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. v . ! . . 1 :' . v - - . : CAROLINA CEWTINEL. NEWBERN, N. C. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1821. INUMBER 182; VOLUME IV. lVget9 AND FUBLISHED WEEKLY, BY PASTEUR WATSON, At $ 3 Per nnam half in advance AMERICAN RESTRICTION LAW. PROM THE RICHMOND ENQUIRER In seeking information on the opera J ofpur restrictive laws, wc M Sbtbe British West Indies :-and of the citizens of that town, wc -ourselves to R gentleman who s particu ularly conversant with this subject We way before our readers bis obliging com-Tiunicauon ; NORFOLK, 1321. Your letter requiring information re specting the trade between the United fetes and the British colonies, has been seriouslv considered ; the subject is one upon which I have bestowed much atten tion, and have sought for information wherever I thought it could be obtained. A short review or history of the colonial ffstem, with a notice of the different sys tems of restriction which we have adopt ed, with a view to obtain a participation in the colonial trade to the British El ands, may not be without use. All the European nations, have asser ted a right, to restrict or interdict, com merce with their colonies, by foreign na tions at their pleasure; accordiug to their interests, or the necessities of their colonies, have relaxed what may be cal led a system. With the French colonies we had in our own vessels a partial in tercourse; we were allowed to import into those colonies, lumber, live stock, and some salted provisions, and to ex port taflia, (rum) and molasses. The restrictions in the Danish and Dutch col onies were only in name, for by custom hoH? management, they were effectually evaded; with the Spanish colonies, our trade was forced. J should have stated, that I am now speaking of that period oi' time, which elapsed between the peace of 1783 and the war produced by, or growing out of, the French revolution.- During this period, all intercourse be tween the United States and the British coljiiifs was wholly interdicted, except in British vessels. It is now, very .diffi cult to ascertain the extent of the trade, during thi period, but from my own ob servation it must have been very exten sive. At that time, there were tWo de scriptions of vessels, which traded be tween this country, and the British colo nies; one, the regular traders, which came and went at all seasons ; the other vessels which came here at particular sea sons, to avoid the hurricane months, and lo.make a voyage, which if they had not, Wiald have passed away in waiting for crop; these latter were vessels which trad ed between Britain and the colonies, and were very large. There are many who remember with me, to have seen at one time (and that very often) fifty British vessels ir. this port loading for ihe colo nic; their average tonnage did not fall short, but rather exceeded 300 tons, giving 13,000 tons. Looking over the clearan ces from this to Bermudaand Halifax, me oisi uec. iozu, to 1st January st, one year,the tonnage is short of 600 tOilS. I should be inclined to think that the Produce exported from this place to the British colonies, at the period alluded to, required a tonnage of 30,000 to export m Before the adoption of tlie federal covernment, documents touchin- the im ports and exports, erc not preserved s they have been sinr : uv.ivc ii is nexi .mposs.bihty to come at the value ex erted. The French revolutionary war coming , breat Britain opened her colonies for rie tree lmoorratinn int i n yM I rwtix, our vessels being r i wining us ner own. tv f T". Was terminai by the the trea y oi Amiens, but Great Britain probably c.dering the peace as nothing more - -.-vv, luicwreu uoi ner resinctions, to nn. csseis oi any size ; tor, our ZH? T excedin5 seventy-tons, were Jetted to trade with her copies; un T!1 treaty of 1794, commonly called treatv. Until ihe renewal of the ir between France and England in i.i. cumraerce between this coun- and the British colonies, was free to ea T15 f 60111 countries 88 ,,al already remarked, and so continued MI the Ora. k. -I t. - . o- . flJt' "tT" me un:tea states teiirJ"" Brilai,1 hat is, there was no iptnction on ..... 'tie 1 weai uriiain. Cir "een the United States and b K..r?r havng termiuated, and war prospects of renewal, the British govern ment renewed all the colonial regulations, as they stood antecedent to the war of the French Revolution. At all timers, with in my recollection, great anxiety has pre vailed, particularly among the trading part of the community, for a participa tion in the British Colonial trade, and co ercive means were 4ong talked of, before they were tried. The first attempt was I think, made under the state govern ment about 1787 or 1788, by imposing additional duties, but Maryland not sec onding the views of Virginia, the mea sure was soon abandoned, ana tilings so remained as before. As soon as the federal government was formed, sanguine expectations were entertained that our object might be attained by a general sys tem of coercion ; negotiations were set on foot first, but very soon the then chief magistrate, in, I think, his second or third communication to Congress, stated that Great Biitain was not inclined to meet the overtures he had authorized. The war which shortly followed,caused Great Britain to open her colonies to our ves sels, and probably prevented any mea sure being taken upon the subject by congress. Very soon after that war commenced, Great Britain committed very extensive spoliations upon our com merce, which caused the embargo of 1794. In the debates upon this subject, great reliance was placed in the enects which the embargo would have on the British colonies, but we found it an in- concement restriction, and the law expi ring at the end of 60 davs was not re- neived. Pressed as Great Britain then was, all that Mr. Jay could obtain was an intercourse with her Colonies, in vessels not exceeding seventy tons, and that to last two years after peace, which was in. fact giving only two years intercourse in vessels not exceeding 70 tons ; lor the war then existing, there was no restric tion to vessels of any size. 'Hie lo-ig embargo was the next mea sure, and had no effect in changing the conduct of Great Britain, but had an ef fect in obliging the colonies to depend partly on their own resources, and to seek for supplies from other quarters. I well remember, that there was more In dian corn exported from Norfolk, twice over to the Island of Antigua alone, than is now shipped from this port to all the foreign ports in all parts of .the world. Every estatein the colonies now raises some Indian corn. The North American Colonies supply a part and large part of the different kinds of lumber required. The two measures, of intercourse, with Halifax and Bermuda, the first in the ves sels of both nations, and the second by the intercourse in our own vessels only, followed next. Before 1 notice the ef fects which these measures have produ ced, 1 will shew, by an official document the extent and validity of our trade with the British colonies, at a period when no restrictions of ours existed. That those colonies required our supplies, is evident, or they would not have laken them, and whether carried in our own or in British vessels, the quantity would have been the same. The document from which these data are derived, is the Treasury Report o4WT ebruary 28th, 1806. I would pre mise that the Treasury had no means of ascertaining the exports to the British colonies, but by the clearances of vessels for those colonies. Now every one in business knows that a great many clear for the " West Indies" generally, some of those no doubt, perhaps not less than one fourth, go to to the British colonies, I mean when they were open and at the period embraced in the report of Febru ary 1806. Exports to the British West India and AoriA American Colonies for the years 1802, 1803 and 1804. To the West Indies Provisions & live stock $4,720,000 Lumber 900,000 All other articles 660,000 6,280,000 To the North American Colonies Provisions and live stock 530,000 Lumber and naval stores 00,000 Skins and furs 160,000 All other articles 220.000 1,000,000 7,280,000 Imports from the British West Indies Rtim, $2,440,000 Sugar & Coffee 1,480,000 All ojiier articles 650.000 4,570,000 Imports from the North American colonic. 540,000 - 5,110,000 Balance in favor of the United States, paid g bills of ex change on Great Britiain or in specie 2,170,000 7,280,000 The UniteiStates exported to the West Indies and other colonies in America, of all the European nations for the above three mentioned years 15,670,000 Cleared for those of Great Bri tain as above 7,280,000 8,327,000 Our exports to the West Indies other than British, were composed in part of foreign merchandize, which Great Brit ain never allowed to be imported into her colonies; the expoits of the United States to those colonies, were the pror ducae of the United States as reference to the articles wil prove. Revenue derived from imports tnto the United States during the years 1 802, 1803 and 1804,roi British colonies. On Kum, Salt, , 374,300 673,145 393,000 1,337,000 320,OOOf Coffee, Sugar, iVfolasses, a $6,598,445 We come now to the conclusion of the late war, between the United States and Great Britnin In the absence of official documents, which I am promised by the custom-house, I will offer a few facts which will shew the diminution of our trade, by restrictions. I have stated before, that 6000 tons of shipping cleared trom this port for Ber muda and Halifax, from 31st Dec. 1819 to 1st Jan. L821, one year; the number was 64, vessels ; what was the value of the cargoes they carried out, i cannot tell exactly ; but as the cargoes of 36 were insured here, I find the amount expor ted "in those to be an average of $2850; then say 04 at $2850 will give the whole export of the year, $181,500. I have bti'oie me the amount exported to the British West Indies in 18l6. 1817 ant 1S18, by one house in Norfolk, the aver age is for each year $260,000. You were here during those years and well know, that one house did not do all the business to the British colonies ; but one-fourth of it, which gives the amount of exports from Norfolk to the British West Indies, rather over one million of dollars; fallen of two hundred n December last short thousand dollars, and daily falling off: t Another fact may be stated ; though it will not shew the diminution of our ex ports from Norfolk to the British West Indies, to the full extent, it will in part do so. 1 lately examined the records of the Marine Insurance Company's Office, from the 31st March 1803, to the 3ist March 1804. From those it appears, that insurances were made in tint office, for that time, on cargoes from Norfolk to the British Colonies amounting to 555,000 dollars. Now there can be no doubt, as to that amount going to those colonies, because if the vessels had gone elsewhere, they would have deviated and paid a premium for nothing. J3ut ob- serve, that all nor near all, the cargoes of vessels trading to the British W est Indies from this port, did not insure in this office, some where insured to the North, and some in England, and some were not insured but a great number were insured here, " to one or more isl ands' not designating ; a mode of insur ing, very common to guard against devi ation. Snd sometimes to conceaL their des tination from mercantile neighbors; what these would or rather the cargoes did amount to, I cannot say, but from my knowledge of the.busine'ss, at that time, I should not hesitate to say that the ex ports from Norfolk to the British colo nies did not fall short of 750,000 dollars. By accident I laid my hands upo-i an old magazine, as far back as 1787, which contains the importations into Jamaica, from -the United States from December 1786, to 1st March 1787, which I will put down as I find it -the period being only three months. 2,458,000 staves and heading 420,000 feet of scantling 460,000 feet of plank 6,932 barrels of bread 11,483 do. of flour 8,73a da of corn 1,650 tierces of ricV 1,000,000 oftshingles. In articles of every kind The ostensible object of our restrictive system, being, I understand, to promote our navigation, and cripple that of Cng- land, we wilt examine that subject. Our recent measures have not been sufficiently long in force, for the trade which is to be ' affected by them, to get in a regular chan nel. But it is just beginning to receive J a new direction, which will put the Brit ish navigation, certainly upon as good, probably upon a better footing than ours, as respects the transportation. Already, shipments of American produce have been made from Great Britain to the West India colonies, and orders are now here, for shipments to Great Britain, in tended ultimately for their colonies. In a business of this sort, it is evident, that so far as relates to the carriage from this country to Britain, the ships of both coun- ever takes a full cargo, perhaps from 10 tries are upon an equal footing ; after- to 30 tierces at the most, as part of an wards, it exclusively belongs to those of assortment. The yellow pine of Georgia, Britain. Before a comparative view istaken is, and will always be preferred to ours of the expense of transpof ts by wajfttf Ber j Cargoes to the West Indies are, most al muda, and by way of Liverpool, a fact ways assorted. If a vessel goes to Phil not generally known, will be stated. More j adelphia, she can get flour npon equal ihan three-fourths of the ships that go j terms; but Indian corn, lumber of all from Britain to her colonies go in ballast, or which is the same thing upon an ave rage, they are not one- fourth laden ; hence freight from England to the colo- nies. must oe a very small consideration And I will undertake to say, that the three-fourths not now laden or occupied, are competent to carry as mucn or our produce as the colonies will want. Expenses on a barrel of four sent from Norfolk to the British West Indies, via Bermuda. n Freight from Norfolk to Bermuda $ 0 7$ Bermuda to the West Indies 1 00 Island duty not remitted tmexporta- tion 7 2 50 4 25 Sent via jverpool, freight from Norfolk to Liverpool 1 Liverpool to the West Indies No duty when exported. 2 EXPENSES ON STAVES. Freight 1000 from Norfolk to Ber muda I 13 From Bermuda to West Indies 19 4 00 00 t i a" J er M. $32 00 . . - I t Freight from Norfolk to Liverpool 20 00 From Liverpool to the West Indies 13 00 i 33 00 Should the trade turn through Liver pool, allowing one half for- British ships from this to Liverpool, thev would get on flour the freight of 137 1-2 cents r and our ships 62 1-2 cenTs the half of the freight to Liverpool; of staves they would get in freight 23 dollars per M. and our ships 18 dollars. I have pre sented these views and facts, in rather a desultory manner, which has been pro duced partly, by being occassionally cal led off on oiher matters, not admitting of delay. 1 think there is not the most remote chance of our restrictive system produc ing any change in the British colonial system-rThat it will not increase our navigation; and d press hers that the loss of the little part of the carrying trade, which the ships owner wuld or might sustain, bears no proportion to the loss which agriculture and revenue sustain by the system. Our policy, it appears to me should have been, to keep the' Brit ish colonies as dependent urJfcn us as possi ble, instead of which, we appear to have been trying experiments to teach those colonies how to be independent of us.- Our measures have had three effects ; of putting those colonies npori their own re sources for some articles, of seeking for supplies of others in other quarters, and of diminishing their consumption in all. What time may produce, I cannot say ; but judging of the future from the past, it appears, that each measure has been pro- 1 ductive ofincreased injury to our country, but to Norfolk, ruinous. It appears to me that the impediments wpicn any na tion causes in the exportation of its pro ducts, to that part of the world where they are to be consumed, acts as a tax on the exports. By our present system, the char ges on a barrel of flour in freight only, by way of Bermuda or Liverpool, is from $1 75 to 2 25 per barrel, - whereas the direct freight would be only about one dollar ; and so, as to all other articles. You will perceive that I have treated this subject more with general than local views ; but when I consider its effects as applicable to Virginia, and the lower counties of North Carolina and then as to Norfolk, l am astonished that the only representatives from either of those states 25 00 who favored this restrictive system, wet from the lower part of Noith Carolina and Norfolk. Before the first act of re stncuon, passed after the late war, went into operation, the trade from Norfolk to the British colonies, was great indeed, and was daily increasing, a od bv this time, I do believe that more than one half 6f all the business done from the United States to the British colonies, Would have been done from Norfolk. Nor is this calculation any way unreasonable, wheft the wants of the colonies and other cir cumstances are considered. Every arti cle that can be wanted for the West in dies is to be had at Norfolk, at (I may say) first band, with the exception of rice and yellow pine lumber; with the ) first, no vessel bound to the West Indies kinds, tobacco, naval stores, &c. are cheaper and generally better in Virginia, and our flour as good, and as cheap If you go to the north and east, there our advantages are greater. , If vou eo m Georgia or South Carolina, you may get I yellow pine lumber and rice, but staves , n..ur, corn ana navai stores, are not to bt had good as in quality, or as cheap as in Virginia ; indeed, the principal part of these articles are imported into Georgia, or aoutn Carolina, then the Chi lesa- peake has a great preference on account ! of ',ts navigation, free from ice, & of easy 7 me canai would have j be e means of bringing to Norfolk a vast increase of lumber of superior qual itvJ itn com, fish, tobacco pork and na val srores from all parts of North Caro una ; so mat Dotn in quality and quantity, Norfolk could not have been rivalled. There are many things, which are so plau sible in theory, that it would appear scep tical to doubt, and yet they will not stand the test of experience. As a merchant and a citi2en, 1 would rather that the car goes, were purchased and sold here for British account, than that we should ship the cargoes, and have them sold for our account. Iri the first case, we secure the commissions unon the business, whirli with the commissions on the vessel's ex pehses, and on account oF the high duu'es Cfor commissions are charged Upon the gross amount) will put into the resident's pocket' here not less than 12 1-2 to 15 per cent, upon the original investment.- J ne nature of the connexion between the West India merchant and the planter, is such that the latter never deals with an adventurer, who arrives in the Islands: the consequence is that when an Ameri can vessel ai rives, she must sell to the wholesale merchant, and except in times of distress, generally at his own price.- I speak from experience, that except 10 Jamaica, 1 do not think I ever made half a freight to a British Island, for the rea son I have stated. There merchants give long credits to planters, and charge prices to meet the risk, and interest of money. ; this an adventurer cannot do. By accident I nave fallen on a file of papers of 1801, which furnished me with the amount of exports from th8 port to the West Indies for a quarter in that year from 1st April to 1st June, and which is as below. Now you will remark, that this quarter, in mercantile phrase, is al ways the dullest in the year, and- my own experience warrants me in saying, that the exports of the first and last quar ters would, one year with another exceed ihe other two, 25 to 33 1-3 per cent. You will bear in mind that we never exported to a British colony other than native produce, whereas as to colonies of the other nations, we exported constantly foreign articles. The expoits from the United States that year amounted to $6,404,5,84 to the West Indies. To the British West Indies, quarter ending 30th June, 209,050 Spanish Dutch French Generally 22,996 ' 2,994 10,257 25,000 51,227 260,227 This shows that three-fourths of all our exports were to British Islands, allowing no part of $2 5, CO shipped genera! ly, went to British colonies. The above excludes the North American ' Colo nies. ; ' I j . . ; ; v 0 - w,v. w., nuuvui ail Jf h l. 4
Newbern Sentinel (New Bern, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Sept. 15, 1821, edition 1
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