The Washington union., 1857-11-13
INDIA AND IT'S ooxxrRcE wrrH ALL NATIONS

INDIA AND TIS COMMEHCE WITH ALL NATIONS
The leading commercial journals OF Great Britain,
among which the London Economist dcservcdly
holds the first rznk, have toemcd OF late with lengthy
and elaborate dsquisions relative TO the wonderful
and satisfactory progress which the people Of India
have made in the cultivation Of the SOIL and of the
rapid increase Of their wealth during the past few
years. A minute examination Of the details Of the
trade Of India will these Journals think satisfy every
one that the influence Of British rule has been sink
ing deep into the minds of the valuable and produc-
tive classics and that may hopefully look forward
to the future TO the fuller development of the won
derful riches of the eastern empire aud to that grad
ua but sure civilization and amelioration Of the con-
dition of the natives which intercourse promoted by
the mutual intcrests of trade cannot fail to effect
We would fain believe that this glowing picture is
not too highly colored, and even that tho .'popua-
ton Of British India leaving out the small minority
which compose the high castles, who devote their
lives to turbulence and intrigue is at once perse-
vering industrious, and provident = but the history
of the East Indies, especially that history is illus
trated by it's foreign commerce. would seem to point
to different conclusions Supposng this to be the case
however, and still we are not prepared to follow
the British journals in the unwarrantable assump-
on, contradicted is by the very first principles
Of political economy, and equally at variance with
the necessities and the purposes Of enlightened COM
merce, that the fact that India makes every coun-
other words that every country is indebted to India
a trade, furnishes indisputabe evidence either Of
tho snre civilization of any amelioration in the
condition Of the great of the people of India
We think the fact-for fact it unquestionably is---
proves just the reverse for it argues that with all
the natural resources of Indaits magnificent rivers,
offering every natural facility for commercial inter-
courscits exuberant soil yielding almost spontane
ously articles essential to the wants of every civ
ilized nation--ts cotton wool, silk, indigo jute,
hemp, fax seeds, and os--its millions upon mil
lions Of inhabitants mutual interests of trade"
have, far, proved incapable Of awakening spirit
of social Improvement or Of introducing among tho
great masses Of the people any Of the comforts and
appurtenances Of civilized progress which,
among tho most barbarous and uncnlightened ma
tons ever follow upon the footsteps Of commercial
intercourse, especially if supported by Christian phi
lanthropy. If tho heavy balance of trade which In
dia holds against the nations of the earth is to be
considered an evidence Of social and industrial prog
ress. then China should long since have ranked
among the most enlightened and advanced nations
of Christendom; for, except little triAe of rice
an odd cargo of notions and then in the legti-
mate trade, and as much opium as the East India
Company can smugglc in in the illicit traffic, China
must also have hard cash for her costly and valuable
productions and this is simply because the inhabi-
tants of the Celestial Empire still wrapped up in
their primeyal exclnsiveness-their total isolation
from all that tends to civilize advance, improve
man, and elevate him to the rank of intelli-
gent social civilized human being So long this
state Of barbarian continues, the of the peo
pie will live in ignorance Of the comforts and luIu
ries which commerce and commercial intercourse
ever supply, Nor is it different in India. The vast
balance Of trade against every nation having COM
mercial intercourse with British India of itself de-
monstrates the slow progress that has been made
during whole century in elevatins tho standard OF
industrial or social progress in Inda--in emancpa-
ting the people from the trammels of ancient preju-
diccs and rescung them from the influence Of demor
azing and depressing traditions.
The fact relied upon by the British journals in sup
port OF uelI tneoIy--naHcy, tuaG Tic lneICnaHS OI
Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras the moro agents
Of the consumers, scattered throughout the country
to the most remote proves too much for if
only one yard Of calico at 10 each OF
these consumers, the annual imports Of this arti
Gle alone would amount in value TO over Sl50OOO00;
while point Of fact the total value of all merchan-
disc imported into the three presidencies Of Bengal
Bombay, and Madras, and their dependencies does
not reach that fgure-scarcey exceeding $l2, ,O0O,-
900 annually The balance Of trade against the world
in its commerce with the East Indies is nevertheless
immense but not relatively greater than is the an
nua balance Of trade in favor Of China, and against
all nations that its teas and Silks The fol-
lowing statement exhibits the actual state Of the i'm
port and export trade Of the presidency of Bengal
with the leading countries in 1856:
Countries. Imports. Exports.
France ,247, ,480 $3768, $50
United States 447,7x0 5,l69, 200
China. ---------- 1,007,8lO 16,424 42O
Australia --------- l73,980 745, $50
Singapore re-.------------.---- 404150 1850, 800
Persian Gulf 327, 642, $50
Pegu- ------------------- H5,655 l,S94O5O
Mauritius- us--------..--------- 1868 96T, ,O45