CHAP. XVII. The losses of our Trade from the War of 1803.Their amount.-The Berlin Decree.-Its Consequences.-The vast Adventures of 1809.The value of our whole Dealing's in that year.— The greatest Prosperity followed by two flat years.-The reflection of Experience. -The question of our Exchanges discussed.-Proofs from the brief History of the Bank Restriction. -The decision of that question.—A tabular State of additional Proofs.-A detail of the real Value of Exports, 1809.-The Result.— Seven years Trade, ending with 1811.-Remarks thereon.-Additional Proofs of our vast Prosperity.-Followed by Discontents.- The question about the Depreciation of Money discussed.-The Conclusion of the whole. AFTER SO full a discussion of the affairs of Ireland, it is now proper, according to the plan of this work, to estimate the losses of the commerce, belonging to the British Isles, from the war of 1803, thus malicious, in its purposes, yet, inefficacious, in its effects. During the short, but captious peace of 1802, the trade of Great Britain was quite unexampled, in its greatness. The first effects of hostilities, which were commenced, by the people, with alacrity, was to reduce the value of the cargoes exported, in 1802, from 41,411,9661. to 31,438,495l., in 1803. The next effect was, to introduce into our carrying-trade 112,819 tons of foreign shipping. The third effect was, to lessen the British shipping, which were employed, in our carrying-trade, 173,900 tons; maný of which, however, may have been taken into the service of the public, when they ceased to be employed by private individuals. Since the topic of employing foreign shipping is a point of national jealousy, it may be well to bestow on it a few remarks, in order to mollify that jealousy. Experience evinces that, in every war, Great Britain has employed many foreign ships, which are immediately discharged, on the return of peace. We have not employed so many foreign ships, in the present war, as in the former, by 105,130 tons; the greatest number of foreign ships being employed, during the former war, in 1801, and the greatest, during the present, in 1809. During the year of peace, 1802, the epoch of the greatest prosperity, that had then been known, there were employed of foreign ships 461,723 tons the year 1809 was an epoch of still greater trade, in this country, yet there were only employed 699,750, in this year, being an augmentation, in the seventh year of the war, of 238,027 tons, while there was a considerable augmentation of British shipping: But, it was an epoch of the greatest exportation, that this country had ever known. After this exposition, we may per ceive, that there is nothing, in the topic of foreign shipping, which required any particular remark, in our public councils; as what happened now, had happened before; and will again happen. * It may be again proper to indulge, in a remark, or two, on the fortune of our trade. The defalcation of our exports, in 1803, was very great, and indeed beyond experience: yet, they recocovered, considerably, in 1804, when they were much greater than those of the year 1798. The exports of 1805 were still greater; and were much above those of the year 1799. And our trade continuing to rise in its flow, the exports were still higher, in 1806, than they were in 1805; though they did not rise to the great amount of 1800, when the sum of our exports was 38,120,120l. Such, then, is the vast force of the spring, in our extensive commerce, which has a wonderful faculty, according to the language of Milton," either state to bear, prosperous, or adverse." But, a new event was at hand, which was intended to ruin, or regulate commerce. In November 1806, the dominator of Europe, mounting on the steeple of Berlin, that he might be heard, cried out, in a frantic voice-" The British Isles are in a state of blockade. " Another dominator, in his day, during a prior age, commanded the tide to reflow: but, notwithstanding * See the Chronological Table. the command of Canute, the great, the tide continued to flow and in spite of the dictation of Bonaparte, the great, our commerce continues; our ships sail; and our isles blockade the world. How much the trade of Scotland, and Ireland, have severally prospered, notwithstanding the Berlin decree, we have already seen. Let us now examine what commercial effects were the consequences of the Berlin decree, and the American non-importation. The amount of exports, in the years 1807, and 1808, were each nearly two millions of pounds of less value, than the amount of 1806, though they were nearly a million more than the value of exports, in 1798. The Berlin decree, and the American co-operation, left Great-Britain in possession of am outward commerce, amounting yearly to thirtyfour millions and a half, sterling value. The British Government issued orders of retaliation, and gave some facilities: the result at length was to send out cargoes, in 1809, of the Customhouse value of 50,301,7631., which were worth at least 77,173,5621. sterling money. t * The usual prices of the public funds were higher in the end of the seventh year of this malignant war, than in the year of peace, before it be * See the Chronological Table. + The actual value of British produce, and manufactures, exported from Great Britain, in 1809, according to the prices current, amounted to 50,242,7617. sterling. gan. Never were there measures of such mighty portent, as the Berlin, and Milan decrees, so completely disappointed, in expected effect. But, neither the President of the United States, if he were free, nor the Dominator of Europe, if he were sane, are capable of judging, from the experience of the past, or acting, from prescience of the future they both continue to act, as if they conceived, like the great, but preposterous, Canute, that they too could regulate the flux, and reflux of sea. During the progressive prosperity of Great Britain, throughout the effluxion of half a century, the year 1809, was the most prosperous. This truth will equally appear, whether we consider our domestic industry, or our foreign trade. In The usual prices of the Public Funds, beginning with the year of peace, 1802, is an additional proof of the same important deduction. * See the Chronological Table facing p. 315. |