State of Commerce, Manufactures, &c. 481 Of the AMERICAN TRADE, which formerly was wholly engroffed by this country, and which, fince that period, has been rapidly increafing, we ftill retain about one half; and fhould the difpute with France continue, it will probably throw a greater proportion into our hands, if a more favourable state of trade in America fhould render it advifeable for our merchants to extend their engagements with a people who pay little or no regard to punctuality of remittances. The prefent ftate of our TRADE WITH PORTUGAL, upon the whole, may be confidered as flourishing; the increafing commercial confequence of Brazil, annually demands larger fupplies of woollens and other articles of British manufacture-a confiderable intercourse with Spain, is now carried on through the medium of Portugal.-Yet it must be acknowledged, that within these two last years, the importation of wine from Portugal and Lifbon, has decreased, owing to the impolitic and exorbitant duties recently laid on that article by the British minister. Great Britain exports to Portugal and her colonies, to a large amount in woollens, hofiery, hardware, coals, iron, tin, &c. Ireland fupplies her with vast quantities of provifions and butter, and linen. From our colony of Newfoundland is exported to Portugal, a large fupply of bacalas, or falted cod-fifh. That kingdom makes large returns to Great Britain and Ireland, in wines; fruit, dry and moist; olive oil, falt, &c.-with fugar, hides, drugs, gold, and other productions of her rich and extenfive colony of Brazil. THE TRADE OF IRELAND, till within the last twenty years, was fhackled with the most unjust restrictions, for the purpose of favouring the commerce of this country. Prior to the year 1779, linen was almoft the only manufacture exported in any confiderable quantity from that country; the others were either in a low ftate from the general poverty of the country, or the exportation of the article was prohibited by law. The removal of the impolitic restraints, under which the commerce of Ireland laboured, called forth the exertions of the manufacturer and merchant, and the event has fufficiently fewn, that though freedom of commerce cannot create capital and industry, it materially tends to promote both. The linen manufacture has made a gradual progrefs in proportion to the growing wealth and population of the country; the check and fail-cloth branches have, however, greatly decayed fince the increase of the manufacture of these articles in Great Britain. New drapery, compared with its ftate previous to the war, is declining; in 1792, near 400,000 yards were exported; in the last year, not more than 100,000. Of old-drapery, the quantity made within the last year has equalled that produced in any year fince the export trade was permitted. The manufactures of filk, cotton, and hofiery, have become of little importance. Tanning, in confequence of the duties impofed, and the high price of bark, has been almost annihilated, and a great number of the tan-yards are broken up. The glass manufacture, both of bottle and the white kind, continues to flourish, particularly the crown glass branch; it is feared, however, that the recent glafs duty will tend to embarrafs and difcourage the trade. Paper-making is much decayed. The prefent ftate of Ireland, which must have much interrupted the manufactures in many districts, has had little effect upon their export trade; the arrivals from thence at London, Liverpool, and other parts, in the courfe of the prefent month, have been numerous; the cargoes chiefly linen cloth, falted provifions, and grain. One of the principal commercial occurrences of the month, has been the unfuccefsful termination of the attempt of the fhip owners, to remove the great responsibility they at prefent lie under: the bill, after paffing the commons, was loft in the house of lords. From the account of the late tea fale, at the India houfe, low greens appear to have fallen about 6d. per lb. the prices of the other teas, norwithstanding the new duty of five per cent. took place at this fale, have not advanced, and a fall may be expected in the September fale, from the quantity now in the market. Sugars are at a higher price than for feveral years paft. Raw fugars fell from 84s. to 1125. Brown lumps, from 115s. to 1185. Middle ditto, 119s. to 122s. Fine ditto, 124s. to 128s. Single loaves. 128s. o 134s. Ground fugars are from 86s. to 1128. A fall of raw fugars may be looked for, from the expected arrivals. The average price, on the 20th of June, was 72s. 6d. exclufive of duty. Coffee continues high, middling, from 71. 55. to 71. gs. fine, from 71. 155. to 71. 175. Of Manbefter goods, the quantity manufactured of late, has been fmaller than ufual; the demand for the foreign trade has confiderably diminished, on account of the stock of thofe goods on hand at Hamburgh, and the curtailed orders for the fairs at Frankfort and Leipfic: the home trade, however, has been tolerably brisk. The market is at prefent overstocked with muflins of the Manchefter fabric; but the manufacture of thofe of Glasgow and Paisley has been better accommodated to the confumption. Irish linens are becoming exceedingly fcarce, in confequence of the stagnation of the manufactures in that country; Ruffias are alfo very fcarce at prefent. For weft-country woollens there is little demand, except for blues, fcarlets, and other military colours: the market has been fo overstocked with kerfeymeres, that they are fold confiderably below the manufactured cost. 322 The 484 Commercial and Agricultural Report. The Coventry, or ribbon-trade, has been reduced to a state of much less importence than a few years fince, from the two principal markets of France and Holland being fhut, and the American trade being in a state of much infecurity; the prevailing fashions at home have alfo, in a great meafure, excluded ribbons as an article of female decoration. The price of thrown filk is at prefent declining, and probably will continue fo, from the exportation to Ireland and America being at prefent fufpended. Raw filk continues much the fame in price as for fome time paft; Italian raw, from 335. to 345 Follombron, about 398. China, from 24s. 63. to 25s. The price of STOCKS has, during the month, continued nearly ftationary; and very little bufinefs has lately been transacted. As the bank have agreed to make the payments dac upon the loan, fmall quantities of stock are brought to market. Bank flock, on the 25th last month, was at 118; and was on the 26th June at 1181 5 per Cent Annuities fhut for the dividend on the 6th June, at 76. 4 per cent confols. were, on the 27th last month at 6c, and have fince rifen to 61, at which price they continue. 3 per cent confols. fhut for the dividend on 25th May, at 48, and will not open till the 10th Auguft, on account of going into new ledgers. commu N. B. In the profecution of this plan, we shall be happy to avail our felves of refpectable nications on the subject, especially when confined to facts indicative of the real fate of any branch of trade, its extent, value, advance, or decline. This firft paper is rather general and introductory, than a correct specimen of the useful practical mode in which the article may in future be conducted. MONTHLY AGRICULTURAL REPORT. IN the fouthern diftricts of the kingdom the weather has ftill continued favourable ta the process of vegetation, and for the various purposes of practical husbandry; but our accounts from the northern parts of England are not, by any means, fo flattering. In many places the feafon has been fo droughty as to render the hay-crops flight; and the corn-crops have not altogether paffed without injury. Our correfpondent, alfo obferves, that, in Wales, peas, oats, and barley are almoft burnt up with the long continuance of dry weather; and I have, fays he, feen fome pieces of wheat which, in addition to the shortness of the ftraw, are almost as feer at the roots as old ftubble after the harveft. The rain which has been flying about thefe three or four days, in fome degree revives our hopes; but much injury is already done. In the districts of Scotland, particularly the fouthern, it does not feem to have operated in an equally unfavourable manner: our reporter fpeaks of crops being extremely forward. On his own farm he mentions having feventy English acres of wheat now in the ear; and that winter-fown wheats are in general fhot out. The harvest promises to be general in thofe parts at an early period, perhaps fo foon as the first or second week in Auguft. Crops have, indeed, here fuffered little, except on poor thin clay, or gravelly foils. The crops of clover and rye-grafs in these parts are tolerably good, though by no means heavy. For the preparation of turnip-grounds the feafon has every where been uncommonly fine;. and the showers that have lately fallen in many districts, have been very suitable for the fewing and fprouting of the feed, a large portion of which would otherwife have been lost Our communications respecting fruit from fome counties are flattering; but, in Wales' and the neighbouring diftricts, we are informed that there is a general dilappointment. Peas, indeed," fays the reporter, will be plentiful in this part; but the apples, notwithstanding the long continuance of favourable appearances, almost entirely fail. have been vifited by a great blight, even after the time when every thing is generally deemed fecure. In this part of the country, indeed, there hardly ever fails to be fomething, of a crop; but in Herefordhire there are none. This circumitance has produced a great rife in the price of cyder. Good family cyder felle, at Hereford, as high as 8 guineas, and the best at 10 or 12 guineas per hogthead of 10 gallons." We The blight of fruit, we are inclined to believe, has been pretty general throughout the kingdom. The prices of grain have not varied very much fince our last. The average price of WHEAT, throughout England and Wales, is gos. 9d.—Of BARLEY, 29s. 3d.--Of OATS, 213. 103. In fome parts the price of cattle has lowered, in confequence of the drynefs of the seafon. BEEF, averaged in Smithfield on the 25th, fiom 3s. 44. to 4s. the flone of 815.MUTTON, from 3s. to 3s. 6d.-VEAL, from 45. to 5s. 24.--PORK, from 28. 4d. to 38.And LAMB, from 3s. 6d. to 4s. 8d. The number of BEASTS in the market were 1800of SHEEP 12000and LAMBS 2000. Hors. Although the profpect of the growing crop of hops is lefs favourable than a week ago, the duty being now laid at 60 instead of 65,000l. the market is dull, and prices lower, probably, from their being previoufly pushed up too high, or the quantity on hand being confiderably greater than at any former period at this feafon of the year. Pockets 61, to 81. to 81. 8s.--Bags 61, 6s. to 71. 12. SUPPLEMENTARY NUMBER. TO THE MONTHLY MAGAZINE. No. XXXIII.] JULY 15, 1798. HALF-YEARLY RETROSPECT of Do SIN MESTIC LITERATURE. INCE our laft retrospect of letters, a great variety of works has come before the public-bos, fur, fus, atque facerdos; the mafs of ephemeral matter, indeed, as ufual, is motley and unmeaning, but with pleasure we have remarked, that many of the publications of the laft fix months are diftinguished by recondite learning, fome by laborious argument, and others by taste and verfatility of genius. We shall offer as fair an eftimate as we can of their refpective merits. HISTORY. A very important period of more than forty years of the hiftory of England, has lately been illuftrated, by a gentleman well-known and refpected in the literary world, the Rev. Mr. CoxE, in his "Memoirs of the Life and Adminiftration of Sir Robert Walpole, Earl of Orford." This work consists of three very bulky quarto volumes; the first of which embraces that portion which will be moft generally in terefting, namely, the Memoirs; the two latter being chiefly devoted to original correfpondence, to notes, authentic documents, and state papers. Mr. CoxE poffeffed the most ample fources of information relative to the period, of which he is the hiftorian, and fuch as are open to very few; if, therefore, he be found impartial in narrating tranfactions, his claim to authenticity ftands high. Sir Robert Walpole has been almoft univerfally reprobated for introducing corruption, as a fyftem, into the various departments of adminiftration: when fecretary at war, it is well known, that he was accused of breach of truft and corruption, was expelled the house of commons, and committed to the tower. His biographer attempts to justify him from this difgraceful charge, but his fuccefs, in our opinion, is very unequal to his zeal the bare unfupported affertions of Walpole, are not to be received in proof of his innocence.. In honour to Mr. CoxE, however, and in order to anticipate any hafty: charge of partiality which may be brought against him, we rejoice to ftate, that, with every honeft man, he cenfures, with SUPP, MONTHLY MAG, No. XXXII. [VOL. V. becoming feverity, the conduct of Wal pole, as a fyftematic and unprincipled oppofitionist, after the difmiffal of the Townshend adminiftration. We must enter our complete and unqualified proteft against Mr. CoxE's opinion on the subje of the Septennial bill, which he confiders as "the bulwark of our civil and religious liberties," but which we regard as an act of ufurpation, to the deplorable fuccefs of which, the people may attribute every fubfequent invafion of their freedom. Thefe volumes of Mr. Coxe throw con fiderable light on the character of Lord Bolingbroke, whofe "Letters and Correspondence, Public and Private, during the Time he was Secretary of State to Queen Anne," have lately been published by Mr. GILBERT PARKE, of Oxford. A fund of political intelligence is contained in thefe volumes, which are of unqueftionable authenticity, the materials having been obtained by the editor from a living defcendant of Thomas Hare, Efq. the under-fecretary of Bolingbroke, who fe cured the pages of his lordship on his dif miffion from office. An interefting "Hif tory" has been written "of the Reign of Shah Aulum, the prefent Emperor of Hindoftaun," by a gentleman well-known for his acquaintance with Afiatic literature, Captain WILLIAM FRANCKLIN, in the fervice of the Eaft India company. Captain F. was one of the first pupils of that illuftrious character, Sir William Jones, and one of the honourable few who approved themfelves worthy of fuch an inftructor; at an early period of life he undertook a journey into Perfia, and refided fome time at Shiraz, a place rendered claffical from the circunftance of having given birth to the poet Hafez: the ftudy of oriental languages here employed our author's attention; and on his return to Bengal, he published his Tour to Perfia. The prefent hiftory contains an account of the tranfactions of the court of Delhi and the neighbouring states, during a period of thirty-fix years; in the appendix, among other interefting matter, is given a narrative of the late revolution at Rampore; and the original letter, as well as a tranflation of it, from the Prince 3 R Mirza, 484 Half-yearly Retrofpect of Domeftic Literature. Mirza, eldest son of the king of Delhi, to his prefent majefty of Great Britain, written in the year 1785. A relation, the most pathetic and inftructive, of the fufferings of Shah Aulum concludes this valuable history: the eyes of the unfortunate king of Delhi were extruded, (to ufe an expreffion of Dr. Johnfon's, on a fimilar occafion *), by the barbarous order of Gholaum Caudir, whofe inhumanity was afterwards retorted on him by Schindiah, with circumftances of aggravated cruelty. The whole of this agonizing tale is related in a manner which does honour to the feelings of Captain FRANCKLIN. Perhaps we cannot arrange more properly than in the clafs of hiftorical works, Sir RICHARD CLAYTON's tranflation of Mr. Tenhove's "Memoirs of the Houfe of Medici, from its Origin to the death of Francefco, the fecond, Grand Duke of Tuscany." Every one who has read Mr. Rofcoe's life of Lorenzo, will remember the very handfome compliment there paid to the tafte and abilities of Mr. Tenhove: fpeaking of the prefent work and its author, Mr. Rofcce fays, "the fertility of his genius, and the extent of his information, have enabled him to interfperfe his narrative with a variety of interesting digreffions and brilliant obfervations: and the moft engaging work that perhaps ever appeared, on a fubject of literary history, is written by a native of one country, in the language of another, on the affairs of a third." The whole of his defign, Mr. Tenhove did not live to complete; his work was written at various times, and printed piecemeal, as it was compofed. Mr. T. "committed to the flames all the copies of these memoirs, excepting thofe which he had diftributed to his particular friends in feparate parts, as they came from the prefs." From one of thofe few printed copies, this tranflation took its rife: and though, from the circumftance of its incompletion, it abounds with abrupt digreffion, and the chain of historical narration is often broken; it is a work of much value; it contains almost an hiftory of the rife and reign of the fine arts, and many interesting anecdotes are interwoven of painters, fculptors, engravers, architects, &c. &c. Sir Richard's tranflation is fpirited and eafy; his notes and obfervations difplay confiderable learning, and much good fenfe. The laft work of *See his note at the conclufion of king Lear. + Mr. Tenhove was a Dutchman, and his memoirs are written in French. an hiftorical nature, which has come under our obfervation is, a fmall octavo volume, of confiderable curiofity, by GeThe neral VALLANCY; it is entitled, " Ancient History of Ireland proved from the Sanferit books of the Bramins of India.”Thefe venerable fages are well known to have taken an unlimited range in their topographical and hiftorical refearches; we learn, from the prefent publication, that, in one of the ancient Puranas, the facred volumes of the Hindús, a particular defcription has been found of the British ifles! The paffage in question, is given. in the original Sanfcrit character, and is employed by the General to corroborate fome affertions and conjectures, which he hazarded many years ago in his Vindication of the Hiftory of Ireland. FINANCE. As a work of great merit and importance, we cannot avoid mentioning the Earl of LAUDERDALE'S "Letter on the prefent Measure of Finance;" but as its direct application is to a period now past, we forbear to enlarge on its contents; no man, of common fenfe and obfervation, will queftion for a moment the completion of the noble carl's portentous prophecy, that the minister's estimate for the prefent year, 1798, will fall far fhort of his extravagant expenditure. The " propofal for liquidating £.66,666,6663 of the three per cents, by converting the landtax into a permanent annuity," has met with that attention by both houfes of parliament, which every plan to raise money is fure to be honoured with; a random equalization, however, of the old landtax, would obviously be an iniquitous meafure: A and B own two eftates, each fubject to a land-tax, the former of four fhillings, the latter of four-pence in the pound. B fells his eftate to C, who purchafes at a high price, exprefsly on confideration of the lowness of the land-tax; what could exceed the injuftice of raifing C's land-tax to equal that of D, who purchased the eftate of A at an inferior value, because it was burdened with a heavy one? In an octavo volume, is brought down to the 5th of Jan. 1797, "The State of the Nation with Refpect to its Public Funded Debt, Revenue," "Disbursement," &c. &c. from which it appears, that the debt actually contracted at that time, was 394,000,oool! Since that time; it has increafed with an incalculable, but moft ominous celerity: -Malum, quo non aliud velocius ullum; Mobilitate viget, virefque acquirit cundo. Half-yearly Retrofpect of Domestic Literature. It will not be very difficult to account for the zealous loyalty of many of us, after being informed, that the expence of collecting fome taxes, amounts to almoft 491. per cent. of the taxes themfelves! From an erroneous pofition, namely, that a progreffive increase of the precious metals in a state is the cause of progreffive circulation, progreflive industry, and progreffive public profperity, M. Herrenfchwand, in a pamphlet on "The true actuating Principle of Political Economy," &c. has drawn, with all the pompous parade of the moft profound fyllogiftic reafoning, a long and tire fome chain of economical and financial blunders. Mr. Dawson's "Subftitute for the Affement Bill," is to iffue 20,000,000l. of Exchequer bills, bearing an intereft of one per cent. per annum, under authority of parliament, and to make them legal tender. The affeffment bill has long fince paffed; but as every fentence for enriching the revenue is heard with an attentive ear, however partial be its principle and operation, but little furprize would be excited, if this iniquitous fubftitute for the affeffment bill were converted into an appendix to it. An anonymous author has published A few Hints towards an improved System of Taxation," &c.: they have but little novelty to recommend them, though their object is undoubtedly laudable, namely, to burden all perfons with a taxation proportionate to their property, without any kind of investigation or diclofure of circumftances. Thefe hints, antecedent to their publication, were fent in a private letter to Mr. PITT, but the haughty premier condefcended not to notice them. A ftockholder has fubmitted to the confideration of the public "Three Plans for paying off the National Debt, and a Fourth for raifing Money fufficient to bring about fo dfirable an End:" thefe plans demand different periods of operation to render them efficient, and all act upon one common principle, namely, the convertion of all flock into fhort annuities, and the payment of the capital by an addition to the intereft. The adoption of any of thefe plans would obvioully require an enor mous increafe of taxation; our author propofes either a tax upon income, or, what is the fame thing, a continuation of the new affefliments. In paling from finance to POLITICAL ECONOMY in general, our attention is directed to the fecond, third, fourth, fifth, and fixth "Reports of the Society for bettering the Con 485 dition of the Foor;" all of which have been publifhed fince our laft retrospect, and will merit the confideration of the public. These reports contain a variety of plans, practically proved, to increase the comforts of our fellow-creatures in diftrefs: among other things, the establishment of parish windmills, the profits of which, after the deduction of neceffary expences, are diftributed among the poor; of village fhops, for fupplying them with coals, blankets, candles, foap, and efculent commodities, at prime coft, are particularly recommended. The name of Lord WINCHELSEA ftands honourably eminent: the rates in his three parishes amount to fcarcely fixpence in the pound! this is effected by letting to the industrious poor fmall portions of land, on which they may keep a cow all the year round, or which they may cultivate in any manner they think proper. Were the conduct of Lord WINCHELSEA univerfally imitated by the nobility and large land-holders of this kingdom, we need feel no anxiety on the fubject of foreign invafion or domeftic infurrection: our foldiers might be disbanded, and the defence of the nation be confided, with perfect fecurity, to the mafs. of a hardy and a happy people. Dr. GRAY, (on whom the univerfity of St. Andrew's conferred the honorary degree of LL. D. immediately on the publi-. cation of his " Effential Frinciples of the Wealth of Nations," &c.) has given to us" A Flan for fupplying London with Bread at one uniform Price from one Year to another." He propofes the eftablifh-ment of granaries for corn, and naturally exprelles a-furprife that tea, tobacco, fugar, &c. &c. fhould be depofited in large and commcdious warehoufes, while corn, the most effential article of fubfiftence, is lodged in little, unknown barns, and fo ftattered over the country, as to bid calculation defiance as to its quantity, and conjecture as to the places of its most abundant depot. Dr. GRAY's object is, by means of a temporary premium from parliament, on an extraordinary growth of corn, to obtain a furplus adequate to the confumption of one whole year. This he thinks may be effected in the fpace of eight years; and when it is effected, the ftock in hand will make the abundance of one harveft fapply the deficiency of another. We shall then be no longer, as we are now, at the mercy of a capricious fealon for our daily 3 R 2 bread: |