If there be any which she can neither consume nor dispose of by exchange, she will not buy them of us, and of course we shall not bring them to her. If American produce can be brought into the ports of France, the articles of exchange for it will be taken in those ports, and the only means of drawing it hither, is to let the merchant see, that he can dispose of it on better terms here, than any where else. If the market price of this country does not, in itself, offer this superiority, it may be worthy of consideration, whether it should be obtained by such abatement of duties, and even by such other encouragements, as the importance of the article may justify. Should some loss attend this in the beginning, it can be discontinued when the trade shall be well established in this channel.

With respect to the West Indian commerce, I must apprize you that this estimate does not present its present face; no materials have enabled us to see how it stands since the war; we can only show what it was before that period. New regulations have changed our situation there much for the worse. This is most sensibly felt in the exports of fish and flour. The surplus of the former, which these regulations threw back on us, is forced to Europe, where by increasing the quantity it lessens the price. The surplus of the latter is sunk, and to what other objects this portion of industry is turned or turning, I am not able to discover. The imports too, of sugar and coffee, are thrown under great difficulties; these increase the price, and being articles of food for the poorer class, (as you may be sensible on observing the quantities consumed) a small increase of price places them above the reach of this class, which, being numerous, must oc

casion a great diminution of consumption. It remains to see whether the American will endeavor to baffle these new restrictions, in order to indulge his habits, or will adapt his habits to other objects, which may furnish employment to the surplus of industry formerly occupied in raising that bread, which no longer finds a vent in the West Indian market. If, instead of either of these measures, he should resolve to come to Europe for coffee and sugar, he must lessen, equivalently, his consumption of some other European articles, in order to pay for his coffee and sugar; the bread with which he formerly paid for them in the West Indies, not being demanded in the European market. In fact, the catalogue of imports offers several articles more dispensable than coffee and sugar. Of all these subjects the committee and yourself are the most competent judges; to you, therefore, I trust them, with every wish for their improvement.

Estimate of the imports from Europe and Africa of the

United States of America.

Woolen cloths of every description, linens of every description, hosiery, hats, gloves, shoes, boots, saddlery and other things of leather, silks, gold and silver lace, jewelry, millinery, toys, East India goods, porcelain, glass, earthen-ware, silver, copper, brass, tin, pewter, lead, steel, iron in every form, upholstery, cabinet work, painter's colors, cheese, pickles, confitures, chocolate, wine, 2000 tons a 100 louis-200,000 louis, brandy, beer, medicinal drugs, snuff, bees wax, books, stationary, mill stones, grind stones, marble, sail cloth, cordage, ship chandlery, fishing tackle, ivory, ebony, barwood, dyewood, slaves, salt, 521,225 bushels at 34 sous, 26,061louis. 6liv.

3,039,000 0 0

Sir,

Paris, October 27, 1786.

By a confidential opportunity to London, I had the honor of writing to you on the 23rd instant, and of enclosing you the original letter of Monsieur de Calonne to As it is probable me on the subject of our commerce. however that the French packet, which is to sail from L'Orient the first of the next month will sooner reach you, I enclose some printed copies of the same letter by that conveyance, and

Have the honor to be, &c.

TH: JEFFERSON.

FROM M. DE CALONNE TO THOMAS JEFFERSON.

Fontainebleau, October 22, 1786.

Translation.

Sir,

As it is the intention of the King to favor as much as possible, the commerce of the United States, I have the honor to communicate to you the measures, that have been taken on this subject.

In my letter of the 9th January, 1784 to the Marquis de la Fayette, I informed him that instead of two free ports promised by the treaty with the United States, the King had determined to grant them four, which has been done, and I promised him that I would direct my attention to the custom houses and duties, which are prejudicial to commerce, observing however, that this object demanded long investigations, which are not yet completed. By another letter I informed him, that his Majesty had suppressed the duties upon the exportation of brandy, and I expected this suppression would be useful to the American commerce: I likewise promised him that the duties to the King and Admiralty payable by an American vessel on her arrival in a French port, should be diminished and reduced to a single duty, and regulated according to the number of masts and draught of water, and not by the uncertain estimations of measurement. This reduction requires a perfect knowledge of all the duties paid in our ports, and as they are of various kinds, the statements which I have ordered to be made are not ready.

You know, sir, that the King has appointed a committee for the particular purpose of examining our commercial connexions with the United States, and that the Marquis de la Fayette has presented a project conforma