OCR Text |
Show - BRITISH COMMERCE. The London Monetary and Mining Gazelle in its review of the yoar 1574 notes a large decrease in the foreign trade of Great Britain, from that of recent years, though a comparison with the remote periods of 1800, 1826 and 1850, respectively brings out a steady gratifying progression. With the expansion of trade, however, commercial profits have proportionately proportion-ately decreased. Much of the foreign trade is carried on without profit and even at a loss, on account of the fierce race of competition. Many merchants mer-chants now do business, not to make money, but to raise it. Even the India and China trade has been car-sied car-sied on for several years at a loss, under the vicious credit Bystem prevailing. pre-vailing. The monetary system -to which the present generation has become accustomed, by virtue of a contemporaneous growth, Beems almost al-most to have run its course, and thoso who have discernment to scan the financial horizon, appear to be preparing pre-paring their minds for changes that are little less than revolutionary. In rogard to British railroads it ia remarked: re-marked: The terrible catastrophes which have thrown a melancholy gloom over the close of the year, attest the inefficiency of present arrangements, arrange-ments, and Bhow us that in many respects, iu safety as in comfort, we are far behind our American kinsfolk. In conclusion, tho. artidfl para: We cannot look upon the immediate future with complacency. To us there seems impending a period of disturbance and distrust, ef trial and ordeal, involving Btrange innovations and revolutionary changes. But notwithstanding not-withstanding this, a thousand signs portend that beyond the clomd the strubture of British commerce will eventually rise, secure on a firmei basis, and purified from the corruptions corrup-tions and weaknesses that have fas-. fas-. tened upon it and robbed it of much of its ancient renown. |