The neceffity France is under of favouring the importation of

them.

Of the neceffity of profcribing all monopoly, in every com

pany which would not wish to carry on this commerce by privilege.

Reflections on the falfehoods of monopolifts.

That the monopoly of Furs would ruin American commerce. That the free Americans ought to oppofe this monopoly.

SECTION VI.

Rice, Indigo, Flax-feed.

page 245 Obfervations on the inconveniencies of the culture of rice; of the abuses of the flavery, by means of which it is done ; on the neceffity of destroying this flavery, and of replacing the rice cultivated at prefent by another kind, which caufes fewer diforders.

Of the neceffity the French Government is under of granting privileges to the importation of American rice, and of the advantages which would result from this to the articles of fubfiftence.

Examination of an idea of Lord Sheffield, who prefumes that

the repofitory for American rice should always be in London. Quantities of rice exported from America to England, in an average year, taken before the revolution.

Indigo.

page 250 The neceffity which France is under of admitting equally free the indigo of Carolina and Georgia; quantity exported by the States to England; of the quality of this indigo; of poffibility of improving it.

The quantity of it fent before the war from North America to England.

The advantage of admitting it free into France.

SECTION VII. Naval Stores, fuch as Pitch, Far, and

The quantity of thefe articles fent formerly from North America to England.

Utility of thefe articles to that Ifland; motives which have determined the English to favour, even fince the peace, these productions of free America.

Quality of American commodities compared with that of the fame commodities which come from the North.

SECTION VIII. Timber and Wood for Carpenters and Coopers Work, fuch as Staves, Cafk-heads, Planks, Boards,

&c.

page 257

That France ought, in imitation of England, to free these ftores from the United States; reasons and advantages of this freedom; that France ought to receive all this wood and timber; that she is in great want of it; that she may get it from the United States at lefs expence, and more safety. Quantity of it exported to England before the war.

SECTION IX. Veffels conftructed in America to be fold or page 259

freighted.

That the French ought to buy American Vessels, if they wish to establish a commerce with America.

Objections of Lord Sheffield against the purchase of these veffels.

Table of the number of thefe veffels furnished to England before the war.

Refutation of the objections of Lord Sheffield.

Reasons drawn from the state of the French marine, which ought to engage France to favour the conftruction of American veffels.

Reasons drawn from the utility which would result from it to her manufactures.

Difcuffion of the prejudice which causes American veffels to be looked upon as bad and little durable.

State and degree of perfection of ship-building in America. Reputation of Mr. Peck in fhip-building, and the conftructors in general of Boston and Philadelphia acknowledged even by the English.

Reason

Reafon why American fhip-building will be more and more improved.

SECTION X. General Confiderations on the preceding Table of

Importations from the United States to France. page 268 Of other articles which might be added to it; of the neceffity of our being inftructed by the free Americans in this commerce. Of an establishment formed at Paris, under the name of the Gallo American Society, to unite the greatest information on the commerce of the United States.

Of the establishment of packet-boats to free America.

Of the defects in the difpofition of those already established, and of the manner of regulating them for the advantage of

commerce.

Conclufion, and Reflections on the Situation of the United States.

page 284. Of the motives which oblige the authors of this work to defer the examination of fome other important points relative to the commerce of the United States.

Reflections on the opinion formed in Europe of the United

States.

Of their pretended anarchy: what anarchy is.

That it does not exist in the United States.

Of the war against the favages.

Of the troubles of the State of Maffachufet.

Of the troubles, occafioned by the iffuing of paper-money, in Rhode Island.

A flight obfervation on the improvements made in the United States, in their foederal, political, and civil conftitutions : on their public fpirit, &c.

Papers relative to this Work.

page 310.

No. I. Letter from M. de Calonne to Mr. Jefferfon.

II. Act of the State of Virginia on civil and religious tolerance.

III. Profpectus of the Gallo-American Society.

IV. Extract from the regulation of the packet-boats deftined to the United States.

INTRODUCTION

By J. P. BRISSOT DE WAR VILLE.

EN

NGLAND had scarcely figned the painful treaty, which deprived her for ever of her American colonies, than her merchants and political writers fought the means of rendering to her by commerce, what she had just loft by that memorable infurrection.

Lord Sheffield predicted, in a work full of important details *, that England would always

The work entitled, Obfervations on the Commerce of the American States, London, 1783. This treatife has gone

always be the ftorehouse of the United States; that the Americans conftantly attracted, by the excellence of its manufactures, the long experienced integrity of its merchants, and the length of credit, which

they

through fix editions; it has not been tranflated into French, although it abounds with facts important for France to be acquainted with. It is affured, that M. Deane furnished the author with most of them, and that the tables are as exact as it is poffible for them to be, confidering the abolishment of duties.

Although this work may have been well received by the English, it has, nevertheless, many defects : The author has not always taken his matter from a good fource: he has fhewn towards France and America prejudices, which could not but lead him aftray befides, he has discovered no philofophical views, nor even a more than common policy. The public might have expected a fuperior work upon this fubject, in a country which has produced the exact and profound Smith.

Lord Sheffield has had contradicters even in England; they did not fuffer themselves to be led away, like him, by the enthufiafm of patriotifm.

I must remark on this occafion the good effects of public difcuffion. The fixth edition of Lord Sheffield's work gives many additions, and fome alterations; the objections which had been made to him forced him to produce his proofs. It is not thought strange in England, that an Englishman exposes to public view the abuses which reign in its manufactures and commerce, and which might cause it to be inferior in the markets of Europe. The English are perfuaded that it is the only method to reform them. In other ftates this patriotic fervice would be looked upon as treafon.