an importance, from its own resources and its peculiar position, which must be very great, merely as constituting the channel of communication with the Pacific. Samples of aloes, white pepper, gum, and gold, in addition to the articles which are the known produce of Poyais, are here, and have been examined by men of science, who have declared them to be of value. Going round the southern hemisphere every thing invites us to active exertion in commerce; and if you will examine the exports which have already taken place, you will be struck with the prospect of the advantages which we must derive from being able to deal with them as with nations duly recognised; for trade must labor under some irregularities; confidence will be tardy until this is done. Within a very short period the sendings to Colombia have been considerable, and they would have continued with much greater activity but for the numerous difficulties which the commerce has had to contend with. Besides two previous cargoes, amounting to upwards of 70,000l., I have myself expedited, for various interests, to Maraycabo two cargoes, amounting, together, to nearly 60,000l., and, but for the enormous premiums of insurance which the insecurity of the navigation, arising from pirates, has induced, another cargo, which has been partly in readiness for some time, would have followed immediately. We cannot reflect on such impediments, so unexpected during peace, but with feelings of intense pain; and when we read the numerous accounts, verified on all sides, of the cruelties committed on helpless and unarmed individuals, by a race of marauders as formidable as any power could be in war, as Englishmen, cherishing the remembrance of the exploits of our brave tars, and proud of their glory, we are astounded at the fact that we are liable to such barbarity; and we are ashamed to hear that we are compelled to seek protection from flags, whom we should rather have expected to find seeking shelter under our wing, not granting a precarious and poor security to our property. We have suffered so much that we forget that we ought never to have been laid open to such violence, and we are grateful for the promise of protection: we sincerely hope that those expectations will not be destroyed by an inefficiency of force to accomplish them. The premiums we are compelled to pay to the W. Indies are so heavy, as to deduct so much from any possible profits, that the trade must, on this account alone, diminish, and the effects must very soon be sensibly felt in the falling off of demand for our manufactures. In the absence, too, of an enlarged system to give to our trade with S. America consistency and complete facility, we are grateful for the concessions made to give to it some latitude by admit ting their flags in our ports; but, since we do not at once recognise the independence of these new states, I presume, we could scarcely blame them if they should adopt retaliatory measures, to prevent our ships from coming to their ports, or their produce from coming to England. With the probability, or, at least, possibility of such a measure we cannot help regarding any thing which would prevent us from receiving, directly or indirectly, their produce, as calculated rather to injure our trade than benefit it. By 12 C. II. c. 18. s. 14, it is provided, "That it shall and may be lawful to and for any of the people of England, Ireland, Wales, Islands of Guernsey or Jersey, or Town of Berwick-on-Tweed, in vessels or ships to them belonging, and whereof the master and three-fourths of the mariners, at least, are English, to land and bring in, from any of the ports of Spain or Portugal, or Western Islands, commonly called Azores, or Madeira, or Canary Islands, all sorts of goods or commodities of the growth, production, or manufacture, of the plantations or dominions of either of them respectively.' And by 3 Geo. IV. c. 42. s. 4, it is enacted, That, from and after the passing of this Act, so much and such parts of the said recited Act of the 12th year of Charles II. for the encouraging and increasing of shipping and navigation, shall be repealed, as relates to the importation of any of the commodities of the Streights, or Levant Seas, or to the importation of all sorts of goods or commodities of the growth, production, or manufacture, of the plantations or dominions of Spain or Portugal respectively, from any of the ports of Spain or Portugal, or Western Islands, commonly called Azores, or Madeira, or Canary Islands, and so much and such parts of the said Act is and are hereby repealed accordingly.' To render such provisions effectual we ought to apply similar legislative measures to Germany, France, &c. but we must bear in mind that we have hitherto been mainly the channel of supply of their articles, and the S. Americans have it in their power to deprive us entirely of the trade, and to give it a direction without our intervention. As individuals, we trust to the enlarged and liberal views of those governments not to do so; but no legislative or political feeling here gives us any good reason to insist on its being otherwise. To sell largely, Sir, we must buy largely.-Trade cannot exist as an export only, and if it be an object worthy the attention of Government to give extension to our manufactures, facility must be largely given to enable us to deal as buyers as well as sellers. I would implore you to contemplate the period to which I have ventured to allude, when our manufacturing interest was so depressed; and to reflect that that valuable trade, which we, of late, have had with the W. Indies, is dying away from an uncertain reliance on a direct opening with the Main; so long as this is in jeopardy, confidence cannot be wholly restored, and operations to both will be partial until decisive measures are adopted to put us on a substantial and firm footing. Reflect, too, that nothing can so materially contribute to the relief of the landed interest as a diffusion of wealth amongst all other classes; and that, with an increase in the sale of woollens and calicos, a proportionate one will follow in the consumption of all the produce of the soil; nothing can permanently relieve it but this, and a decline of commerce would be attended with evils too dreadful to contemplate. It cannot be necessary for merchants to importune you, who know their interests, to protect them. Commerce is the guardian angel of all our prosperity, wealth, and happiness, and its voice is loud in demanding freedom, without which it must die, I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient and very humble Servant, To the Rt. Hon. G. Canning, M.P. &c. JOHN LOWE, ON THE BRITISH QUARANTINE LAWS, AND THE SO-CALLED SANITARY LAWS OF THE CONTINENTAL NATIONS OF EUROPE, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF SPAIN. BY CHARLES MACLEAN, M. D. KNIGHT OF THE SPANISH ORDER OF CHARLES III.; MEMBER OF THE MEDICAL ACADEMIES OF MADRID AND BARCELONA; COMMIS- "In the fourth volume, the reader will find a retraction of the author's former opinion of the Yellow-fever spreading by contagion. He begs forgiveness of the friends of science and humanity, if the publication of that opinion has had any influence in increasing the misery and mortality attendant upon that disease. Indeed such is the pain he feels, in recollecting that he ever entertained, or propagated it, that it will long, and perhaps always deprive him of the pleasure he might otherwise have derived from a review of his attempts to fulfil the public duties of his situation." RUSH'S MED. ENQ. AND OBSERVATIONS, PREY. ORIGINAL. LONDON. |