The principal articles of import from France used to be articles of luxury, such as wines, brandy, lace, cam brics, lawns, silks, trinkets, &c.; of exports, cotton goods, hardware, cutlery, lead, tin, copper, besides a vast deal of East and West India produce. The offici al value of the imports from France during the year 1789, when the Revolution commenced, was rather more than 500,0001.; and of the exports about of which about 800,000/. consisted of English manufactures, and the remainder of foreign produce. In the same year, the number of English vessels employed in this traffic (including their repeated voyages) was nearly 1400 ; and of foreign vessels about 250.
The chief articles imported from Spain are, barilla, oil, cochineal, fruits, wool, cork, dyewoods, wines, bran dy, silk, &c ; of exports, hardware, earthen-ware, broad cloths, leather, hats, baizes, Ste. In time of peace, the official value of the imports was usually about 700,0001., and the exports nearly the same ; and the number of English vessels engaged in the trade about 200, and of foreign vessels about 50.
The principal articles of import from Portugal are, brimstone, cork, drugs, and gums ; wines, fruit, dye stuffs, hides and skins, &c.; of exports, hardware, coals, glass, earthenware, woollen, cotton and silk manufac tures, hats, and East and West India produce ; the va lue of the imports is usually about 800,0091.; of the ex ports, rather more than 1,000,000/.: the number of lish vessels employed, about 250 ; of foreign, about 50.
The usual articles of import from Italy, are barilla, brimstone, cork, oil, fruits, silk, &e,; of export, hard ware, plated-ware, earthen-ware, woollen goods, cotton goods, pilchards, herrings, leather, and East and West India produce. In time of peace, the official value of the imports was usually about 900,000/., and of the ex ports nearly the same : and the number of English ves sels engaged in the trade about 200 ; of foreign vessels, very few were employed, The imports from Turkey consist principally of car pets, drugs, dye-stuffs, fruits, silk, &c.; of exports, the principal are hardware, cotton and woollen goods, watch es, and East and West India produce. The official va lue of the imports is about 200,000E.; of the exports nearly the same. The English and foreign vessels em ployed seldom exceed 20.
The imports from Ireland to England are very nu merous ; they consist chiefly of corn, provisions, linen, hides, Sze. The principal articles of export are coals, woollen, cotton, and silk manufactures ; hats, haberdashe ry, earthen-ware, salt, glass, and East and West India produce. The value of the imports vary from 2,000,000/. to 3,000,000/.; and the exports from 3,000,000/. to 4,000,000/., of which one half generally consists of fo reign produce. The ships employed, (including, as usu al, their repeated voyages,) are between 4000 and 5000.
The principal articles of import from North America, are flour, provisions, masts, timber, cotton wool, tobac co, rice, tar, pitch, pot and pearl ashes, indigo, furs, &c.; of export, woollen and cotton goods to an immense amount, hardware, earthenware, books, hats, leather, linen, shoes, paper, S:c. The value of the exports, especially those to the United States, has varied much latterly, ac cording to the state of political relations between the two countries. It has been as high as 12,000,000/.; the value of the imports is comparatively trifling. The ves sels employed in time of peace are about 560, most of which are foreign.
South America has lately become of great conse quence to the English merchant and manufacturer ; the emigration of the Court of Portugal to the Brazils, and the circumstances which have occurred in the Spanish provinces, having opened the trade to this country. The principal imports from South America are cotton, wool, skins, cochineal, logwood, indigo, Brazilwood, su gar, drugs, Szc. The principal exports are, woollens, silk and cotton goods, linen, leather, hardware, hats, earthen-ware, &c. The value of the imports from the Brazils alone, amounted in 1810, to between 2,000,000/. and 2,000,000/.; and about 160 ships were employed in the trade.
The principal articles of import from the West Indies are sugars, rum, coffee, pepper, ginger, indigo, drugs, cotton, &c. of export, hardware, provisions, woollen and cotton goods, hats, glass, earthen-ware, leather, shoes, ready made clothes, herrings, &c. The real value of the imports varies from 8,000,000/. to 12,000,000/. ; and of the exports from 6,000,000/. to 12,000,000/. The ships employed are about 600; the tonnage about 180,000; and the seamen about 15,000.