America has hitherto had no representative in this body, though her commerce has, especially of late, been rapidly increasing with this part of the world. It has only been through ignorance of the country and its resources, that American enterprise has made so little progress in the East, or been confined to the interposition of English and other houses.
Does this country present no inducements to the mercantile community? Let the following table of Exports and Imports speak for itself.
Corn. Silk goods. Beans, peas, etc. Cotton goods. Wool. Woollen stuffs. Raw silk. Linen. Opium. Haberdashery. Otto of roses, and other perfumes. Hardware. Angora hair. Watches and clocks. Coffee (Mocha). Jewelry. Canary seed. Sugar. Linseed. Coffee, pepper, and spices. Do. oil. Iron and nails. Rice. Coal. Yellow berries. Stone ware. Boxwood. Logwood. Madder root. Rum and wines. Tallow. Fancy goods. Valonea. Cochineal. Gall nuts. Tanned hides. Fruits. Glass ware. Drugs. Furniture. Soap. Drugs and medicines. Olives and olive oil. Butter. Sponges. Kaviar. Tobacco. Tar. Cotton. Ropes. Sesame. Cordage. Meerschaum. Chains. Carpets. Corn. Copper. Stoves. Hides and skins. Nicknacks. Bones. Machinery, etc. Confections. Furs. Helva. Crockery. Shawls. Indigo. Oriental manufactures. Dye stuffs. Leeches. Paints. Rags. Mirrors. Cordials. Millinery. Cymbals. Musical instruments, etc. Lumber. Leather. Embroideries. Boots and shoes. Hemp and Flax. Lead. Salt. Paper. Mastic. Do. hangings. Chibouks, Nargilles, and amber Tea. mouthpieces. Books. Carriages. India rubber. Mahogany and rose-wood.
If, then, such is the variety of items, more than sufficient to command the attention of any mercantile community, it is somewhat astonishing that the Americans should not have been attracted to the advantages to be derived from an interchange of commerce, so jealous as they are of commercial supremacy.
The territory is immense, teeming with undeveloped resources; the population over 35 millions of souls to be supplied with the necessities, and many of the superfluities of life. England and France have fought for the freedom of this commerce, America may spread her sails unstained by the blood of her citizens, and be wafted into ports, where treasures and profit are in greater profusion than either in China or Japan.