7869. SHIPPING (American), West Indian trade.—
The British allow our commodities
to be taken from our own ports to the West Indies in their vessels only. Let us allow
their vessels to take them to no port. The
transportation of our own produce is worth
seven hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling
annually, will employ 200,000 tonnage of
ships, and 12,000 seamen constantly. It will
be no misfortune that Great Britain obliges us
to exclude her from a participation in this
business. Our own shipping will grow fast
under the exclusion, and till it is equal to the
object the Dutch will supply us.—
To James Madison.
Ford ed., iv, 37.
(P.
1785)
See Commerce, Duties, Discriminating, Flag Protection and Navigation.
