The proportion of British vessels sent to the different ports of Europe, as might be expected, appears to have diminished gradually, as the ports on the continent were closed against the British flag. The number of these has declined from 5,222 in 1802, to 2,634 in 1807 (inward entry); while the foreign, which in 1802 were 3,305, in 1807 are 3,414: the outward entry of British ships being in the former contribute to injure Britain essentially. But the mere knowledge in what she traffics, to where, and at what advantage, does not enable the French mercantile navy to do the like. It may mortify the emperor and king, and provoke new edicts and ordonnances against British goods; but these will be regarded by those who have left their money behind them in Britain, as the emperor and king regards the thunders of the Vati-year 4,817; in the latter 2,167. Foreign can, the stings of his own conscience, or the execrations of the well-disposed part of mankind. We now direct our attention to a very important branch of British industry, the Shipping of the country, as indicated in the report of the entries inwards, and outwards, for the years 1802 to 1807. The first remark we make on these tables is, that the home trade, i. e. that between Great Britain, Ireland, Gibraltar, Malta, Guernsey, &c. has employed a very considerable number of ships, and that their number is not diminished. In 1802, it was 6,709 ships, employing 32,527 men. In 1807 it was 7,020 ships, employing 34,366 men. The intercourse, then, it appears, between the body and the members, had not only been maintained but had increased. In what particular part this increase has taken place, these tables do not inform us. If it were to Ireland, as we suspect, the inference is, that, that country is advancing in mercantile importance, and that some of the benefits expected from the Union are beginning to shew themselves. But, if we may depend on private information, the trade to Malta, and by Malta to the Mediterranean generally, maintains an portance, not publicly understood. ships were 2,921; they now are 3,173. By adding these numbers together we find, that the number of British and foreign vessels, employed in European commerce, in 1802 was about 8,000, in 1807 it was under 6,000; a surprising number, nevertheless, after all the efforts made by the enemy, to ruia the commercial navy of Britain. A fact, however, has come to our knowledge, for which, perpaps, this is as proper a place as any other in which to state it. We learn, that not a few of our. vessels have been admitted into Russian ports under false colours, and passports. This at first sight appears to be of no great moment: it is so common as not to justify distinction; but, the fact is, that the Russian nobility, who maintain. their establishments by British commerce, have, from this circumstance, taken up an opinion that Britain MUST have their commodities:-that, if their, hemp, tallow, &c. were not ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY to British merchants for the supply of this country, that highly respectable body of men would not condescend to this subterfuge, in order to skreen their proim-ceedings. The political effect of a state of warfare, is so greatly abated among the Russians by this manoeuvre, that they no longer deem a Revolution of consequence, They can sell the productions of their estates;-can pocket the money, then should they have recourse to political and spend it, as heretofore; wherefore managements, which are always uncertain, and would not improve their condition? A second remark is, that the number of vessels entered outwards exceeds the number entered inwards. This must be accounted for by considering the dangers of the sea; for out of so great a navy as ten thousand vessels afloat at the same time, a number must be allowed to suffer under accidents, by winds and waves; and some by capture. Now, all that are broken up in distant ports, or are carried off by the enemy, are deductions from the aggregate body of British shipping. Allowances also must be made for the quantity employed as transports, by government; and this is at, some times, much greater than at others. The following Tables shew the variations of our shipping, &c. year by year; and completely supersede any further remarks that we might be inclined to make on the subject at present: it is more than probable, that we may have early occa sion to resume it. An Account of the Number of VESSELS, with the Amount of their TONNAGE, and the Number of MEN OUTWARDS, between Great Britain and all Parts of the World; from the 5th January, 1802, to the(generally) from whence the said Vessels arrived, or where bound:-viz. Total of Great Britain 13626 1794333 108419 3728480251.2771913011 1626574 102413 3332 457580 26387 4004 669430 33172 3717512427 27573 2989 517249 26788 3182 458991 24736 57 14504 1004 18 4164 254) 15 3499 225 9 1676 93 .... Total of Great Britain 120601620586 932164254638104 33666 11179 1453066 933213672574420 30612 2655 474049 23264 3852 509291′25905) 2163 376095 19457,3648 481191 25181 58 13738, 845 412100778 4960 Total of Great Britain 105C8 1395387 82979 4271607299 3074411131 1463286 93748 4093 587849 30507 Inspector-General's Office, Custom House, London, 29th June, 1808. -employed in Navigating the same (including their repeated Voyages), which Entered INWARDS and Cleared -5th January, 1808,—Distinguishing each Year, and British from Foreign Vessels; also, distinguishing !ships. Tons. European Kingdoms or U. S. of America.. Brit. Colonies in Ameri Ships. Tons. Men, Ships Tons. Men. Ships. Tons. Men. Ship 25068 4041576465 29323 2870 508045 2891 517961 337 6 1330 76 5 797 19523 3453 487602 24946 7001, 433 108093 5246 66 50 6 1086 7174 590928 34792 69 10384 588 7333 607461 37430 20 3863 207 Total of Great Britain 11414 1494290 87166 1517 691883 3473311608 1495209 94408 3932 605821 30924 2719 455289 23021 3183 460003 24284 2197 362264 18591 2872 418857 22284 53 11347 748 508 135634 6103 39 8731 447 536 138856 6691 10 1975 169 7 1372 95 63 14172 1475 3 534 30 7985 637109 39124 83 13963 762 8382 665441 39416 29 5903 302 East Indies and Cape of Total of Great B itain 12118 1482664 88988|3793 612904 31354 12251|1486302|| 945573459 568170 29632 YEAR 1807. European Kingdoms or States U.S. of America. Foreign Colonies in America and W. Indies Brit. Dominions in Europe, viz. Ireland, Gibraltar, Malta, Guernsey, &c. Brit. Colonies in America and W. Indies.. Africa, &c. East Indies and Cape uf 2634 441032 22081 3414 507996 24749 2167 349320 18145 3173 456649 23207 37 8168 443 657 172276 8018 914 9 222 113 78 17566 1870 8 1352 106 1347 334664 21030 22543 2789 52 42715 4460 101 30504 3761 Total of Great Britain 11213 1436667 84997 4087 68014432488 11428 1424103 89720 3846 631910 31411 William Irving, Inspector General of Imports and Exports. Mr. Parkinson's Organic Remains of a that the sea prevails, from time to time, over tracts that have been solid ground. But history records no such continued progress, as may enable us to form any estimate as to the period when is included To form a correct judgment on many in its waves the height of our present of the operations of nature, requires the mountains. We admit for instance, that united powers of history, observation, the Delta of Egypt was antiently a marshy and experience. The brevity of human shallow, that it was gained from the life forbids us from indulging the expec- sea, and rendered dry land; but this astation, that much can be obtained by persists us nothing in the present inquiry, sonal investigation; the most indefatigable since we know that Egypt itself then exnaturalist that ever existed, could not ac-isted, and that grounds but a few feet quire a thousandth part so much know- higher than this marsh were not subjected ledge, as he was well aware, remained to the same overflow. . The most ancient unexplored by the labours of science: records we have, demonstrate, that Syria and, the result of the inquiries of those was extant, in nearly, if not quite, its who have most asiduously traced the pro- present condition throughout; and the ceedings of nature, has been a conviction shores of the Mediterranean, notwithof human incompetence, and human standing the frequency of earthquakes in liability to error. If this be true, of the their neighbourhood, Lave retained from researches of modern times, and on sub- the earliest ages the same general forms, jects open to observation, because extant bays, and promontories, and so nearly the in the world around us, how much great- same ports, harbours, and creeks, as to er difficulties, may we suppose, attend render the theory of gradual exchange of our inquiries into those evidences of a land and water, liable to great exceptions. prior world, and into the properties of For, if in the course of three or four thou those remains, which accident from time sand years, no variations deserving attento time, turns up from their beds of long tion have taken place, to what an infinitely repose for our inspection and contem- remote period does it refer that surprising plation! change, the effect of which engrosses our astonished observation ? The contents of the hills which diversify the face of our planet, and of most of We commonly call the first chapters of the mountains whose summits we have Genesis, a History of the Creation of been able to ascend, bear ample testimony the World; but the sacred writer has to the early existence of a different order couched his narration in terms which are of things, from what they now present. not restricted to that import. He describes When we find the remains of creatures the arrangement, conformation, and compeculiar to the waters, in the midst of posing of the world:-that it was created continents, and at heights very much out of nothing, at the period he mentions, above the level of the sea, we are led by he does not say. But, whatever was the the simple inductions of common sense, to beauty and excellence of that disposition conclude, that these heights are not the of the earth's superficies, the same writer' natural resorts of the subjects they contain. informs us, that it was broken up and deOnly two ways of accounting for these faced by a general deluge; and in adoptappearances present themselves: either ing this event as that which effected the the sea once covered these mountains, as displacing of the creatures and strata its proper bed; or some prodigions alluded to, we have the advantage of fixviolence has turn these subjects from their ing a date, and marking what, without native abodes, and deposited them where this assistance, extends to an indefinite we find them, in an improper bed. Either period,--a period as little comprehensible" they were gradually deposited where they as eternity itself. The evidence of hisare, or suddenly deposited either du-tory, then, though of the negative kind, ring a lapse of ages, or on occasion of some preternatural convulsion. History acquaints us with the recovery, as it is deemed, of several small portions of land from the sea; and we know, also, has great weight on this subject: it does not so much as hint at the effects of causes constantly but slowly operating, sufficient to account for phenomena, the results of which we discover: but it does, (in the Mosaic records) relate an occurrence which is adequate to the production of all the consequences that come to our knowledge and this by the confusion attendant on one sudden shock. a list of names from which they would derive neither instruction nor amusement; but we content ourselves with stating that Mr. P. examines and describes a variety of tubipores, madrepores, alcyonias, &c.; and no less than twenty-one different species of encrinites. He notices, also, obscure hints concerning others; and congratulates his native island, that of these fossils fourteen are found in different parts of the country. These hints, though very concise, we have thought proper to suggest by way of introduction to a report on Mr. Parkinson's second volume of" Organic Remains of a former World." We remember the time when Divines were alarmed at the speculation that any species In our first volume, page 840, we de of animal called into existence by the scribed under the title of "great effects Great Maker of all things, might suffer from little causes," the labours of those extinction: “individuals," said they," pe- millions of creatures, the diminutiveness rish, but the species remains." We of which, together with the difficulty of confess that we never discerned the co- observing and comprehending their nagency of this argument. Amid the ture and manners, shall be admitted in wreck of nature, many of her produc- excuse of the inattention of former ages tions might perish: they were not abso-to them. These, we know, exist; and lutely indispensable, surely, to the fu-in infinite numbers. Whether others alture world. We go further, and believe, that some have perished; and this perhaps in great mercy to mankind. For who knows, what consumption of the products of the earth was necessary to support those creatures, and who can tell whether under the diminished fertility of the ground, they might not have contended too effectually for food against the true lord of the soil, however reduced to labour, and to earn his subsistence by the sweat of his brow? In the volume before us, Mr. P. does not so much as allude to such devourers: but, as his first volume treated on vege tables, this treats on a class of animals that till lately were considered as form ing a part of the vegetable tribes. Mo. dern discoveries have placed them as a connecting link between the two kingdoms and has included them under the name of Zoophytes, or animal plants. It is extremely difficult, as we cannot transcribe the plates, to convey to those to whom studies of this kind are new, any ideas on the nature, forms, or properties of this description of creatures; or to remind them of such objects by comparison as may serve the purposes of illustration. Those who are most familiar with them, are constantly detecting errors in the conjectures of themselves, or others; and our author in many places regrets exceedingly the absence of better information than he has been able to obtain. We shall not obtrude on our readers lied to them in some respects by nature, though diversified, may not at this time people the bottom, the rocks, the recesses, the clefts, the depths and the shallows of the ocean, what mortal shall dare to affirm? Probability is the utmost to which our powers extend; and the probability is, that all parts of the great deep swarm with life; and that too in forms, of which we have no con ception, nor can have; till fortunate circumstances place specimens within our observation. The first class of these animals, Corals, is likely to be known to the generality of our readers, from the frequency of specimens of different kinds. We would not be understood to assert that the corals which are familiar among us, are of the same species, with such as are found fossil, or that they closely resemble them; but they are sufficient for comparison by reference, for the purpose of illustration; and we should be glad if we could on the other articles refer to il lustrative subjects equally accessible. Mr. P. remarks, So great is the resemblance which corals bear to vegetables as to have long occasioned, as has been already observed, their being considered as subjects of the vegetable king dom. They are in general attached to other to a root; from which proceeds a trunk, rasubstances by a part, analogous, in its form, mifying into branches, which, at certain times, appear to be set with flowerets and fruits of beautiful and fantastic forms. Their real nature was first ascertained by Peysonell, |