Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1850-01-17
GLASGOW, MISSOURI THURSDAY, JANUARY a. 1850.

rious-but it will be more or less useful
as il co.operates more or less with the
productive industry Of the country
The mere carriage Of commodities by
sea or land is necessarily profitable
only 10 the carrier who is paid for it.
Ii may be useful or not to others ac-
cording to circumstances. The farmer
finds a railroad great convenience,
but he understands that it is better EN-.
ployed in carrying away his seed. wheat
and manure.
The commerce which should consist
in carrying cotton seed abroad, to be
there grown, would not be so useful as
that which is now occupied in export
ing the raw cotton grown at home
We should easily understand, also, that
the commerce thus employed would be
much more limited in amount and much
less profitable to the carriers than we
now have. Yet our present commerce
is, in fact, of the same nature with that
above described. The seed bears to
the cotton the same relation which the
cotton bears to the cloth. If we now
export cotton of the value of about six
ty.six millions, the same cotton, when
converted into cloth. would make an
export of some two hundred and sixty.
four millions, or some two hundred and
forty-ive millions after deducting the
fifteen or twenty millions which would
be required for our own consumption
lin addition to the portion of our pres.
ent manufactures consumed at home }
and our imports would be thereby in
like manner increased. England, at this
moment, derives large portion of her
power from spinning and weaving our
cotton. When we shall spin and weave
il ourselves, make our own iron, and
manufacture our other staples, we shall
have transferred 10 this country the
great centres of wealth, commerce, civ.
iization. and political, as well as moral
and intellectual power.
At present, we are far from having
the amount of foreign commerce which
is due TO our position. as a vast y pro-
duclive country, with an extensive
coast, good harbors, great internal
water.courses, and a people unsurpass.
ed in maritime skill and enterprise.
Our annual products were estimated d
by my predecessor in this Department,
at three thousand million dollars, while
our average exports are about one hun.
dred and thirteen millions, and our i'm.
ports about one hundred and six mil
lions, making together two hundred and
nineteen millions, exclusive of gold and
silver and Of foreign commodities i'm
ported and re.exported. An eminent
British authority estimates the annual
creation of wealth in Great Britain and
Ireland, at between two thousand one
hundred and two thousand two hun
dred millions. If we add, for articles
omitted by him, between three and
four hundred millions, we shall have a
total of two thousand five hundred
millions. The British exports and i'm
ports amount annually 10 about five hun.
dred and twenty millions exclusive of
gold and silver, and of foreign com.
modilies imported and re.exported. If
their foreign trade were brought down
10 our scale upon this estimate, il would
be reduced 10 about one hundred and
eighty.three millions. If ours were
raised 10 their scale, it would reach
about six hundred and twenty. four mil.
lions.
Estimating the population Of Great
Britain and Ireland at thirty millions,
and our population at twenty. one mil
lions, their foreign trade averages SIT
SO for each individual; ours $40 d.
If their foreign trade were no greater
than ours in proportion it would be re.
duced from five hundred and twenty TO
three hundred and twelve millions. If
our foreign trade were as great in pro-
portion TO population as is theirs, it
would be swelled in amount from two
hundred and nineteen to three hundred
and sixty.four millions.
A leading cause of the existing diff.
ference is 10 be found in the fact, that
Great Britain expects chiefly what she
has first brought 10 the form in which
it is ready for ultimate consumption; it
is at the stage ofits highest value. and
her market is almost co-extensive with
the civilized world
All history shows that where are the
work shops of the world, there must be
the marts of the world, and the heart oi
wealth, commerce, and power. Ills a:
vain to hone TO make these marts by
providing warehouses. as it would be
to make crop by building barns.
w. Whether we can have work
shops 10 work up, al least, our own ma.
terias, must depend upon the question
whether we have or can obtain suffi
cient advantages 10 justify the pursuit
of this kind of industry.
The circumstances favorable to pro,
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