the enemy's colonies, is given under the form of an explanation of the former Orders. But since the navigation law prevents the importation of almost all foreign colony produce in any except ships of the country producing; and since the 43 Geo. III. c. 153, on which these orders are founded, gives no power to the crown to suspend the navigation law, unless with respect to enemy's ports; it is clear that the Order Dec. 18, renouncing the use of this power in the present case, leaves the whole importation of the enemy's colonial produce rigorously prohibited, except cotton, indigo and cochineal, (as mentioned in the note below) which may still be carried from the hostile colonies to America, and from thence, brought in British ships, to this country. So that this last order, instead of explaining the clauses of the former Oders, relative to foreign sugar, coffee, snuff, tobacco, and cotton, reverses the permission given in those clauses to import and re-export under restrictions the four first articles, and

→ With a few exceptions, viz. cochineal, (13 Geo. I. c. 15), Indigo, (7 Geo. II. c. 18), and cotton-wool, (5 Geo. III. c. 32), which may be imported from any place in Bri tish ships.

leaves it very doubtful whether the framers of the orders were aware that cotton is excepted from the provisions of the navigation

law.

In the Second order Nov. 25, a contradiction in terms occurs, equally demonstrative of the crude, indigested form of these rules. A vessel arriving from whatever place with a cargo, the produce of are stricted country, must land it before it can re-export to any place; and a vessel arriving with any cargo whatever, formerly shipped in a restricted port, must land it before it can re-export to any place; except the cargo is the produce of an unrestricted country, and comes here directly from thence. This exception is downright nonsense, as applied to the rule. Taking its parts together, the order is-You must land French goods brought from America, and American goods brought from France, unless the goods are American, and brought directly from America. Such confusions as these make it difficult to obtain any correct view of the state in which the orders have left the neutral trade. But, as far as this can be made out, the following seems to be their purport.

All the ports, and coasts of the enemy, and of the countries under his controul

which have excluded British vessels, are placed in a place of Restriction, as to their trade with neutrals. --The nature of this restriction is as follows: All direct trade between the restricted ports and neutrals is prohibited: Neutrals can neither sail direct to, nor return direct from those ports; they must in both cases touch at a British port. If their cargo does not consist of flour, meal, or grain, and is either the produce of the restricted countries, or has been last shipped in a restricted place, or has been brought from a restricted place and is destined to a restricted place, it must be entered and landed before it can be re-exported. And cotton wheresoever it has been produced or shipped, or whithersoever it is going, must be always entered and landed before it can be re-exported *.-The vessels of foreign countries in alliance with England are allowed to sail to the restricted places direct; but must return from thence to British ports. Neither neutral nor allied vessels are permitted to sail to England from the enemy's colonies; but they may trade directly with those

This seems to be the only sense that can be extracted from the clause of the Second Order, November 25, above commented upon.

colonies, both to and from; and they may trade between those colonies and the Free ports of the English colonies. Brandy, wines, snuff, and tobacco from restricted countries (not being colonial produce) may be imported by neutrals in any manner; but cannot be re-exported without licence; and they are subject, like all other goods, to the abovementioned regulations respecting entrance and landing. The old rules regarding a state of actual blockade remain in full force.-The trade of Gibraltar and Malta with restricted places, by means of neutrals, is placed upon nearly the same footing with the trade of British ports; only, that those places cannot re-export, except to a British port, any foreign goods, unless they were previously imimported in British ships, or from a British port direct; and cannot export cotton at all, except to a British port. Lastly, neutrals can only sail from Guernsey, Jersey, and Man, to the restricted countries with cargoes imported from British ports; and can only re-export the cargoes which they bring from restricted countries, to British ports. Certificates of Origin forfeit the ship, on board of which they can be proved, by real evidence to have been; and if a ship has ever been enemy's property it is likewise confiscated.

To illustrate the operation of this new system, let us take the example of an American vessel, and observe what she is allowed and forbidden to do. She may sail with an American cargo to England, and from thence to France, without landing her cargo, if it consist not of cotton or manufactured goods. From France she may return with a French or other restricted cargo which she must land, before she can carry it back to America. The chief exports of America are raw produce; therefore almost her whole trade with the restricted countries is limited by the necessity of touching at an English port twice, and landing the cargo once: if the American cargo consist of cotton, it must be landed in the outward voyage also, and can only proceed by licence.-The American may trade directly to and from the enemy's West India Islands; but cannot, (on account of the former law), bring their produce to this country: nor by the Orders can she carry it to the restricted European ports.She cannot pursue her voyage to and from the north of Europe, by touching at Man, Guernsey, or Jersey, either going or coming; but besides touching there, she must touch at a British or Irish port. It is evident, then, that, unless for convenience of smuggling, and