The navigation by sea was divided as follows: French navigation f.705,000,000, or 48 per cent. 66 The commerce by sea has been divided into the following general heads: Commerce with the countries of Europe, f.757,000,000, or 51 per cent. Do. do. do. out of 66 Colonies and fisheries, The following table will show the comparative French and foreign tonnage employed under each of these heads. Tonnage engaged in the commerce of France for a series of years. Fr'ch colonies Total tonnage. 1835 2,180,000 1836 2,491,000 1837 2,607,000 1838 2,853,000 1839 2,930,000 Average, 2,613,000 207,000 141,000 529,000 1840 2,896,000 173,000 130,000 629,000 255,000 1,235,000 246,000 279,000 1,331,000 354,000 This table presents the fact that the proportion of French tonnage employed in fisheries and the colonial trade, has diminished about 15 per cent in 1840, as compared with 1835. In the navigation of Europe, however, the year 1840 compared with 1835 shows an improvement of 83 per cent in favor of the French flag, and of 32 per cent for the foreign tonnage. In the trade with countries out of Europe, the French tonnage increased 22 per cent, and foreign tonnage 47 per cent. The aggregate trade gives an increase of 59 per cent for the flag of France, and 35 per cent for that of other countries. The following is a table showing the proportion the French tonnage has borne to the whole trade of each country as compared with the flag of that country. For instance, the trade with England is considered as 100 of this the French tonnage employed has been 28 per cent, English tonnage 71 per cent, and the tonnage of other countries 1 per cent: total 100. Proportion of French and foreign tonnage engaged in the trade with each power, in 1840. We may now pass to the imports and exports of France with each country for a series of years, comprised in the following table. In relation to imports, it will be observed that the United States occupies the first rank, and the countries are named in the order of their importance to the commerce of France. In 1839, the imports from the Sardinian states were the largest. The imports from the United States in 1840 were, it appears, f.176,000,000, or 17 per cent of the whole imports, whereof f.118,000,000 or 16 per cent was admitted to consumption in France. The year 1840, compared with the average of the previous years, shows an increase in the imports from the United States of 60 per cent in the general commerce, and of 38 per cent in the special commerce. The increase in imports from England, it will be seen, is 80 per cent in the same period. The trade with Belgium has rapidly increased since 1835. These then are the most important countries, the others follow in the order of their import ance. The table of exports shows a most remarkable diminution in the shipments to the United States. From f.239,000,000 in 1836 they fell to f.98,000,000 in 1837, and rose again to f.204,600,000 in 1839, and again fell to f.136,100,000 in 1840. This violent fluctuation affects the general commerce in the same proportion as the special commerce of France, and is indicative that the cause existed in the paper system of the U. States alone. Such extreme fluctuations are exhibited in the trade of no other country. At the same time it is observable that the imports from the U. States steadily increased. The exports to England reached f.160,000,000, of which f.105,000,000 was of French production. The total shows a slight decrease from 1839. To Spain the increase has been great, reaching f.104,700,000, of which f.79,000,000 was French production. The tables follow, commencing with the imports into France. United States IMPORTS OF FRANCE FROM EACH COUNTRY-GENERAL COMMERCE. Total Francs 66 Dollars 760,700,000 905,600,000 $07,800,000 937,100,000 947,000,000 1,052,300,000 138,881,270 169,800,000 151,462.500175,706,250 177,562,500 197,306,250 Total Francs Dollars $34,400,000 961,300,000 758,100,000 955,900,000 1,003,300000 1,010.900,000 156,450,000 180,243,750 142,143,750 179,231,250 188,118,750 189,543,750 We e may now pass to the consideration of the imports and exports of the different articles which enter into the commerce of France. These imports are officially divided into articles "necessary to industry," such as raw materials, &c., "natural objects of consumption," as sugar, fish, flour, &c., and "manufactured objects of consumption," as clothes, shoes, &c. The amounts of imports and exports are given at the "official value," which are averages resulting from an inquiry which was approved 29th May, 1826. These values have since then been attached to merchandise entered and cleared. This was done to facilitate the comparison of one year with another, because if the fluctuations in the value of each was given, the comparison of one year with another would not, it was thought, give any satisfactory results. The proportion which these different classifications of imports bear to each other is seen in the following resume:— 66 The difference which exists between the special and general commerce constitutes, for the most part, the transit trade of France, of which the statistics are here subsequently given. This trade has mostly developed itself since 1832. From that time to 1836 it increased in a much greater degree than did the exclusive commerce of France; having risen from f.150,000,000 to f.340,000,000. Since that year it does not appear to have much advanced beyond that general improvement which has marked the aggregate trade. From the year 1832 to 1836 the increase in the transit trade by value was 24 per cent, and by weight 41 per cent, showing some falling off in relative values. This trade of France is one of vast and increasing importance, but will probably be checked in coming years by that radical change in the currency of the United States and England, the great nations for the sale of the products of the interior of France, which appears now to be going on. The exports from the United States across France to the interior of Europe appear to consist mostly of that description classed as necessary to industry," or the raw material of manufactures, which, as seen above, have borne a higher proportion in the special trade than in the general commerce. This undoubtedly has marked the progress of manufacturing prosperity in those interior countries of Europe where low duties and a steady currency have given every advantage to the producers of those manufactured goods, the ready sale of which has been greatly facilitated in those countries, as England and the U. States, where a season of prosperity induced that exuberance of paper credits, which, by raising prices, gave a margin to importers. The paper credits which raised prices, were also the means of promoting the consumption of European goods faster than it developed the resources of the consuming country to pay for them. Those credits are now powerfully contracted, and will prevent so large a consumption of foreign goods for the future ; but they may have increased the powers of Europe to consume their own manufactures. Hence no falling off in that prosperity may be felt, although the increase hereafter will not be so rapid. We may now proceed with the tables of imports and exports, commencing with the general commerce. |