now arrived at that period
when the town of Newport had attained its
greatest altitude. Perhaps, in a business
and commercial point of view, the period
had little passed
The town of Newport was said to con-
tain population of, at least, eleven thou
sand, and although no census, taken by au
thority, ever reached that number-vet
we must consider that in Colonial times,
those only were enumerated who were set
tied inhabitants, and even all of them, from
the policy of that day, were MOI searched
out, from desire TO underrate, rather than
overrate the apparent strength of the several
Colonies and towns, to prevent beng over
burthened with the acquisitions made, in
war, for men and money, as well as to inn
press the mother country with belief that
the Colonies were unable to bear much
taxation.
Newport had seen the day when as n
commercial town she was second, in colo
nial consequence, only to Boston; and at
this time, although she yielded to New
York, in local trade, she was still her
superior as to foreign aud domestic nav
igation. The commerce of the town was
great, indeed, when compared with its pop
ulntiou for in l764, as has been shown un-
der that date-in the answer of the Cover
nor and company of r. Island to the Lords
Commissioners of Trade g. Piantdti0ns--
that by the customhouse books in Newport
it appeared that from Jan. 1863 to Jan. II
"a there had been "lS4 sail Of vessels bound
on foreign voyages, that is, to Europe, If
ried, anil the West Iaaies-352 sail of yes-
sells employed in the coasting trade, that is,
between Georgia and Newfoundland inclu-
sive, which with the fishing vessels, are nav
igated by at least 1900 seamen." We have
no detailed account, and of course cannot
exactly say what proportion of the nayiga-
ton of the Colony belonged to tn" metrop-
nlis, but VIC may safely conclude that from
two thirds to three quarters must have been
from the the town of Newport. An enter
terprising merchant of Newport (Mr. Aaron
Lopez) is said to have been the first, or a.
mong the first, who pushed the whaling
business as far as the Falkland Islands He
was large owner of vessels and employed
at one time 30 sail of various sdenominations.s
1t thus appears that the departures on
foreign voyages were lS4, and allowing
their arrivals to have been the same-there
must have been vessel sailed for, or ar
rived from, a foreign country, at the full rate
Of one day the year round. Among the
rest of her foreign navigation, Newport
supported regular line of London Pack
cts.
This foreign commerce, with the addit-
ion of the 352 sail of coasting vessels, as
above mentioned, belonged to the little Col
ony of r. Island-then containing less than
$4,000 inhabitants.
From the same account il appears ,ha,
$50 vessels were employed in the West In
dia trade, and imported from thence I4,O0O
hogsheads of Molasses annually, which en-
tered at the Custom House in Newport,
together with Sugar, Rum, Coffee, &c.)
As IT was the custom of that day to avoid
the Revenue Laws ny running portion OF
every cargo, we may suppose the quantity
OF $4,000 hogsheads to be much underra,ed
OF the molasses imported, a large por-
ton was distilled into New England Rum
and exported to Africa and sold for Slaves
Gold dust, and Bills on England.
The trade to Africa, in Nep England
Rum, was first found out by the merchant.
of Newport, in the year l723, where it soon
rivalled the French trade to that country ia
Brandy and the merchants Of Newpor
having first introduced the article there
continued to reap good profit, which IN.
creased the business of distilling, until tn,
disiIileries in the Colony amounted to 80 o.
over-tweniy-two Of which were in ,h'
town OF Newport. As for any thing like
statistical history Of the towu Of Newpor
before the Revolutionary war. ne are una
ble to furnish 1.-THE men Of those dav
.Tniit.0n varies. some say n all