The Gazette

Grand Scheme of Commercial Finance.

Those who affect to penetrate into the secrets of the Cabinet furnish the material for political speculation, of a weight and substance, which, at the first glance are astonishing!

The character and the extent of the LEAGUE which is forming against France certainly develop themselves more and more. England is known to be the soul of it. We are assured that the wishes which our ministers, have thrown out for new commercial treaties are likely to open channels of trade hitherto unattempted even by the enterprize of individual adventurers; and the advantage to be derived from which, it is highly probable we shall obtain at the price of the continuance of war.

A commercial treaty with the Emperor of Russia: a commercial treaty with the Emperor of Germany; a commercial treaty with the King of Prussia; a commercial treaty with the Ottoman Porte; a commercial treaty with the King of Spain; all at this moment on the anvil; besides several infranate, such as one with the King of Naples which we are told, are annually concluded. By these treaties we expect to have the navigation of every sea opened to our trade; and what the French are endeavouring to accomplish by the revolutionary torrent, we are aiming to obtain by commercial force.

On Friday last a committee of merchants were consulted on various points in the projected conventions, and it is expected that the wide extended plan will be made known soon after the meeting of Parliament. By the treaty with the Turks, the expectation is entertained of securing all the advantage of this short communication with India, which Bonaparte's expedition was intended to open to France by force of arms. The Levant trade will be revived; and by the free navigation of the Danube and the Black Sea we expect to penetrate by that river into the heart of Germany.

The treaty with Spain is by no means chimerical. We have good reasons for believing that the ground is opened. Offers have been made too tempting to be refused; and the only difficulty is, how to protect Spain from the vengeance of the French on the Pyrenean frontier. It is not impossible but that a Russian army may be destined to this service, while the treasured wealth of several years, which has been detained in South America for fear of falling into the hands of the English on its passage, and in dread of the French on its landing, will be brought home under the convoy of the British Marine.

We forbear to enter for the present into detail. As these prospects, however, give us the certainty of continued war, we are making preparations accordingly. The Navy Board, we are assured, contracted on Monday last for the unexpired quantity of 100,000 pairs of shoes, and immense contracts are to be made for other articles. Why is this? Because the foundry (intended price for some of the treaties) is to be paid in British manufactures, not in money.