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Such, however, has not proved to be the case. It is true, as will be seen by the following statement, that the quantity of foreign timber imported into Great Britain since the remission of duty, has considerably increased; but the quantity from the North American colonies has likewise increased, as shown in the preceding statement.

Foreign timber and deals imported into the United Kingdom, in loads of 50 cubic feet: In 1849, 578,468; in 1850, 609,692; in 1851, 868,000. The effect of opening the market to foreign timber by a reduction of duties, and consequently an increased importation, has not, as was greatly feared at the outset, proved injurious to the colonies by diminishing the price of their timber. The increased consumption of timber in England has caused a demand for greater varieties of wood. The use of Baltic timber more extensively than heretofore, has caused a greater demand for colonial wood to be used in connexion with it; while the change in the navigation laws has so reduced freights, that the producer of timber and deals in the North American colonies now receives more for his articles than he ever did before the reduction of the duties.

Besides timber, there are other products of the forest, such as ashes and furs, which form no inconsiderable item in the sum total of colonial produce imported into the United Kingdom.

The total value of all colonial products to the United Kingdom, including those derived from mines, agriculture, and the fisheries, is fully set forth in the various tables to be found in this report under head of each colony respectively; and to these, reference is made for more particular information.

England possesses no nursery for seamen at all equal to her North American colonial trade. Besides training her own hardy and burly sons to the dangers and hardships of the sea, that trade fosters and raises up, from among her active, well-built, enduring, and intelligent subjects in the northern colonies, as fine seamen as ever trod a deck, afraid of no danger, and perfectly fitted to sustain any reasonable amount of cold, hardship, and fatigue. The vigor of their frames, their sound constitutions, and the habit of facing severe cold, violent gales, and stormy seas, in a high northern latitude, aided by quick perceptions and ready intelligence, eminently qualify them to navigate her ships to any quarter of the world, either to uphold the honor of their country in fighting her battles upon the seas, or, better still, to extend and enlarge her commerce to every part of the habitable globe.

To her colonial seamen, England may well look with honest pride. Save our own citizens, they have few equals, and none others are their superiors. Whether in war or in peace, these British North American sailors, cradled on a stormy deep, and roughly nursed amid storm and tempest, are in every way fitted to fulfil their duty, and do honor to the country which claims their allegiance.

PART XI.

TRADE OF THE PRINCIPAL ATLANTIC PORTS OF THE UNITED STATES WITH THE BRITISH NORTH AMERICAN COLONIES BY SEA.

The direct trade by sea between the principal Atlantic seaports of the Union and the British North American colonies has, within a few years, become of such extent, value, and importance, as to demand more than ordinary attention.

Its

Probably the most remarkable and interesting feature of the age, is the rapid increase and constant activity of the world's commerce. great agent and promoter, navigation, to which such enormous annual contributions have latterly been made by England and the United States, is more firmly establishing it on a more extended basis, for still greater and more universal achievements.

The great addition to the navigation interest of the world furnished by the British colonies, is not generally considered; nor is its important and influential character fully understood, save by a small portion of the leading statesmen of Europe and America.

The great maritime resources of the North American colonies, and the advantages of their geographical position for an extended commerce with all mankind, will contribute more effectually to accelerate their onward progress to wealth and power, and unquestionably give them a commanding position in all future commercial developments. The extent of seacoast and abundance of excellent harbors in these colonies, is most remarkable.

Commencing at the river St. Croix, the boundary of the United States, there is much coast, and many fine ship harbors, within the Bay of Fundy and the islands it encloses. Next comes the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, with its numerous indentations; then the sea-shores of Cape Breton, and its beautiful and extensive interior coast surrounding that large arm of the sea known as the Bras D'Or, or "arm of gold;" next, the eastern or Gulf coast of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, the Bay of Chaleur, the shores of the whole colony of Prince Edward island-of the Magdalen islands and Anticosti, and all the Labrador coast from Mt. Joly to Davis's straits; in the aggregate, about 3,500 miles of coast-line, everywhere teeming with fish, in greater abundance and excellence than in any other part of the world.

To this great extent of seacoast, admirably provided with large and excellent harbors, must be added the coast of Newfoundland, more than 1,000 miles in extent, whose harbors and fisheries have been known and constantly frequented for more than three centuries.

The handsome and elaborate map of the Lower Colonies, hereunto appended, was prepared expressly for this report by Mr. Henry F. Perley, of St. John, New Brunswick, a young engineer of much promise. The original surveys, maps, and charts, from which it was prepared

are of the most recent date, and of the highest authority; they were obtained with some trouble and at much expense, from England and from the provinces. These have been carefully collated and compiled, and the result is the present map, which is recommended as one of the best yet presented. It exhibits the peculiar configuration of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and of the colonies which are washed by its waters, with their infinity of rivers and harbors, and endless variety of creeks, coves, inlets, estuaries, straits, bays, and arms of the sea.

There cannot, perhaps, be found elsewhere the same extent of country possessing in a greater, or even an equal degree, all the requisites for constructing a mercantile marine, nor the like extent of seacoast so profusely furnished with the finest and most capacious harbors, as the colonies of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

A glance at the map at once shows that those colonies are but a mere extension of New England, and that an interchange of their respective products must not only exist, but will of necessity be mutually beneficial, if not absolutely essential to the prosperity of either country. The wise and truthful spirit of commerce will be opposed to any policy, whether British, American, or colonial, that restricts in the slightest degree the entire freedom of commercial intercourse between countries in such immediate proximity, and whose best interests are so closely interwoven.

The island colonies of Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island, lying contiguous to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with similar characteristics in almost every particular, are rapidly becoming convinced of the value of their material interests in connexion with the necessity for a more liberal commercial intercourse with the United States.

Although the tables which follow show that the trade of the four lower colonies is chiefly confined to Boston and New York, yet they also prove that commercial intercourse with them is becoming more general with all the towns and seaports of the Atlantic States, and that Baltimore and Philadelphia also participate in its benefits.

To encourage the intercourse thus springing into existence and attaining great value from the natural course of trade, and the relative position of the parties with reference to certain natural products of each, would seem to be the bounden duty of the governments of these respective countries.

The first object of every commercial system should be to create and uphold a great commercial marine. Mr. Huskisson laid it down as a principle, that "the only true and durable foundation of a large commercial marine is to be laid in the means of affording it beneficial employment. Without such employment-without, in short, extensive commerce, and great capital to sustain and invigorate that commerce, no laws merely protective will avail. Strict navigation laws have not always created a marine. Does not naval and commercial superiority depend on the habits, pursuits, inclinations, associations, and force of character, rather than on any code of laws whatever?"

In spite of the prohibitions and restrictions which yet exist, and serve to prevent the rapid increase of commercial intercourse between the United States and the lower colonies, yet that intercourse has already attained great value and importance from a very small beginning.

The tonnage inward from the United States, in all the British North American colonies, during the years 1787, 1788, and 1789, amounted on the average of those years to 15,524 tons annually. These were all British vessels.

In 1816, the tonnage inward from the United States was as follows: British, 18,378 tons; American, 75,807 tons: total, 94,185 tons. The average of the years 1820, 1821, and 1822, was: British, 10,464 tons; American, 66,029 tons: total, 76,593 tons.

In the year 1830, the tonnage inward from the United States was: British, 20,755 tons; American, 54,633 tons: total, 75,388 tons.

The tonnage inward from the United States in 1831 was: British, 41,367 tons; American, 16,567 tons: total, 57,934 tons.

The decrease of tonnage in this year was owing entirely to commercial restrictions, embarrassing to trade and injurious to both parties. The falling off in tonnage between 1816 and 1831 was no less than 36,251 tons, or more than one-third of the whole inward tonnage.

The absurd and injurious restrictions having been removed, trade and navigation between the colonies and the United States at once revived; and in 1840, the inward tonnage from the United States was as follows: British, 401,676 tons; American, 357,073 tons: total, 758,749 tons.

In the short period of nine years, owing to enlarged freedom of trade, the tonnage between the United States and the colonies increased more than thirteen-fold!

Following up this increase, the tonnage inward from the United States in 1850 was: British, 972,327 tons; American, 994,809 tons: total, 1,967,066 tons.

The astonishing increase in the nine years which preceded 1840, was followed in the ten years which succeeded that period by another surprising increase, amounting to more than 250 per cent.! And now commences the year 1851.

The first table hereafter presented exhibits the description, quantity, and value of the various articles of domestic production exported from twenty-three Atlantic ports of the United States to the colonies of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Prince Edward Island, during the year 1851.

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