To furnish a proof of the value of Gibraltar to Great Britain, as a market, it will be only necessary to state, that of British manufactured _cotton_ goods alone the "barren little rock" takes annually to the value of nearly half a million sterling;--an amount very nearly equal to that which is exported from the mother country to _all_ her North American colonies--whilst the kingdom of Portugal (_favouring_ us in return for benefits conferred) takes of the same articles to the amount only of £800,000; and all the other ports of Spain together, but to the value of £13,000. Now though the government gains but a trifling increase of revenue by the vast amount of goods exported to Gibraltar, yet the _good_ that is effected by thus keeping our manufacturers at work may certainly be put down as benefiting the country at a cheap rate, when the cost is but of a few thousand troops;--the civil servants, &c., being paid out of the crown revenues of the place itself. On one point, I admit our government appears to be in error; namely, in making Gibraltar "a free port to _every_ flag;" by which "other nations enjoy the benefit of the establishment, without paying any portion of the expense:"[23] and it is more particularly to be blamed, for opening it to the produce of the _United States of America_, which, unlike France, Tuscany, Sardinia, and Austria, give our commerce no reciprocating advantage, and whose _tobacco_, imported in immense quantities, pays as aforesaid no portion of the expense of the establishment, but is the article of all others that occasions Spain to watch the transit trade of Gibraltar with such excessive jealousy. The Spanish government knows full well, that salt fish, manufactured goods of all sorts, and indeed most of the productions of Great Britain, _must_ be introduced into the country, and would take but little trouble to check the contraband trade of Gibraltar, if it were confined to such articles; but the introduction of Tobacco, Cocoa, Sugar, Spices, and other productions of Spain's own colonies, which the British Free port affords other nations the means of pouring into the country, to the detriment of her transatlantic possessions, naturally occasions a greater degree of watchfulness to be adopted, and excites much jealousy and ill will.