Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-05-29
ComnlCf cIai Rela lions of Spain with Foreign
all


In his report to the Lords OF the Committee of
Priv Council" O. Great Britain. the commerce
and navigation of Spain, Mr. Macgreggor states
that about 900 900 pounds of tobacco is annually
struggled from Gibraltar into Spain, and about f.
900 900 pounds is exported from the same depot 10
points along the coast where lis candestine lntroduc
lion can be easily effected. In view of these facts,
this distinguished statisi observes "SPain in the
face of this contraband still maintains her royal to-
bacco monopoly" This was written in 1912, and 49,
we regret to say, applicable with equal, if not with
greater force, 10 Spain in 1857 But few days have
passed since we read in the New York papers an
advertisement, from under the hand of the Shanish
consul in that city, invng proposals for supplying
his government with tobacco for the next three
years-lhat is, until 1860. Instead of opening her
ports 10 the free competition OF the flags of all ma
tions and thus supplying her naional factories at
the very lowest pTices-the invarable result of un
fetered trade and commercial rivary--she still ad
heres TO the runous policy of monopolizng lis pur
chase and sale, and OF prohibiting its admission un
less stamped with the admittatur of the consular
agents in the coLntry OF production and. as neces-
sary consequence, borne 10 her ports under the ma
iionaI flag. Tn Ter such system. it cannot be sur
prising that smuggling should be conducted as a
regular, semi.military profession. employing annual
ly no less than 100, 900 men, armed, equipped, and
thoroughly trained for all the emergencies OF their
illegal adventure.
We are happy, however, to be able to announce
tina, the attention of the Spanish government has,
for some time past, been directed to the manifold
evils inseparabe from its restrictive and ruinous sys
tenn OF commercial legislation. Statistical societies
and yceums Of political economy have recently been
organized at Madrid and other large cities in Spain,
in which the laws of economical science and the true
theory of national prosperity and commercial pro.
gIess thoroughly examined and publicly discuss
ed. Statistical periodicals are regularly published,
and the popular mind is becOmiog famiIarzed with
the principles of free II ade and cheap markets thro'
fho If 1p1 la onHnN
One of these societies has been established under the
auspices of NJ Figueola ancient deputy and profess
sor of public law in the University of Madrid Man
uel Colmeiro, professor of municipal law in the same
institution and M. Gabriel Rodrgu engineer and
professor in Of the scientific schools Of the capt.
tai. The object OF this society is to disseminate
among the masses of the people the true principles
of political economy. Among the journals which
are devoted to the princ pies of more liberal com.
mercia system in Spain, the EconomistG edited by
tains an admitted and increasing superiority over
such trans-Pyrennean prohihitionisi organs as The
Revista Industrial of Barcelona and the Eco de la
Ganaderia.
We have every reason, therefore, to hope that the
day is not very distant when Spain, shaking from
the limbs of the chains which for centuries
have bound it, will adopt more enlightened prinei
pies of commercial law and recognise the salutary
msxms of wiser political science, and thus put an
end to a demoralizing system which " conyulses alike
all the elements of society, Of Industry and OF re-
! vchue."
The Spanish government pu fishes an annual re-
port on lis foreign commerce, under the title Of
Cuadro General del Concrete esterior de Espana;
but lis publication is delayed often nearly year
and it seldom reaches the United States for twelve
eighteen months after the period of which it treats
We fnI, however in the Gn@eta de Madrid, of q
late dale, an analysis OF the general commerce Of
Spain in 1885. From this we learn that the total
value of the foreign commerce OF the kingdom in,
Guiding Spanish coonia poss essons, was .2s3, a.
SIS reals, equal TO STA $40, showing increase
over the preceding year of 475,874679 reals, equal
to $2s 7s3, 1873, or &c per cent the whole amount
! This commerce thus distributed
BY national 32 l29 7S7 eals,=$66 056 48i
BY sea, foreign flag ss4,O9s, l66 .7O4 6ss
By land ..:.:............. lH,9Ol,9l3 6,495 O95
Of the abave totals the imports covered l,O23, 761
1913 reals, equal 10 $5l, 1s8Q65, showing increase
of Is per cent. 1854 and the exports amounted
in value to 1859, s6s 400 reals equal to s62,962,
le4, giving an excess over the preceding year of 81
per cent.
Commerce pith Europe and Afrtca
Imports 596 1872 O70 reals SPY 839 lO3 OF
Exports. .945, 1852 AZ 255 1852 OF
Total .,, i 54l S9I 1922 =S77 O94 565 OF