The principal articles of import from the East Indies, China, and Persia, are tea, spices, raw silk, muslins, nankeens, sugar, indigo, cloves and other spices, opium, quicksilver, drugs, gums, rice, saltpetre, &c. The prin cipal articles of export are woollen goods, tin, hardware, lead, copper, bullion, clocks, watches, hats, millinery, coaches, cabinet and upholstery goods, &c, From the year 1788 to 1811, there were exported to India bullion to the value of 29,583,210/. ; and mer chandise to the value of 35,528,8861.; making the total exports to India, during that period, 63,112,0961. ; and during the same period, there was exported to China, bullion of the value of 13,295,092E.; and merchandise to the value of 24,012,656E.; making the total value of the exports to China 37,307,7481.; and the total value of the exports both to India and China from 1788 to 1811, 102,419,844/. On an average of 1811, 1812, and 1813, the goods exported to India and China, amounted to 1,900,000/. ; and on an average of the same years, the total produce of the articles sold at the East India Company's sales amounted to about 6,000,000/.
In the year 1771, the tonnage employed in this trade was 61,000; by an act passed in the year 1772, the com pany was restrained from building, till their shipping was reduced to 45,000 tons: this reduction took place in 1776, when they began to rebuild. In 1792, their English built ships amounted to nearly 30,00o tons : at present the tonnage is upwards of 100,000 ; the burden of the ships varying from 500 to 1500 tons.
This trade has hitherto been wholly vested in the hands of the East India Company; but on the expiration of their present charter, the trade to the East Indies will be thrown open, under certain regulations : that to China will still continue the monopoly of the company.
Such is a brief, and necessarily an imperfect, abstract of the principal branches of English commerce. In con sequence of the political relations in which this country has stood for the last twenty years with the continent of Europe, and for the last eight years with the United States of America, it is not possible to present a fair average statement of its regular trade, either with Eu rope or America. The following official statement, how ever, will serve to give us a clearer insight into the real value of the exports.
Real value of exports, on an average of three years, ending 1807, to the continent of Europe, I7,801,232/.: to Ireland, Guernsey, &c. 6,41 5,428/. ; to Asia, 3,308,99 It; to Africa, 1,278,248/. ; to the United States of America, 12,136,811/. ; to other parts of America and the West Indies, 10,599,5 I4/.; making a total, on the annual aver age of three years, ending 1807, of 51,540,224E.; if from this sum we deduct 4,000,q00/. as the value of the ex ports from Scotland, it will leave about 47,000,000/. as the value of the exports from England.
Real value of exports, on an annual average of four years, endingl 81 1, to the continent of Europe, 20,983,808/.
to Ireland, Sze. 7,128.3641. ; to Asia, 3,222..3751. ; to Afri ca, 725,013/.; to the United States, 6,464,059/.; and to the other parts of America and the West Indies, 17,133,553/4 making a total of 55,657,272/4 from which, deducting 4,657,372/., as the probable amount of the ex ports limn Scotland, there will remain 51,000,000/ as the amount of the exports from England. This compa rative statement of the exports of two series of years, will be sufficient to spew how much the value of our exports varied both to the continent of Europe and to the United States, particularly to the latter.
The following statement slims the real value of the imports into England alone, (exclusive of those from India and China,) and of the exports from England, distinguishing foreign from English produce export ed. In the year ending 10th October 1806, there were imported articles to the value of 38,398,6451.; and exported of foreign goods, 9,005,1201. ; and of Eng lish goods, 39,368,2181. In the year ending the 10th of October 1807, there was imported, 40,947,3001. ; exported of foreign goods, 9,679,6521.; and of Eng lish goods, 59,041,8541. And in the year ending 10th of October 1810, the imports were 34,448,6201. ; the foreign exports, 7,138,2821. ; and the English ex ports, 32,233,4771. Of this immense trade, London alone possesses nearly two-thirds. Liverpool, Bristol, Hull, Newcastle, Sunderland; and Whitehaven, rank next to London in commerce.
The following statement may also be given, as exhi biting a clear and satisfactory view of the increase in the official value of the imports and exports of England du ring the last 100 years : It may well be conceived, that the total amount of the tonnage, employed in the domestic and foreign trade of England, is very great. In the year 1800, there were 12,198 vessels belonging to English ports ; of the bur den of 1,466,632 tons ; and navigated by 105,037 men and boys. In the month of September 1813, there were belonging to the English ports 16,602 vessels ; of the burden of 2,029,637 tons ; and navigated by 127,740 men and boys. In consequence of the fire at the Custom house, the English and foreign ships that entered in wards, and cleared outwards, for the year 1813, cannot be calculated; but in 1812, there entered inwards, (in cluding their repeated voyages,) of English ships, 10,756, of the burden of 1,310,156 tons, navigated by 78,269 men and boys ; and of foreign ships 2246, of the burden of 469,696 tons, navigated by 22,829 seamen ; and in the same year, there cleared outwards, (includ ing their repeated voyages,) of English ships, 11,177, of the burden of 1,386,550, and navigated by 85,473 sea men ; and of foreign ships 2336, of the burden of 490,206 tons, and navigated by 24,949 seamen. About one-sixth part of the whole English shipping belongs to the port of London.