ostrich feathers, &c.; the
imports, colonial produce, (which indeed finds its way every where,)
cutlery, tin, woollen and linen goods, &c. The exports of the rest of
Africa are nearly similar to those enumerated, viz. gums, drugs, ivory,
ostrich feathers, skins, gold dust, &c. From the British settlement at the
Cape are exported wine, wheat, wool, hides, &c.
The United States claim our first notice in giving a rapid sketch of the
commerce of America: we have already pointed out the causes of their
extraordinary progress in population and wealth. American ships, like
English ones, are found in every part of the world: in the South Sea
Islands, among people just emerging into civilization and industry; among
the savages of New Zealand; on the north-west coast of America; and on the
dreadful shores of New South Shetland. Not content with exporting the
various productions of their own country, they carry on the trade of
various parts of the globe, which, but for their instrumentality, could not
have obtained, or ever have become acquainted with each other's produce.
The exports from America, the produce of their own soil, are corn, flour,
timber, potash, provisions, and salt fish from the northern States; corn,
timber, and tobacco from the middle States; and indigo, rice, cotton, tar,
pitch, turpentine, timber, and provisions, to the West Indies, from the
southern States. The imports are woollen, cotton goods, silks, hardware,
earthen-ware, wines, brandy, tea, drugs, fruit, dye-stuffs, and India and
colonial produce. By far the greatest portion of the trade of the United
States is with Great Britain. The principal ports are Boston, New York,
Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New Orleans.
The British settlements in America export, chiefly from Quebec and Halifax,
corn, potash, wheel timber, masts, lumber, beaver and other furs, tar,
turpentine, and salted fish from Newfoundland. The imports are woollen and
cotton goods, hardware, tea, wine, India goods, groceries, &c.
The exports of the West India Islands are sugar, coffee, rum, ginger,
indigo, drugs, and dye stuffs. The imports are lumber, woollen and cotton
goods, fish, hardware, wine, groceries, hats, and other articles of dress,
provisions, &c.
Brazil, and the late Spanish settlements in America, countries of great
extent, and extremely fertile, promise to supply very valuable articles for
commerce; even at present their exports are various, and chiefly of great
imp
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