established, that the exports to the United States of Australian Colonies, America, which, with their population of only twelve East Indies, 1,180,000 4,285,829. millions, are removed to a distance from us of 3000 "The articulate returns of the trade of each counmiles across the Atlantic, have amounted to more try for the years 1837 and 1838, have not yet been than one-half of the value of our shipments to the laid before the public: but here is surely enough to whole of Europe, with a population fifteen times as excite our wouder and astonishment. You see that great as that of the United States of America, and Canada, with its population that does not yet reach with an abundance of productions suited to our wants, fifteen hundred thousand souls, takes off no less than which they are naturally desirous of exchanging for £2,800,000, of our produce, or nearly twice as much the products of our mines and looms." as Russia, with its population of sixty millions. You Thus it distinctly appears, that while we have see that the British West India Islands, with a popucompletely sacrificed, by the reciprocity treaties, our lation of about forty thousand white, and eight hunshipping employed in the trade with Northern dred thousand black inhabitants, consumed in 1836 Europe, we have derived no countervailing advan- no less than £3,700,000, or considerably more than tage whatever in our exports to these countries, twice as much as France, with its population of because they actually, as a whole, take off, on an thirty-two millions. And what is most marvellous average of five years, less of that produce than they of all, and comes directly home to the object of this did five-and-twenty years ago. It is evident, that night's festive assembly, the Australian Colonies, while they have taken advantage of our simplicity with a population scarcely at this moment amounting to engross to themselves all the carrying trade to a hundred thousand, take off no less than £1,100,between their harbours and Great Britain, they have 000 a-year of produce. Why, gentlemen, I venture taken care to give us no corresponding advantage to predict, that before the year 1840 the colonists of whatever in our commercial intercourse with them. New Holland, reinforced as they will be by our In fact, they have done more the only return they friends around us proceeding to New Zealand, will have made for our concession in maritime affairs, consume more of British produce and manufactures, has been to load our manufactures with additional though they may not number a hundred and twenty duties. Prussia has rewarded us for our ample con- thousand souls, than the sixty millions of the Muscessions to her by the Prusso-Germanic league. covite empire. Such is the wonderful difference beEvery year brings a fresh ukase from the Emperor tween the commercial intercourse we can maintain of Russia, imposing additional duties on our goods; with our own descendants-our own flesh and blood and even our little puppet, the revolutionary Queen -the Anglo Saxon race whom we have sent forth to of Portugal, has shown her gratitude for the aid civilize the world-and the inhabitants of foreign which put her on the throne, by nearly doubling the duties on every species of British manufacture? Mr. Alison, after dwelling on these facts, proceeded as follows to exhibit the very different picture which the colonial trade has presented; states, subjected to the authority of hostile governments, or swayed by foreign commercial jealousy. Lord Brougham, in the debate on the repeal of the Orders in Council in 1812, has explained, with even more than his usual felicity, the causes of this re"Gentlemen, I will not fatigue you with further markable difference between the commerce opened details. You see here the astonishing facts that in our own colonies and that which can be mainFrance, with its thirty-two millions of inhabitants, tained with any other independent state in the old takes only £1,500,000 worth; that Prussia, with a world. "The extent," says he, "and swift and population of fourteen millions, takes off only regular progress of the American market for British £160,000 worth! and most marvellous of all, that goods, is not surprising; we can easily and clearly Russia, now with a population of sixty millions, account for it. In the nature of things it can be no takes only £1,700,000 of our produce. From these otherwise, and the reason lies on the very surface of facts we may estimate, with perfect certainty, the the fact. America is an immense agricultural chances which Great Britain has of being able to country, where land is plentiful and cheap; men maintain a lucrative commercial intercourse with the and labour, though quickly increasing, yet still old European nations in the same stage of civilisation scarce and dear, compared with the boundless regions with herself, and influenced by the political hostility which they occupy and cultivate. In such a country and commercial rivalry incident to their political manufactures do not naturally thrive; every exertion, sitnation. Gentlemen, I have said, however gloomy if matters be left to themselves, goes into other the prospects of our commercial interests with such channels. This people is connected with England states may be, there is not only hope but confidence with origin, language, manners, and institutions; to be derived from another quarter; and if we turn their tastes go along with their convenience, and to the Colonies we shall at once see whence it is they come to us as a matter of course for the articles that England is now deriving its heart's blood, and which they do not make themselves. Only take from what commercial intercourse our wealth and one fact as an example: the negroes in the southern greatness in future times is to be derived. Gentle-states are clothed in English-made goods, and it men, you will be astonished, your hearts will exult, takes 40s. a year thus to supply one of these unforat the magnitude of the returns which I am now to tunate persons. This will be admitted to be the lay before you. In the year 1836 it appears that lowest sum for which any person in America can be our Exports to the United States of America British North American Colonies. clothed; but take it as the average, and make a deReal Value. duction for the expenses above prime cost, you have a sum upon the whole population of eight millions, £12,425,605 which approaches the value of our exports to the 2,732,291 United States. But it is not merely in clothing. Go 3,786,463 to any house in the Union, from their large and presents to us. The rapid increase of their culture and population, too, doubling in twenty-five or thirty years, must necessarily augment this demand for our goods in the same proportion. Circumstanced as the two countries are, I use no figure of speech, but speak the simple fact when I say, that not an axe falls in the woods of America which does not put in motion some shuttle, or hammer, or wheel in England."* wealthy cities to the most solitary cabin or log-1 Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, and from the Missishouse in the forests, you find in every corner the sippi to the Atlantic Ocean, there is not one pauper furniture, tools, and ornaments of Staffordshire, of to be found. Such are the customers whom America Warwickshire, and of the northern counties of England. The wonder ceases when we thus reflect for a moment, and we plainly perceive that it can be no otherwise. The whole population of the country is made up of customers who require, and who can afford to pay, for our goods. This, too, is peculiar to that nation, and it is a peculiarity as happy for them as it is profitable for us. I know the real or affected contempt with which some persons in this country treat our kinsmen of the West. I fear some Such is the astonishing effect of the causes thus angry and jealous feelings have survived our former eloquently described by Lord Brougham, as occasionmore intimate connexion with them-feelings en- ing the surprising demand for English manufactures gendered by the event of its termination, but which in the British Colonies, or the independent States it would be wiser, as well as more manly, to forget. which have arisen from that origin, over other counNay, there are certain romantic spirits who even de- tries. The following Table, which, a priori, would spise the unadorned structure of their massive demo- have been incredible, shows the exports to different cratic society. But to me I freely acknowledge, the states, as compared with their respective population, sight of one part of it brings feelings of envy as an and the value of British manufactures which they Englishman: I mean the happy distinction that, over consume per head :the whole extent of that boundless continent, from It may truly be said that this table speaks as to moment. But when, in addition to this, it is recolthe real interests and manufacturing establishments lected that these colonies are part of ourselvesof Great Britain; and that, if our rulers were not distant provinces of our own empire, whose blood is struck with judicial blindness, they would at once our blood, whose strength is our strength; that they perceive where it is that the steady and rising mar- are increasing in numbers with a rapidity unparal ket for British manufactures, and where all our leled in the annals of the world; and that, however efforts to promote a successful traffic may be regarded fast they may augment, they are by their situation as fruitless and unavailing. For fifteen years past and circumstances chained for centuries to agricul our whole commercial' policy has been directed to tural and pastoral employments, and consequently the object of gaining a more ready vent for our manu- our export trade with them must increase in the same factures into the continental states of Europe. We proportion as their numbers; while, on the other have concluded no less than twelve reciprocity hand, the states of continental Europe are increasing treaties with the principal powers; and, in order to far less rapidly in numbers-are actuated for the propitiate their good-will, we have sacrificed by our treaties all our commercial advantages at least in our intercourse with these states. And what has been the result? Why, that our commerce with them is a perfect trife when compared with that which we maintain with our own colonies, whom we have maltreated and neglected for their sakes; and that, while the old states take off a few pence per head of their population, our own colonies take off as many pounds. In this instance we have truly verified the old adage, that we have been penny wise and pound foolish, even in regard to our existing interests at the VOL. XXXVIII.-JANUARY, 1810. 6 most part by commercial or political jealousy, and may any moment become our enemies, it may safely be affirmed that the neglect of the colonial provinces to propitiate foreign powers, is of all human absurdities the most absurd. It is needless to enquire to what cause this marvellous difference between Colonial and European trade is owing. It is immaterial whether it is to be ascribed to the circumstance of the Continental states being in the same state of civilisation with ourselves, *Parliamentary Debates, xxiii. 515. these intentions have already appeared in the speeches representation in the House of Commons; time will of many of the supporters of Government, and the show whether they have not destroyed with it the appointment of Mr. Poulett Thomson to the vice- colonial empire and national independence of Great royalty of Canada may be considered as the official Britain. promulgation of their intention. Let no one imagine that these propositions are so obviously destructive in their effects, and bear so obviously the tendency 10 dismember the empire, that therefore they will not From the Monthly Chronicle. POLICE. Memoires tires des Archives de la Police de Paris PEUCHET, Archiviste de la Police. 4 vols. 8vo. he attempted by a Ministry whose only principle SECRET ANECDOTES OF THE FRENCH seems to be to prolong their official existence, without any regard to the jeopardy which the means of accomplishing that object may place the existence or independence of the country. It is never to be forgotten, that to procure the support of O'Connell's tail, they have surrendered the government of Ireland and the direction of the nation to the Popish faction, whose bond of cement is the repeal of the Union, that THE Compiler of this very curious, though, in many is, the dismemberment of the empire. True, by parts, unreadable book, had been for several years establishing a free trade in timber, we should anni-Keeper of the Archives of the Police of Paris. He hilate the industry of our North American Colonies, was a man of good ordinary education, and not devoid and throw them at once into the arms of the United of talent. Born in 1760, he entered, at the usual age, States, and cut off at once 600,000 tons of British the college of Louis le Grand, and in due time was shipping, and altogether extinguish both our maritime called to the bar. In 1788 he became acquainted superiority and national independence. True, by with Abbe Morelet, by whom he was employed in equalizing the duties on Foreign and British sugar, collecting and arranging materials for his "Dicwe should utterly destroy our West India Colonies, tionary of Commerce." He also wrote for the New and perpetuate that hideous tearing of 200,000 negroes" Encyclopedie Methodique" the articles Police and from the shores of Africa, which we have professed] Municipality; and shortly after became chief editor ourselves so anxious to prevent. But what does all of the "Gazette de France," and, subsequently, of the that signify the urban constituencies must be pro- "Mercure." 99 In 1800 he published" La Geographie pitiated; a few stray seats at the next election may Commercaute," in 5 vols. folio, which important work turn the balance in favour of the Destructive or Con-drew upon him the notice of Count Chaptal, then servative party; and the cry of cheap sugar and Minister of the Interiour, who named him Member cheap bread may catch these stray votes and cast the of the Council of Commerce and Arts. At a later balance. period, Count Francois de Nantes, Prefect of Police, It is childish to descant always upon the weakness placed him at the head of a bureau in his department. and imbecility of ministers, or suppose that a tortuous the censorship of the journals; and after the hundred In 1814, after the restoration, he was appointed to policy, so flagrantly dangerous and impolitic as that which we have just been considering, is to be ascribed days, during which Peuchet had thrown up his ofto the mere recklessness or want of capacity of our fecture of Police, which place he occupied till 1827. fice, he was made Keeper of the Archives of the Prepresent rulers. It is perversity in the public mind which is the real source of the evil-it is the short Our motive for entering into these details concerning sighted views of the numerous constituencies that] the editor of this extraordinary book,is to show that the have so long rendered a remedy impossible. The publication is not a surreptitious or catchpenny one, colonies are wholly unrepresented in the House of but that it has been seriously and diligently compiled the majority of the seats in that Assembly; to buy fully competent to execute such a task. Commons; the ten-pounders have the disposal of by a person, who, from his acquirements and the facilities afforded him by the place he filled, was cheap is their immediate interest, and it matters little to the short-seeing masses what effect that cheap Peuchet begins his history of the police with the buying may ultimately have upon their own or the year 1667, at which period several reforms were innational interests. Here is the true secret of colonial troduced into that part of the public administration misgovernment; we are governed by masses who by order of Louis IV., who established it on a footthink only of buying cheap, and the interest of the ing nearly similar to that on which it stands at precolonies is to sell dear. Eight years ago we foresaw,direction of the Prevot de Paris and two Lieutenants sent. Before that time, the police was under the and distinctly predicted this effect, as necessarily flowing from the Reform Bill. All the colonial calamities that have since occurred are but the accomplishment of our predictions in this particular.* au Chatelet, one civil, the other criminal, who exerment of Paris. Louis IV. substituted for this triplecised their authority under the control of the parliaheaded authority the direction of a single functionary, or magistrate, with the title of Lieutenant of Police, The colonies were not actually represented under which denomination underwent a change, like so the old constitution, but they were virtually so, be- many others during the revolution, and took the new cause colonial wealth found an easy entrance into name of Prefect of Police. Parliament through the means of the close boroughs. The Whigs have destroyed that avenue for colonial * Blackwood's Magazine, September 1831, vol. Xxx. p. 436. Memoirs selected from the Archives of the Police of Paris, from the time of Louis XIV, to the present day. By J. Peuchet, Keeper of the Archives of the Police. 4 Vols. 8vo. Paris, 1839. The contents of these volumes are necessarily, whatever took place at the court and in the city. from the nature of the subject, of the most various The Archives of the Prefecture of Police leave no and desultory description; the only order it was pos- doubt on this point, and the document I am about to sible to observe in the treatment of such heterogene- produce furnishes the most undeniable proof. It is ous materials being a chronological one. They, a report in the handwriting of Bois Robert, and therefore, it may be said, offer a vast moving pano- signed by him and the Marquis de Beautru. This rama of the secret history of Parisian society, in all report speaks sometimes in both their names, and at its phases, from the times of Louis XIV. to those of others only in the name of one of them. Here it is, Charles X. The scenes of many-coloured life ex- in all its naivete. hibited in these pages, embrace society in its utmost "I shall first inform your eminence, that I met extent, in its heights, and in its depths, from the brilliant summits of the French court, with all its glitter, by chance an Irishman, whom I had formerly known in Paris whilst he was pursuing his studies. I had its heartless profligacy, its follies and its crimes, to the lowest and obscurest haunts and hiding places of then an opportunity of rendering him some services, murder, robbery, and every other villany and sin, in for which he professed an unbounded gratitude. On all their darkest shades of cruelty, horror, and leaving Paris he returned to England, and made no abomination. From this unexaggerated description greater way in the world than to become the favourite of its contents, it is evident that, to the many, it valet de chambre of his Grace my Lord Duke of Buckmust and ought to be a sealed book. But, as in ingham. Although the emoluments of that place are things most evil, there may still be found some very considerable, Patrick O'Reilly (for that is the touch of good, there are, in this dark record of human Irishman's name) never has a sou in his pocket. So debasement and crime, interspersed here and there far he is like his master. 1 received him kindly on anecdotes that throw a new and interesting light upon his coming to see me, and from my great zeal to historical characters, and, adventures, which, from serve your Lordship, I hesitated not to degrade mytheir fearful nature and extraordinary denouement, exself (m'encanailler) by keeping company with this cite and reward curiosity more vividly than many of valet, hoping to draw something useful from him In this I succeeded by adthe wildest fictions of romance. A specimen of each concerning his master. vancing him some money. of these we shall select for the gratification of our readers. "..(Signed) Bois Robert." 66 6 Monseigneur, The first relates to the celebrated Duke of Buckingham, the favourite of James I., and of his ill-fated "Thinking only of the happiness of satisfying son, Charles 1., and the victim of Felton the assassin. your eminence, I profited, in order to learn what was This very curious and piquant passage in the life of passing at the residence of the English embassador, the gay, gallant, profligate, profuse and enterprising of a friendship arising out of a duel, which took place Buckingham, Peuchet introduces in the following some twenty years ago, and before the singular christian ordinance, issued by our lord the king manner: Now taking advantage of some isolated docu- against such practices. A young Englishman, Sir ments which I discovered in a pasteboard case which Hamilton, descended of a noble Scotch family, finding lay perdu behind one of the busts that adorn the himself without a second in an affair of honour, his Salle des Passports at the Prefecture of Police, I shall friend having broken his leg the very morning on bring Cardinal de Richelieu upon the stage in a more which the meeting was to take place, very courteously interesting and prominent manner. The document I entreated me to go out with him. As this was a allude to is a report made to his eminence relative to request which no gentleman could refuse another, 1 the daring demonstrations of love which the Duke of accompanied to the field Sir Hamilton, who killed Buckingham, favourite of King James I. of England, his adversary, a Spaniard of the house of Medina Siventured to display towards Anne of Austria, Infanta donia. I was not equally fortunate, for the Spaniard's of Spain, and Queen of France by her marriage with second, Count de Variclery, originally of Italian Louis XIII. It is well known that the Duke of descent, though his family has been settled in France Buckingham, who had been sent to Paris to make for the last two hundred years, gave me a severe some representations to Louis XIII. in favour of his sword wound, which confined me to my room for six protestant subjects, took it into his head to play the months. From the day of that occurrence Sir Hainamorato with regard to the Queen. This the king milton was as constantly with me almost as my no sooner perceived than he complained of it to his shadow, and though frequently and vehemently enminister (Richelieu), who was still more indignant treated by his family to return to Scotland, he would even than his majesty at the presumption of the duke, not consent to leave me till I had completely recoas he himself had designs upon the heart of the vered. On taking leave he bound himself on his queen, and was therefore still less inclined than the honour, without my requiring or wishing it, to render royal husband to support patiently the thought of me any and every service I should ask at his hands. Anne of Austria looking with a favourable eye upon Years rolled by, our intimacy gradually slackthe Duke of Buckingham. ened, we ceased to correspond, and would have soon "Wishing to see clearly through an affair so deli- probably forgotten each other entirely, when I found cate in itself, and so important for him, he set to him amongst the gentleman of the embassy, who work two men, not a little celebrated at that time, came to Paris in the suite of the Duke of Buckingand whose memory is not yet forgotten, both men of ham. I did not let slip the occasion of reminding wit and intrigue, the physician Bois Robert and him of the past, and calling upon him to redeem the the Marquis de Beautru. Both these persons have pledge he had given me. Overcome by my repeated been always regarded as the permanent spies of and pressing entreaties, he told, though reluctantly, Richelieu, whose duty it was to keep him au fait of all he knew. The following narrative is therefore, 666 command to resist aggresion from such an enemy, we revolutionary war commenced, and when the nava shall go back to the higher palmy days of British exertion during the war; we shall not go back to the year 1606, when the British navy consisted of two hundred and forty-two ships of the line, and a thousand and sixty-one armed vessels of all sizes. We shall content ourselves with reverting to a humbler and more parallel period, viz. the state of the British navy in 1838 compared with 1792, before the Line in Frigates in Line, ordinary 52 9 70 and military establishments of the country were on Exports. Official Value. £24,904,850 105,170,519 Grand Total of of all vessels. 411 363 the former. To ascertain whether this is the case, let us examine what was the state of the population, our exports and imports, at these two periods, as affording a measure of the agriculture, manufactures, and general resources of the country. They stood respectively as follows: Thus it appears that since 1792, the population market for our produce, and the only undecaying of the British islands has more than doubled, the clements for our strength. Some very striking facts imports more than tripled, the exports more than on this subject were brought forward upon the late quadrupled, and the commercial navy increased about dinner given upon the occasion of the embarking of seventy per cent., while the ships of war, in all the first emigrants to New Zealand, at Glasgow; branches, have sunk to nearly a half of their standard and we willingly give a place to them here, as exin 1792. This, too, has taken place during a time hibiting, in a more striking light than has yet been when the colonial empire of Great Britain has been done, the incalculable importance of the British multiplied above five-fold, and the chances of hos- colonies, not merely to the extension, but to the tility with which we are brought in contact at different independence and existence of the mother country. points over the globe, have been increased in a similar proportion. We invite the Whig-Radical" writers to examine and contradict these facts if they can, and submit them to the deliberate consideration of all the sober reasoners, and of all the intemperate admirers of democratic wisdom throughout the realm. Let us no longer strain," said Mr. Sheriff Alison, after the impracticable attempt to disarm the commercial jealousy of the European states; but, boldly looking our situation in the face, direct our main efforts to the strengthening, conciliating, and increasing of our Colonial Empire. There is to be found the bone of our bone, and the flesh of our flesh. There It is impossible for any one who is a friend to his are to be found the true descendants of the Anglocountry to contemplate such a state of things without Saxon race; there the people, who, already imbued the most serious alarm-an alarm which is only with our tastes, our habits, our artificial wants, must rendered the greater from the experienced difficulty be chained for centuries to agricultural or pastoral of getting such future and contingent events to arrest employments, and can only obtain from the mother the attention either of Government or the nation in country the immense amount of manufactured prothis unthinking age. But, above all, if the matter duce which their growing wealth and numbers must is seriously considered, and if we reflect upon the require. So strongly, gentlemen, am I impressed imminent hazards of a maritime war, the miserable with these principles-so clearly do I see the future state of preparation in which the British navy is to path traced out to England, not less by her duty meet it, and the awfal effects which will ensue by than her interests, that there is no one circumstance the stoppage of trade, and the blockade of our har- in her present condition, not even those which are bours by hostile squadrons, it must be evident that most justly considered as pregnant with danger and no more important subject of consideration ever was alarm, that may not be converted into the source of submitted to the attention of a thinking nation. And blessings, if a decided and manly course is taken by we dwell upon the subject with the more earnestness the nation and its Government in regard to its cobecause, when our situation as a whole is fairly lonial interests. Indeed, so clearly does this appear, looked in the face, and the policy which duty and that one is almost tempted to believe that the maniinterest alike prescribe, is adopted, there not only is fold political and social evils of our present condino ground for alarm, but the most satisfactory pros- tion, are the scourges intended by Providence to pects of future prosperity and welfare are opened on all sides to the nation. It is in our colonies that this source of strength is to be found; it is in our descendants on the other side of the Atlantic and the Pacific, that we are to look alike for the only certain *James's Naval History, 11. 404; Barrow's Anson, App. 424. † Porter's Parliamentary Tables and Finance Accounts for 1838. |