Gibraltar is the grand dépôt for English goods, especially cottons, which are smuggled into Spain, along the whole coast from Cadiz to Benidorme, to the great benefit of the Spanish authorities, placed nominally to prevent what they really encourage. The S. of Spain is thus supplied with as much of our wares as it is enabled to purchase. No treaty of commerce would much increase the consumption; while the mooting it rouses the clamour of France, and alarms the Barcelonese, who excite the Españolismo of the Peninsular by swearing the Spain is sold to England, which
sucks out her gold. Our urging a treaty of commerce on Espartero hastened his downfall, by giving a new handle to old falsehoods. All the suspicious and ignorant, whose name here is legion, were taught by a venal Afrancesado and Catalan press to believe that he was the tool of the Manchester cottoncracy.
Image: Waterport Wharf and commercial activity in the late 19th Century.
Published: July 09, 2020
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