COMMRRCE, COLONIES, FISHERIES, SHIPPING.
The official returns of French imports and exports were published in a very circumstantial manner pre vious to the revolution, particularly for the years 1787, 1788, 1789, which were, doubtless, those in which the commercial exchanges between France and her neighbours were carried to the greatest amount. The annual exports then were, The war of 1793, by bringing in hostility to the French, every contiguous state, except Switzerland, reduced greatly their commercial exchanges ; obli ging them to desist from exporting a number of ar ticles, and to raise or fabricate others, for which they had depended on their neighbours. This inter ruption of intercourse continued, either by sea or land, during more than twenty years ; and, since the peace of 1814, the relations of the commercial world have been too unsettled to admit of forming conclu sive inferences from the returns of any particular year. At present, however, the imports and exports of France are less than before the revolution, and af ford a striking contrast to the rapid extension of fo reign trade in a country possessing the command of the sea. It is well that our statements, in regard to the manufactures of France, precede the notice of her commerce, as they enable us to conceive with how little foreign intercourse a very numerous popu lation conducts its productive industry.
The corn, the hemp, the flax, the tallow, which form such important articles of export from the north of Europe to England, are comparatively unnecessary to France. Their timber and pitch are imported there ; but the quantities required by a people where ship-building is so limited, are necessarily of little consequence. The farther articles of import are iron, copper, lead, salt, fish, all likewise on a small scale. The returns from France are no longer in the sugar and coffee, which, before the loss of St Domingo, furnished an annual export to the north of fully two millions sterling. They are limited to wine and bran dy—luxuries of which the consumption is confined to a few large towns, such as Petersburg, Hamburgh, Stockholm, Dantzic.
With Germany, at least with the centre and south of Germany, the exchanges of France are carried on by a tedious land carriage, or by a still more tedious river navigation. Here are no canals to facilitate the conveyance of bulky commodities ; all proceed in a slow routine, except horses and horned cattle, which are imported into France in considerable num bers, and made to travel with expedition. In regard to the Netherlands the case is different. With them there is an easy communication by sea, and, as far as regards French Flanders and part of Picardy, a still more easy communication by canals. From the southern part of the Netherlands the imports into France are coal, hemp, flax, fine linen. From Hol land, spirituous liquors, spices. butter, cheese. The re turns from France are chiefly wine, silks, brandy, dried fruit. When the Netherlands were subject to France, this intercourse was very active ; but since 1814, it is much impeded by restrictions on both sides.
From Italy France imports raw silk, corn, rice, olive oil, and fruit, chiefly lemons, oranges, figs, raisins. The returns, various in kind but small in quantity, consist of wine, brandy, cattle, woollens, linen, leather, hats, stockings, jewellery, glass, hard ware. From the Levant the imports, though less than formerly, still consist of raw silk, cotton, wool, corn, dried fruits. The exports, manufactured silks, woollens, stockings, and, in a small degree, bar& ware, paper, liqueurs, linens, lace. With Spain the intercourse is more extensive. The exports from France are corn, flour, salt fish, wine, brandy, also woollens, cottons, silks, leather, linen, lace, hats ; all articles that have passed through some process of manufacture, and bear testimony to the industry of the French. The Spaniards, on the other hand, true to their character, make no returns but in produce and raw materials, viz. wool, silk, fruit, sweet wines, along with some iron and copper. With Portugal the trade of France is not considerable, the staple products (wine and brandy) being the same in both countries.