West Feliciana sentinel. (St. Francisville, La.) 1876-1877, 1877-05-05
TRADE AND WAR.
| Memphis appeal. !

Il uutotou iI'uucntiy a~keu .juS'
now. Generally ii will stimulate
The sale of breadstnff, and provi-
Ions, but cottun and some o'her
articles will be losers. We have
-een the gold prem um already fluc
tuating to the extent of one cent in
one day, quoting lO6 rs ana
l07 IS; this means that the value
Of our national currency is made
more unstab,e than before, and such
instability is uniavolaole to CON-
merce. In judging of the effect OF
war upon trade here, it will be nee
eSsary to remember that if it il
confined to Turkey and Russia
alone no very serious results need
be expected. The nature Of the
case, unfortunately, renders, il
likely that it may end in involving,
more or less, all the great Euro pean
powers, especially Austria and En-
gland; the wider it spreads. Of
urse, the more important the
consequences that vii follow
War takes large population away
from agriculture. and the wants OF
the armies and the waste that ali
ways attends war largey Increase
the food demaEd. In this case the
re-ult will be The more notable,
because the countries coHcerncd are
tha greatest wheat growers in Eu,
rope. This country, therefore.
would be called upon to make VI
for what was los, at the Black Sea
and Baltic ports> as well as 10 sup
ply the extra demand incidental TO
war. The New York Bulletin
states tat Russia usually exnorss
about IS 100000 bushels Of grain to
England ard European countries; !;
and that Turkey and her depe d n
c'es exported last year to Grea1
Britain alone 6,SU0,OOO bushels.
20 that war would cut of, il a
arge measure. this supply of A.
OOO,OOU bushels of grain usually
distributed throughout Fur pc,
which deficiency The UUited State
would be mainl Y exnecfed 10 sut.
ply. Pork and beef. and munitions
nt war will! al-o be wanted from
Us, and if the war should become
general, American shipping might
he wanted ioc carrying merchan>
de, which wo Id put life into nu'
%eaports. Cotton, petroleum and
various other branches must b.
Sufferers. The export OF food
wouid also raise the prize of nee
essarieS here, so that if there be-
gain on one land. there is loss or
ano'hcr. Many imported articles
however. would he lower, on ac~
count OF the decreased European
demand for them, such as coffee,
sugar. dry goods and o'ner things.
The prices Of such articles would
all be unsettled. and there would
be loss on The st, cks now in hand -.
Frequent and sometimes vjolen,
changes Of prices would bring upon
Is that curse OF cammetce, oam-
ding specujatlon, Euroueap stock
won d lose tirmne-s, and Americ n
ones would be like Y 10 command
increased attentions, a. being Sc
cured from contingencies alwa, S
occurring where war exists. This
night materially assist u to resume
specie payments in this country.
,'he Bulletin ob-e YES on this
point ''lt Is not G tficult to zee
how such drift Of investmen,
might prove a great advantage to
The government in pro~pect of the
resumption OF specie payments
The exports OF the first ergh,
months Of the current ii cal year
exceeded rhe imports by $l53 O00.'
JOC, and this large baian ce in ou,
nvur must be presumed 10 have
hcen ma Wy off by Eul ope send