The trade of this town formerly to different parts of the continent was very considerable, and particularly to the Baltic; but it is now almost totally deprived of all its foreign trade; and except some little intercourse with Spain and Portugal, its trade is at present almost wholly confined to the importation of _Coals_, and the exportation of _Corn_ coastwise to different British ports. The quantity of coals imported these years is said to have been very great, and that of last year has perhaps exceeded any other year: and as that article bears a very heavy duty it has greatly helped to keep up the revenue of the custom-house. Foreigners, under the licence system, bringing the produce of the Baltic, may also be supposed to have contributed considerably to produce the same effect. The tables below will serve to cast some further light upon the subject, and help the reader to judge of the trade of this place for the last fifty years. {1162a} As to the _Coal-trade_, which now constitutes the chief article or main branch of our remaining commerce, and which of late has employed so large a portion of our shipping, and is thought likely to decline considerably this year (1812,) owing to the price of that commodity having been lately lowered, so as to diminish the profits so much, that it will be no longer worth the while of the private ship-owners, who are pretty numerous, to employ their vessels in the trade: and it is supposed that they will therefore be obliged to lay them up. This seems a great hardship upon them, for which our principal merchants are much blamed, whether justly or not, the present writer will not take upon him to say. Powerful merchants, most certainly, as well as powerful men of other professions, have before now acted very unfairly and oppressively towards their weaker neighbours. The trade to _Greenland_ and to _Davis’s Straits_, or what is called the _Whale Fishery_, is another branch in which Lynn has been concerned for many years: and as it is still persevered in, it may be presumed to have proved no ungainful concern. The ships fitted out for this trade generally sail in March and return about July. Three or four ships have been usually employed in this trade, and sometimes more, but we understand that there are only two fitted out this year. Some ships also of late years have traded between this town and Canada, chiefly, we believe, for timber: and as we are now quite shut out from the Baltic, this trade will probably increase. On the whole, we presume it may be very truly said, that the trade of Lynn is at this time at a lower ebb than it was ever known to be at any time within the last hundred years or more. When we shall have driven the French out of Spain and Portugal, and obliged Napoleon to restore all his conquests, and allow us a free trade to every part of the continent, it may be hoped it will once more revive and flourish as much as ever.