France, then, is evidently not yet in a condition to
supply her own wants. It is said, indeed, she has a large stock on hand,
unsold, occasioned by the English competition. Thirty-three thousand
quintals, including this year's produce, are spoken of: this is between
six and seven months'provision; and supposing by the time this is
exhausted that the next year's supply comes in, that will enable her to
go on five or six months longer; say a twelvemonth in the whole. But,
at the end of the twelvemonth, what is to be done? The manufacturers
depending on this article, cannot maintain their competition against
those of other countries, if deprived of their equal means. When the
alternative, then, shall be presented, of letting them drop, or opening
the ports to foreign whale-oil, it is presumable the latter will be
adopted, as the lesser evil. But it will be too late for America. Her
fishery, annihilated during the late war, only began to raise its head,
on the prospect of a market held out by this country. Crushed by the
_Arret_ of September the 28th, in its first feeble effort to revive, it
will rise no more.
Pages:
836
837
838
839
840
841
842
843
844
845
846
847
848
849
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860