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134 CHANNEL i s l a n d s :
privileges alone, that the island is indebted for its
prosperity. One political privilege indeed,—the exemption
from direct taxation, may also be considered
a source of prosperity; because the number of British
residents has thereby been greatly increased: but
even in this, Jersey is chiefly indebted to her commercial
privileges; which exempt articles of both
common convenience and luxury, from that indirect
taxation which flows from custom-house and excise
duties.
The commerce of Jersey may be divided into the
following heads,—her trade with Oreat Britain, and
the British possessions abroad: her trade with North
and South America, and with the continent of Europe,
—entirely unconnected with the former; and, a third
branch, connected with both {i. e.), the transit of
British manufactures, to Newfoundland, New Brunswick,
&c., for the supply of the fisheries, and establishments
there, of the Jersey merchants; and the
exportation from thence, of fish, oil, and furs, to the
several ports of Europe and South America.
These are the several branches of the commerce of
Jersey; and it will immediately appear, in what way,
and to how great an extent, the success of these
branches of trade is affected by the commercial privileges
which the island enjoys.
The peculiar privileges, which Jersey by her
charters, enjoys, are these : she is empowered to send
all articles being the produce of the island, to Britain
—as British produce; and every description of merchandize,
the growth, produce, and manufacture of
the island, to Great Britain and Ireland, on the same
footing. She is also enabled to export every commodity,
either the growth, produce or manufacture of the
island, to the British colonies, the same as if they
were British manufactured goods.
It will be observed, that there is an important distinction
between the term, “ growth, produce, and
manufacture,” and the term, “ growth, produce, or
manufacture;” for while by the former expression,
the free exports of Jersey to Britain of manufactured
goods, must be not only the manufacture, but the
produce also, of the island; Jersey is entitled by the
terms of the latter expression, to export to the
colonies, articles manufactured in the island, though
of foreign produce. The advantage derived from this
latter license, is obvious; and I will only instance as
two examples, the power of importing foreign flour;
manufacturing it into biscuit,—if such a process de serves
the name of a manufacture, and exporting
the biscuit, or provisioning ships with i t : and the
power of importing French leather; making it, I
can scarcely say manufacturing it,—into shoes; and
exporting these to North America as Jersey manufactures.
Nor are these, the only commercial privileges which
Jersey enjoys. Jersey is a free p o rt: all articles of
foreign produce, not contraband, being imported free
of duty,—a privilege, which not only lessens the price
of provisions to the inhabitants; hut diminishes in an
important degree, the cost of ship building and outfit;
and consequently acts as a stimulus to trade, and is a
source of direct profit to the merchant. By means of
this privilege, vessels are built with foreign timber and
u .