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SHEWING

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

TO THE WELFARE OF FRANCE:

GIVING ALSO

An Account of their Productions, and the reciprocal

Advantages which may be drawn from their Com-
mercial Connexions:

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LONDON:

PRINTED AT THE Logographic Press,

AND SOLD BY ROBSON AND CLARKE, NEW BOND STREET; T. LONGMAN,
PATER-NOSTER-ROW; AND W. RICHARDSON, ROYAL-EXCHANGE.

7 TABLE

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OF CONTENTS.

NTRODUCTION,

Wherein it is stated, that whilst the English possess much in-

formation, on the commercial connections, which may

exist between Europe and the United States, France, whose

interest it is to establish them on her part, discovers but

little knowledge of this Commerce, or zeal to enter into it.

Causes of this indifference. The want of the liberty of the

press for political discussions, is one of the principal. The

great inconveniences attached to the prohibition of books.-

The political advantages which would result from the

liberty of the press; no moment more favourable than the

present to ask for it, and to provoke the reform of abuses of

every kind.-Reflections on the fources whence facts have

been drawn, on the general spirit of this work, on the

order of the ideas, &c.

Reclass. 12-9-29.

011-

CHAPTER, Ι.

page 1.

Of exterior Commerce; the Circumstances which led to it, and

of the means of afsuring it to a nation.

General principles on exterior Commerce.

Direct Commerce preferable to that which is indirect.

It gives every thing at a cheaper rate.

The lowest price, the great basis of exterior commerce.
Circumstances which put in the power of a nation to fell at
the lowest price.

Circumstances which incline two nations to enter into a
league with each other by commercial connections.

The nature of things must furnish these circumstances; what is

the nature of things?

CHAP.

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(ii)

CHAPTER II.

page II

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Of exterior Commerce, confidered in its Means of Exchange,

and its Balance.

Examination of what is understood by the balance of trade between two nations.

It is proved, I. That this balance of trade is but an infignificant expreffion that the balance of an account paid in gold, is not a proof of a disadvantageous commerce on the part of the nation which pays it, nor of an advantageous one on the part of that by which it is received.

II. That the tables of this balance of trade deserve no credit; and that the only method of estimating the encrease of commerce, is by the encrease of population.

III. That it is impossible to fix the quantity of money existing in a country; and that all the calculations on this head, rest upon an uncertain and defective basis, because it is impossible to collect all their elements.

IV. That metals are not real riches.

V. That confidered as agents of exchange, it would be more advantageous to substitute paper for them in interior commerce, and not to be afraid to employ metals in exterior commerce, to which this paper cannot be applied.

It results from these demonstrations, that a trade may be opened between two nations, without the aid of money; that a nation will have fo much the more of it to exchange for foreign productions, as it shall have a greater number of these confidential establishments, by which money is advantageoufly replaced.

CHAPTER III.

page 29

Application of the foregoing general Principles, to the reciprocal
Commerce of France and the United States.

That France has every Means of procuring a great Commerce,
and those which must assure it to her in the United States;

that

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that ber Productions are proper for them, and that her particular interior Circumstances, oblige her to engage in this Com

merce.

Examination of the productions of France, of her industry
and of her geographical and natural position.
Examination of the objection, that it would be better to direct
the attention to the interior of France, than to open to her
a great exterior commerce.

It is proved that exterior commerce would in a very short
time bring on an interior reform, and that France is, in
her fituation in great need of very confiderable foreign mar-

kets.

An effential diftinction to be made, in this respect, between a new people, and a civilized people, who have numerous manufactures.

It is proved that exterior commerce maintains and fupports them.

Reflections on the inferiority of French manufactures to English fabrics in certain articles-The causes pointed out.The remedy in exterior commerce.

CHAPTER IV.

page 41

That the United States are obliged by their present Neceffities and
Circumstances to engage in Foreign Commerce.

That the writers who have treated on this matter have con-
fidered it in an abstracted point of view only.

That it is necessary to examine it according to the state of things.

And that according to this state, the free Americans are obliged to employ themselves in exterior commerce.

To demonftrate this, it is proved that the free Americans have wants of neceffity, of convenience, and even fome of luxury; And which they can neither do without, nor fupply them. felves with.

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