An Account of their Productions, and the reciprocal
Advantages which may be drawn from their Com-
mercial Connexions:

AND FINALLY,

POINTING OUT THE ACTUAL SITUATION

OF THE

UNITED STATES.

TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH OF

ETIENNE CLAVIERE,

AND

J. P. BRISSOT DE WARVILLE.

LONDON:

PRINTED AT THE Logographic Press,

AND SOLD BY ROBSON AND CLARKE, NEW BOND STREET; T. LONOMAN,
PATER-NOSTER-ZOW; AND W. RICHARDSON, ROYAL-EXCHANOZ.

?

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION,

Wherein it is stated, that whilst the English poffefs much in-
formation, on the commercial connections, which may
exist between Europe and the United States, France, whose
interest it is to establish them on her part, discovers but
little knowledge of this Commerce, or zeal to enter into it.
Caufes of this indifference. The want of the liberty of the
prefs for political difcuffions, is one of the principal. The
great inconveniences attached to the prohibition of books.—
The political advantages which would refult from the
liberty of the prefs; no moment more favourable than the
present to ask for it, and to provoke the reform of abuses of
every kind.-Reflections on the fources whence facts have
been drawn, on the general fpirit of this work, on the
order of the ideas, &c.

CHAPTER, I.

page 1.

Of exterior Commerce; the Circumftances which led to it, and
of the means of assuring it to a nation.

General principles on exterior Commerce.

Direct Commerce preferable to that which is indirect.
It gives every thing at a cheaper rate.

The lowest price, the great bafis of exterior commerce.
Circumftances which put in the power of a nation to fell at
the lowest price.

Circumstances which incline two nations to enter into a
league with each other by commercial connections.
The nature of things must furnish these circumstances; what is
the nature of things?

CHAP.

CHAPTER II.

page 11

Of exterior Commerce, confidered in its Means of Exchange, and its Balance.

Examination of what is understood by the balance of trade between two nations.

It is proved, I. That this balance of trade is but an infignificant expreffion that the balance of an account paid in gold, is not a proof of a disadvantageous commerce on the part of the nation which pays it, nor of an advantageous one on the part of that by which it is received. II. That the tables of this balance of trade deferve no credit; and that the only method of eftimating the encrease of commerce, is by the encrease of population,

III. That it is impoffible to fix the quantity of money exifting in a country; and that all the calculations on this head, rest upon an uncertain and defective bafis, because it is impoffible to collect all their elements.

IV. That metals are not real riches.

V. That confidered as agents of exchange, it would be more advantageous to fubftitute paper for them in interior commerce, and not to be afraid to employ metals in exterior commerce, to which this paper cannot be applied. It refults from thefe demonstrations, that a trade may be opened between two nations, without the aid of money; that a nation will have fo much the more of it to exchange for foreign productions, as it fhall have a greater number of thefe confidential establishments, by which money is advantageously replaced.

CHAPTER III.

page 29

Application of the foregoing general Principles, to the reciprocal Commerce of France and the United States.

That France has every Means of procuring a great Commerce, and thefe which muft affure it to her in the United States ;

that