The
English know its value, and were supplied with it, before the war. A
spirit of hostility, since that event, led them to seek Russian rather
than American supplies; a new spirit of hostility has driven them back
from Russia, and they are now making contracts for American timber.
But of the three articles before mentioned, proved by experience to be
suitable for the French market, one is prohibited, one under monopoly,
and one alone free, and that the smallest and of very limited
consumption. The way to encourage purchasers, is, to multiply their
means of payment. Whale-oil might be an important one. In one scale, are
the interests of the millions who are lighted, shod, or clothed with the
help of it, and the thousands of laborers and manufacturers, who would
be employed in producing the articles which might be given in exchange
for it, if received from America: in the other scale, are the
interests of the adventurers in the whale-fishery each of whom, indeed,
politically considered, may be of more importance to the State, than
a simple laborer or manufacturer; but to make the estimate with the
accuracy it merits, we should multiply the numbers in each scale into
their individual importance, and see which preponderates.
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