IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICAL IDEAS. m 



preponderance indispensable to the safety of the Empire, and especially 

 indispensable to the safety of the country from blockade, and from the 

 interruption of its commerce, which would be our ruin. But our posi- 

 tion in this respect is apparently not quite exceptional. Less or more 

 our Continental neighbors, and especially Germany, are in the same 

 boat. In the event of war, if they could not make up the loss by traffic 

 over their land frontiers, they would be just as liable to suffer from 

 blockade and interrupted commerce as we are. It is conceivable, more- 

 over, that in certain wars some of the countries might not be able to 

 make up by traffic over their land frontiers for blockade or interruption 

 of commerce by sea. We may apprehend, for instance, that Germany, 

 if it were victorious by sea in a war with France, would insist upon 

 Belgium and Holland on one side, and Italy and Spain on the other 

 side, not supplying by land to France what had been cut off by sea. 

 One or more of these countries might be allies with Germany from the 

 first. Contrariwise France and Russia, if at war with Germany and 

 the Triple Alliance, might practically seal up Germany if they were 

 successful at sea, insisting that the Scandinavian countries and Hol- 

 land should not make up to Germany by land what had been cut off 

 by sea. Germany in this view, apart from any possibility of rupture 

 wdth this country, has a case for a powerful fleet. It is not quite so 

 much liable to a blockade as we are, but there is a liability of the same 

 kind. The question of naval preponderance among rival powers may 

 thus become rather a serious one. If preponderance is to be nearly 

 as essential to Germany as it is to this country, who is to preponderate ? 

 What our practical action ought to be in the premises is a question that 

 might easily lead us too far on an occasion like this, but the facts should 

 be ever present to the minds of our public men. We may be quite cer- 

 tain that they are quite well known and understood in the councils 

 of the Eussian, German, French and other Continental Govern- 

 ments. 



New Population and New Markets. 



Another idea suggested by the facts appears to be an answer to the 

 question as to how new markets are to be found for the products of an 

 increasing population — a question which vexes the mind of many who 

 see in nothing but foreign trade an outlet for new energies. The point 

 was mentioned in my address at Manchester a year ago, but it deserves, 

 perhaps, a more elaborate treatment than it was possible then to give it. 

 What we see then is that not only in this country, but in Germany and 

 other Continental countries, millions of new people are, in fact, pro- 

 vided for in every ten years, although the resources of the country in 

 food and raw materials are generally used to the full extent, and not 

 capable of farther expansion, so that increasing supplies of food and 



