with justice or humanity? and re- Average Prices of Sugar quests an answer from some intelligent correspondent.

COMMERCIAL REPORT, LIVERPOOL, 25th DECEMBER, 1821.

THE year is about to close upon us, under circumstances of peculiar interest. Our foreign trade has been much diminished since the general peace; and, notwithstanding our peculiar maritime situation as a nation, the wealth, resources, industry, and liberal enterprising spirit of the country, we do not reap those benefits from these advantages, which our individual efforts have enabled other nations, our competitors, to obtain. Upon a near examination, however, it will be found, that we are deprived of our fair share of the beneficial trade of the world, by certain difficulties emanating from our own navigation, revenue, and navigation laws. To this circumstance, therefore, and not to a reduced trade in the world, may be ascribed the stagnation felt and complained of in our foreign commerce. It is consoling, however, to learn, that the subject has engaged the attention of Government, and some preliminary steps were taken during the last session of Parliament, to remove some of the impediments attending our foreign trade, to increase our relations with such countries as open a free intercourse with us. For other governments, finding us tenacious in not relaxing in our restrictive system, adopt retaliatory measures, to the exclusion of our productions and shipping; which the very loans they contract in this country (our capitalists not having suflicient employment for their funds at home) assist them in enabling to do most effectually. Presuming, then, that many of the restrictions and laws relating to commerce will be altered and modified in conformity to the changed state of things, we may look forward to an enlarged trade, as foreigners will certainly avail themselves of the facilities afforded them in this country to trade intermediately with the distant parts of the world, which are indiscriminately opened to all.

With this short sketch of our opinion upon the above vital points, which we may occasionally advert to, we proceed to state some of the late leading transactions in our market.

Of Cotton, the imports have not been so extensive as were anticipated; the demands, however, have been proportionate: the sales of the week preceding the last, were 7041 packages, they amounted, during the week just elapsed, to 6560 packages, which are underneath the classification, with the prices.

2879 Bags of Uplands,

from 8 to 10}

80 Bags of Mina Geras,
Demeraras,

331

Alabamas,

8 to 9

10

Surinam,

91 to 10% 9 to 11 11

Maranham, 11 to 113

130

West Indias,
Surat,
Bengal,

91 to 9
81
8 to 9

73 10 S G to 6)

Unless the import of Cotton increases, some improvement seems very probable. The imports during the year, up to this period, are 403,931 packages; and prices, generally speaking, are ld. per pound below the prices of December last.

Of Sugars, the import has been 34,327 hhds. British: 87,779 barrels and bags of British and East-India sorts; of Havannah, 1676 boxes; of Brazil, 4396 cases. The average prices may be considered 6s. to 8s. per cwt. lower than at the same period last year. The demand is now good, and the consumption of Sugar seems evidently on the increase. The prices are,—dry brown, 53s. to 57s.; middling, 59s. to 68s.; good to fine, 70s. to 80s.

Of Coffee, the import has been 6030 tierces, 15,241 barrels and bags. The present prices are on an average 12s. to 15s. per cwt. under those of the preceding year. It may be also remarked, that the consumption is greatly increased in this country, the accounts of forthcoming crops are promising, and the present rates are somewhat high. Our present stock does not exceed 300 tons.

Of Rum, the import has been 8429 puncheons. Prices are low; for Jamaica O. P. 1s. 9d. to 2s. per gallon.

The import of Tobacco has been 5714 hhds.; the supplies are expected to be abundant. Carolina Rice commands 15s. to 18s. per cwt. in bond. The import is 12,173 casks and bags, including some small arrivals from India.

Ashes are become extremely scarce, and the price is advancing. American Pots 40s. Pearls 42s. to 43s. The imports are 22,999 casks.-Of Logwood, the import has been very small, only amounting to 1153 tons; the price is £1. 10s. to £2. per ton above the ruling prices last year. -Jamaica Logwood £9. Campeachy £10. per ton. Fustic is little inquired after.

Of African Palm Oil, the imports have been 8753 casks; the price is £29. 10s. per tun. Of Tallow, there have arrived 12,587 casks and serons. The price of Yellow Candle has suddenly risen from 48s. to 50s. per cwt. Hemp continues to advance, and sells readily at £50. per ton. The import only amounts to 926 tons.

Of Hides, there have been received 241,444. The prices are considerably higher than in the preceding year.

Of Timber, there have arrived 360 cargoes. Pine realizes 19d. to 20d. per foot.

Grain. There is some revival in our corn market; good old Wheats have attracted the notice of speculators. New Irish Wheats are also more saleable at some improvement. Wheat under lock is not inquired for. Oats and Barley are also held for higher rates. The holders of the late arrivals of American Flour, require 28s. per barrel. New French Clover Seed sells at 72s. per cwt. There have been no arrivals of American. Of American Flax Seed, there have as yet been no imports; the prices are expected to open at 58s. to 60s. per hhd.; and a large quantity is expected to be sown this year in Ireland.

LONDON PRINTED AT THE CANTON PRESS, BY . FISHER.

THE NEW

FUBLIC LILA...

THE

Emperial Magazine ;

OR, COMPENDIUM OF

RELIGIOUS, MORAL, & PHILOSOPHICAL KNOWLEDGE.

FEBRUARY.]“ SOCIAL REFINEMENT HAS NO EXISTENCE WHERE LITERATURE is unknown.”[1822.

THE PHYSICAL AND MORAL WORLD.

No. 2.-The Septenary Law of Nature considered and demonstrated.

the Almighty himself first measured time in the creation of the universe. And even to the present day, the most barbarous and heathen nations are not (Continued from col. 18.) destitute of some traces of it. The HAVING in No. 1, laid down the sep- very early and general division of time tenary system of the universe, accord- into weeks, or periods of seven days, has ing to the theory of Mr. Macnab, it is been a subject which has nonplused proper before we proceed further, that the learned infidel, who will not admit some evidence should be adduced in the authority of scripture in the case. support of it. Though the theory be He tries in vain to account for it from acknowledged to be in a great mea- any other ancient source of informasure artificial; yet the foundation it tion. We find, from time immemoseems to hold in the scriptures, and in rial, the use of this period prevailing the works and providence of God,-and among all nations, without any variaabove all, the wonderful facility with tion in the form of it. The Israelites, which it may be made to illustrate the Assyrians, Egyptians, Indians, Aramost abstruse subjects, both in phy- bians, and, in a word, all the nations sics and in morals, as shall by and of the East, have, in all ages, made by be made to appear,-render it an use of a week consisting of seven days. admirable conception of its author. We find the same custom among the Nor does it signify much to us, what ancient Romans, Gauls, Britons, Germethod any author may adopt, whe-mans, the nations of the North, and of ther it be numbers, allegories, or hieroglyphics, provided it conveys clear and distinct conceptions to our mind. -But, that the septenary system is not merely ideal, without any foundation in nature or scripture, I conceive, will appear manifest, by the following sketch of its origin.

To begin with the origin of the observance of the seventh day, it is said, Gen. i. 31. "And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made: and rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because that in it he had rested from all his work, which God created and made." It is evident from scripture, that the septenary number, or the number seven, is frequently spoken of; and that, to whatever purpose men, through perversion, may have applied it, it was far from being originally a creature of their own invention. It was the rule by which No. 37.-VOL. IV.

America, before they had any intercourse with other nations.*

Now, how are we to account for this universally prevailing practice? Many vain conjectures have, indeed, been formed, concerning the reasons and motives which determined all mankind to agree in this primitive division of their time. It is evident, however, that nothing but tradition concerning the space of time occupied in the creation of the world could give rise to this universal, immemorial practice.

Consequently, the very existence of such a division of time in the present day, for the origin of which no one nation under heaven can assign any reason peculiar to itself, is a testimony that all had originally something in common which gave rise to it; and this could be no other than that assigned by Moses, Gen. ii. 2. and Exod. xx. 11. That "on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made."-" For