COMMERCE. The commercial relations of this island were for. merly confined chiefly to England and France: Newfoundland opened a subsequent field ;* and, at present, Jersey trades with almost every country in Europe, and also with America. It is under some restrictions respecting our colonies in the West Indies. The commerce with England is subject to several regulations and limitations; principally with a view to prevent any contraband traffic; as every article "of the growth, produce, and manufacture," of Jersey is admitted into the mother country, on pay. ment only of the same duties that are imposed on similar commodities, grown, produced, or manufactured, there.+ In some respects, the trade with Jer. sey is restricted to Southampton. * This branch of commerce declines materially when Great Britain is engaged in a continental war, from so many of the usual markets for salted fish being closed against its subjects. During a season of peace, about eighty vessels, (generally brigs), have been employed in that fishery in war time, not one fourth of the number. †There is a difference between the wording of the act of Parliament, respecting Jersey, and that of the order in council on the same subject, which may, at one time or other, create loss or litigation: the JERSEY receives from England corn, flour, live and dead stock, fish, seeds, cloth, linen, and, generally speaking, nearly all things necessary for subsistence, clothing, and furniture; together with coals, crockery, glass ware, paving stone, and a great variety of other useful and ornamental articles. In return for these, JERSEY sends to England, cider, cows, knit worsted stockings, fruit, and, in some years, potatoes. The quantity of cider exported annually to the mother country may be averaged at about 900 pipes; and the number of horned cattle at nearly 800.* The produce of the island exported to foreign parts is very inconsiderable, with the exception, du former reads, "growth, produce, and manufacture; the latter, "growth, produce, or manufacture." The register office in Jersey is regulated by the order in council; the custom house in England, by the act of parliament. Several kinds of goods are manufactured in Jersey from foreign materials, such as cordage, soap, &c. that would if sent to England, be liable to seizure, under the act, though admissible under the order in council. The English custom house has, at St. Helier's, an office, in which all vessels are registered. The establishment is principally intended to prevent any illicit commerce with the mother country. Whilst this species of traffic was in its vigour, Jersey participated in it, with the sister island of Guernsey, though in a far less degree, and chiefly in an indirect manner. The contraband articles were sent from Jersey to Guernsey, and from thence conveyed to England. * The following page shows the exports from Jersey for five years, 1809 to 1813, both years inclusive. ring the latter period of the war, of potatoes to Spain and Portugal; while the articles imported from abroad, and actually consumed in the island, form a large aggregate amount. As therefore the whole exports of Jersey produce is so extremely inadequate to the imports consumed,* it is evident that, without an extensive foreign com Exports from Jersey for five years. * The horned cattle, cider, and potatoes, exported annually, scarcely paid, even during the war, for the tea alone that was imported from England. The quantities of the last article, imported in two years, were in Though the above quantities were actually imported, yet it is geneally supposed that part was reshipped clandestinely, and sent to Guernsey: this, though a breach of the navigation act, was no fraud on the revenue. The quantities of tea allowed annually to be exported from Eng mercé, or an accession of income from other chan nels, the island could not support its present increased expenditure. A large additional income is certainly produced of this no small portion is derived from the considerable sums paid to the military, and to the masons and others employed on the public works this money pays for the greater part of the goods imported from England still however the foreign commercial relations of Jersey must, of late years, have become a source of great profit, or there could not have been that rapid influx of wealth, which has introduced a degree of luxury and dissipation, formerly unknown in the island, and which appears rather to increase than diminish. In fact, the traffic with foreign nations has been, during the late war, very considerable. Though the salted fish from Newfoundland finds, in Jersey, too ready a consumption for the health of the inhabitants, yet a far greater proportion is destined for the continent, from whence the vessels have returned land to Jersey, and Guernsey, with the advantage of a drawback, were before 1811 as follows: To Jersey 125000 but in 1811 the aggregate amount was ordered to be divided equally between the two islands. Since peace has been re-established, the produce of Jersey has fallen considerably in value. M home laden with European merchandise. Com modities of various kinds, and from different quarters, have frequently been reshipped by the im porters, or by other merchants, who purchased them for the same purpose.* Thus the late war made, so far as this island was concerned, an unusual difference, in every respect, from any former state of hostility. It enriched not only the merchants and the retailers, but all the country inhabitants. It so greatly increased the value of estates, that farming land is computed to have averaged the enormous rate of from 1600 to 1800 livres, (or from nearly £66 to £75 sterling) per vergee. Much has been sold considerably higher. Large portions of ground, without even a house on them, have been let in the parish of Grouville, at the exorbitant rate of five pounds sterling per vergee, or eleven pounds five shillings per acre: four pounds per vergee was an average rent. An orchard is, however, commonly found on every farm. * Colquhoun states the value of imports, from Jersey and Guernsey, into the port of London, annually at £91936.1.2. Exports from the port of London, of British manufactured goods, to those two islands at £12001. 13. 10; of foreign merchandise, £21616.16.8; leaving a balance in their favour of £58317. 10. 8. This statement must include the wines, liquors, &c, &c, imported into the islands from foreign ports, and reshipped for London, |