provisions. By the laws of Great-Britain, in time of peace, three fourths of the crews of British vessels, employed in foreign voyages, must be British subjects, but in time of war one fourth only. The proportion of French subjects, required to navigate French vessels, in foreign voyages, by the ordinance of France, has varied at different times, from two thirds to three fourths. By the regulations of the maritime nations of the north of Europe, a major part at least, of the crew, must be the subjects of the country, to which the vessel belongs.

To secure employment to American vessels and seamen, the second object of the act, it provides, that after the 30th of September, 1817, no goods shall be imported, from any foreign port or place, except in vessels of the United States, or in such foreign vessels, as truly and wholly belong to the citizens or subjects of that country, of which the goods are the growth, production, or manufacture, or from which, such goods can only be, or most usually are, first shipped for transportation; with a proviso, " that this regulation shall not extend to the vessels of any foreign nation, which has not adopted a similar regulation." In consequence of the proviso, the act extends only to those nations, who prohibit American vessels from carrying to their ports, articles not the growth, produce, or manufacture of the United States. It is believed that only Great-Britain, Sweden, and the Grand Duchy of Finland, (lately annexed to Russia,) have similar regulations. As it respects these countries, therefore, this part of the act may be considered merely retaliatory. While by their regulations, American vessels are not permitted to carry to their ports foreign goods, this law prohibits the vessels of these countries, from bringing foreign goods to the ports of the United States. The local situation of the United States, and past experience, furnish strong reasons, why the act should not extend further. When the European nations shall be at war, and particularly if Great-Britain be a party, no nation can carry colonial and other products so cheap as the United States. And even in time of peace, it is believed, they can carry as cheap as any other nation. And there can be little doubt, that at all times, the American trade in foreign articles, or those not the produce of the United States, with foreign countries, to which they are now permit ted to be carried, will be much greater than the trade of these countries, in articles not of their produce, will be with the United States.

In the year 1816, the United States exported foreign articles, and principally in their own vessels, to the amount of more than $17,000,000; and it is not believed, that, during that year, foreign vessels brought to the United States, foreign goods, or goods not the produce of the countries, to which the vessels belonged, to the amount of one fifth of that sum; in addition to this, many foreign articles were carried in American vessels, directly to foreign countries, without first coming to the United States. The difference may not be so great hereafter; but while this difference exists in favour of the United States, it would be impolitic, by a general law, to invite, and perhaps compel other nations, to adopt retaliatory regulations, and thereby increase their own navigation, at the expense of the navigation of the United States.

While the value of imports into the United States, since the termination of the late war between them and Great-Britain, has been unusually great, the value of exports, of domestic produce, has also been greater than usual.

In 1816, the value of domestic produce exported, as stated in a preceding chapter, was nearly $65,000,000, and of foreign produce more than $17,000,000. The exports, for 1816, according to the custom-house books, were destined to the following countries, viz.

Nearly one half of the whole exports went to Great-Britain and her dominions, during the year 1816. The value of imports into the United States, from all parts of the world, from January 1st, to December 31st, 1815, was calculated, as before stated, at more than $133,000,000; and the value of imports from Great-Britain and dependencies alone, was more than $82,000,000, leaving about $50,000,000 from all other countries. The amount of imports from Great-Britain, from obvious causes, was much larger, during the years 1815, and 1816, than they will be in future, in ordinary times; yet the United States have been, and still continue to be, the best customer of the British manufacturer.

More than one half of all the imports into the United States, for consumption, have come from the dominions of Great-Britain; a small part only of woollens and cottons come from any other country. In 1815, the amount of goods imported, paying ad valorem duties, (including woollens and cottons,) was about $86,000,000, of which about $71,000,000 was imported from Great-Britain and dependen

cies.