part of the Shah himself, under his own seal, as well as explanations on the part of his ministers, were ineffectual to restrain Mr. Willock from leaving Persia. The Shah condescended so far as to offer marks of his particular kindness to our charge d'affaires, in atonement for the mistake; and the ministers stated the necessity which existed for his remaining, in consequence of negotiations then pending with the Porte. Mr. Willock, however, insisted on taking his departure, though the Shah assured him that if he left the court unpleasantly, or contrary to his wishes, Persia would feel it essential to her dignity to dispatch an envoy to England, with a report of Mr. Willock's offensive conduct, and to require the appointment of another person in his stead. The unappeasable charge d'affaires left Teheran, and Mira Mahomud Saulah, one of the students formerly in England, was accordingly appointed envoy extraordinary from Persia to London. The Mirza arrived here by the way of Russia. His reception in that quarter must have formed a striking contrast to the neglect that he and his companions experienced during their residence in England. He was provided with an establishment and equipage by the Russian government, conducted to see every thing worthy his attention, and the emperor presented him with a diamond ring of great value.On his departure, a vessel was provided to convey him and his suite to England. The captain was commanded to pay them every attention, and not to suffer another passenger on board, nor to take the slightest present from the Mirza, or any of his suite. In com pliance with the express desire of the emperor, a young artist, who accompanied the Mirza to England, was a few days ago sent back to St. Petersburgh for education at the emperor's expense. In the event of the British government or the East India Company declining to advance a portion of the subsidy money, the Mirza received a letter of credit on the Russian representative at the court of London for 30,000 ducats, that he might experience no difficulty to the making of purchases in England. These are strong indications of the importance attached by Russia to her Persian connection. "The envoy's mission embraces several objects. He is the bearer of a firman of congratulation to his majesty on his accession to the throne: he is instructed to require payment in London of 15,000l. in part of the subsidy arrear; which the court of directors has complied with: he is commissioned to purchase arms and clothing for the Persian army; he has orders to lay before the British government, the Shah's disavowal of Aga Mahomud Kerreem's offensive message to Mr. Willock, and to submit the same explanations upon the subject which were offered without effect to that gentleman in Persia; he is further instructed to exhibit a list of specific charges against Mr. Willock for alleged improper, and even insulting, conduct to the Shah, the prince royal, and their ministers, and even to the whole nation, in the violation of a sacred religious rite; and he is especially required to protest against the re-appointment of Mr. Willock, and to solicit for his successor a gentleman whose whose personal demeanour may be the means of preserving harmony between the two powers. "Whatever be the grounds of dislike with the government of Persia towards our late charge d'affaires, they are seriously advanced; and it is not to be believed that British interests in that quarter will be jeoparded by the re-appointment of an individual who has become obnoxious to the Persian court. "We have reason to think that the issue of the Persian envoy's mission will determine whether it will be worth while for the East India Company to continue their depots at Abushire, Bussora, and Bagdad, which were established principally for the supply of the Persian market, and where they have residents in charge at a considerable expense. It is understood that a proposition has been made to Persia, on the part of Russia, which if acceded to, will ultimately secure the whole of the trade to the Russian merchants; a reply has been waved until the fate of the present mission is known. "Mr. Canning will doubtless investigate this subject himself, and give it the calm consideration of his own mind. It is an affair of too much importance for management by others, who may consult particular interests that by no means harmonize with the welfare of Great Britain as connected with the safety of her Indian possessions; -- for Persia neither undervalues the friendship nor the manufactures of England. On the contrary, we may preserve our pre-eminence if we will. Should government, by a wise disregard of personal considerations, act liberally and justly towards Persia, our foreign trade will reap the benefit: by a contrary course, she will leave Persia to the influence of Russia, and our northern ally will enrich herself by ultimately excluding the English merchant and the East India company from participation in Persian commerce. By an official document, pubished during a past session of congress, exhibiting a statistical view of the commerce of the United States with foreign powers, for the year ending 30th of Sept., 1821, it appears that Hayti ranks the fifth in importance and value as to imports-the sixth as to domestic exports; and, as to the amount of American tonnage entered into the United States, she stands in the fourth class. And here it might not be irrelevant to show, from the same document, the value of the American commerce to all the provinces of South America, placed in comparison with that of the single island of Hayti. It will be admitted that this estimate of the commerce with the South American provinces for the last year is not by any means a fair criterion of what the true value of it will be to this country, after their independence has been recognized, and their domestic commotions shall have subsided. But yet the same reasoning may be applied to Hayti. The value of the trade with that country, presuming the same measures to be taken, would be enhanced in the same ratio. It will be seen from the document before alluded to, that for the year there named the total value of Imports in American and foreign vessels was From Hayti. From Spanish and South American Colonies Difference 2,246,257 1,114,117 605,126 -1,719,243 527,014 The Domestic Exports in American and foreign vessels for the same In Foreign Exports to these ports the balance is rather against Hayti. The amount of American tonnage entered into the United States Of Foreign Tonnage entered into the ports of the United States, Another view in which the trade with Hayti will more favourably appear, may be shown in comparing it with the commerce to the other West India islands. It will be found that the value of the imports and exports to and from Hayti is vastly superior to those to and from the dominions of any other powers in the West Indies, putting Cuba out of the question. As, for instance, the whole value of the imports from the West India possessions of Sweden, Holland, Denmark, Great Britain, 980 tons 603 tons years at least. In the above estimate it ought to be considered that Hayti does not receive the due credit for the whole commerce that is carried on between her and the United States. It must be taken into view that many vessels within the last year have taken clearances for the West Indies generally; that many vessels clear out for the ports of St. Bartholomew, Porto Rico, St. Thomas, &c., and afterwards proceed to Hayti with their cargoes. A great part of these outward cargoes are consumed in Hayti, and should properly be added to the account of domestic exports to that island. In considering, then, as every American merchant should do, the great importance of this commerce, reference ought to be made to the actual condition of that country, its resources, and the certainty that its trade must in a short time be greatly enhanced in value. |