yard, were to be taken and deemed to have cost that sum per square yard, and charged with duty accordingly. This minimum price was fixed for the purpose

of excluding entirely from the American market the low-priced Indian cottons, to protect the American planter and manufacturer. But few Indian goods were imported afterwards into the United States, and indigo and silks were the principal articles imported.-See Tables, 1790 to 1844, inclusive.

The exports to British India consisted of some flour, whale oil, spermacetti, and tallow candles-manufactured tobacco, timber, &c., and specie-the export of these gradually diminished from 1,930,376 dollars, in 1822, to 98,516 dollars, in 1833. See Tables, 1790 to 1844, inclusive.

CHAPTER XXV.

TRADE BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA.

THE American trade with China commenced soon after the close of the peace of 1783. The first ship, commanded by Captain Green, from the United States, sailed from the port of New York for Canton, on the 22nd of February, 1784, and returned on the 11th of May, 1785.

The success, as well as novelty, of Captain Green's voyage, attracted no little attention in this country; and the second voyage to this distant part of the world was of a more bold and adventurous character.

Captain Stewart Deane, a citizen of Albany, who had successfully commanded a letter of marque in the early part of the war of the revolution, having had a personal interview with Captain Green on the subject of his voyage, resolved to fit out the sloop Experiment, of only eighty-four tons, which he had just built at Albany as a coaster, for this distant voyage; and on the 19th of December, 1785, this navigator, with a crew of only seven men and two boys, sailed in this little bark for Canton. Such a distant voyage, in so small a vessel, was, at that time, considered so extremely hazardous, that no insurance could be effected on the vessel and cargo at any of the offices, either in America or England. The sloop arrived safe at Canton, in May, 1786; where she was, at first, mistaken for a tender to some large ship, which had been left below, in Canton river: and the inhabitants were not a little astonished, to learn that this small vessel, with her Atlantic, Indian, and Chinese crew, had crossed the ocean from the opposite hemisphere:

This daring enterprise insured him, Captain Deane, a hospitable reception at Canton, and particularly at the British factory.

He returned to America in 1787, and was afterwards, for some years, engaged in the same trade, as commander of much larger vessels.

These two first and successful voyages induced others to engage in the trade; and as early as 1789, fifteen American flags arrived at the port of Canton, a greater number than from any other nation, except Great Britain.*

The principal articles imported into the United States from China, have been teas, silks, nankeens, and china-ware. During the late wars in Europe, the Americans, not only supplied their own country, with the article of tea, but shipped large quantities of it to different parts of Europe, to supply the wants of the belligerent nations, who were dependent on neutrals for this, as well as many other necessary foreign articles.

The American trade with China may be divided into that which is direct from the United States, and that which is carried on generally, on American account, and embracing not only that between the United States and China, but that also carried on by the Americans between China and other parts of the world.

The amount of the commerce of the United States with China is next to that of Great Britain. And the former, by the ancient British treaty, enjoy all the privileges of the British; and the Americans have also since negotiated a treaty of commerce and navigation.

The following is a statement of the quantities of the several kinds of teas, paying duties (the exports being deducted from the imports), for each year from 1790 to 1800:

Making the annual consumption for these eleven years, about 2,500,000

pounds.

The following quantity of teas, of all kinds, was imported and exported, in each year, from 1801 to 1812.

Making an average annual consumption of about 3,350,000 pounds.

Macpherson's Annals of Commerce.

From 1821 to 1833 we include the value, as estimated at Canton, as well as the quantity of teas imported and exported, in each year, during this period; and it will be remembered, that the value is estimated at Canton.

Making an annual consumption, during this period, of about 7,000,000

pounds.

TABLES showing the Imports and Exports of Tea into and from the United States, annually, from 1821 to 1841, inclusive.

TRADE OF THE UNITED STATES WITH THE BRITISH EAST INDIES.

The trade between the United States and the British East Indies, commenced soon after the peace of 1783. In 1788, 1789, Earl Cornwallis, then governor and commander in India, gave orders, that American vessels should be treated at the Company's settlements, in all respects, as the most favoured foreigners; and the ship Chesapeake, one of the first vessels that displayed the American flag in the Ganges, was exempted by the supreme council of Bengal from the government customs, which foreign vessels were bound to pay.

This intercourse was regulated by the thirteenth article of the treaty of November 19th, 1794, and by subsequent legislation.-See Treaties.

American ships are also allowed to trade and carry merchandise direct from the United Kingdom to British India, and from both to China. The trade to China from British India, since the opening of the ports of the latter, has been commenced by the citizens and ships of the United States.-See Trade with China. The value of the American trade with the British East Indies, from 1795 to 1801, according to Mr. Pitkin, was as follows:

On an average of the years 1802, 1803, and 1804, the value of the imports was 3,530,000 dollars, and the value of the exports, 130,000 dollars.

From 1821 to 1845, the following was the value of imports and exports :

Prior to the year 1816, much the greatest part of the imports from the British East Indies, consisted of low-priced cotton goods. During the years 1802, 1803, and 1804, the value of these white cottons, imported into the United States, was estimated, on an average, at about 2,950,000 dollars. By the tariff of 1816, all cotton goods, the original cost of which, at the place from whence imported (except nankeens directly from China), was less than twenty-five cents per square

yard, were to be taken and deemed to have cost that sum per square yard, and charged with duty accordingly. This minimum price was fixed for the purpose of excluding entirely from the American market the low-priced Indian cottons, to protect the American planter and manufacturer. But few Indian goods were imported afterwards into the United States, and indigo and silks were the principal articles imported.-See Tables, 1790 to 1844, inclusive.

The exports to British India consisted of some flour, whale oil, spermacetti, and tallow candles-manufactured tobacco, timber, &c., and specie-the export of these gradually diminished from 1,930,376 dollars, in 1822, to 98,516 dollars, in 1833. See Tables, 1790 to 1844, inclusive.

CHAPTER XXV.

TRADE BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA.

THE American trade with China commenced soon after the close of the peace of 1783. The first ship, commanded by Captain Green, from the United States, sailed from the port of New York for Canton, on the 22nd of February, 1784, and returned on the 11th of May, 1785.

The success, as well as novelty, of Captain Green's voyage, attracted no little attention in this country; and the second voyage to this distant part of the world was of a more bold and adventurous character.

Captain Stewart Deane, a citizen of Albany, who had successfully commanded a letter of marque in the early part of the war of the revolution, having had a personal interview with Captain Green on the subject of his voyage, resolved to fit out the sloop Experiment, of only eighty-four tons, which he had just built at Albany as a coaster, for this distant voyage; and on the 19th of December, 1785, this navigator, with a crew of only seven men and two boys, sailed in this little bark for Canton. Such a distant voyage, in so small a vessel, was, at that time, considered so extremely hazardous, that no insurance could be effected on the vessel and cargo at any of the offices, either in America or England. The sloop arrived safe at Canton, in May, 1786; where she was, at first, mistaken for a tender to some large ship, which had been left below, in Canton river: and the inhabitants were not a little astonished, to learn that this small vessel, with her Atlantic, Indian, and Chinese crew, had crossed the ocean from the opposite hemisphere:

This daring enterprise insured him, Captain Deane, a hospitable reception at Canton, and particularly at the British factory.