THE LOCALIZATION OF INDUSTRIES. 459 



power, and its supply of native wool and timber, to a great extent 

 set off these disadvantages, though probably not completely. 



The free commercial policy of Great Britain, united with the 

 combination in a small, centrally situated space of country of all 

 the most desirable facilities, marks her out as the greatest of 

 international manufacturing and trading countries. Her manu- 

 facturers have perfect liberty to purchase their raw or partially 

 manufactured materials in the best and cheapest markets ; and 

 their constant intercourse with all parts of the world keeps them 

 informed of every new invention and resource. Their own 

 home market is one of the most important, and, having no pro- 

 tection therein, they know at once when they are excelled in the 

 production of any article, and whether it is owing to any natural 

 or acquired advantage, so that among them there is very little 

 waste of effort. Extent of capital hitherto undreamed of, ready 

 to back their efforts abroad by investments in every promising 

 enterprise, also enables them to command a preference in many 

 undeveloped and poor countries. Yet it would be a great error 

 to suppose that there do not exist in many other countries advan- 

 tages sufficient to enable them also to carry on a large export busi- 

 ness in manufactured goods. All are able to utilize some native 

 materials and to save the intermediate profits and carriages upon 

 foreign wares, and without doubt there are many wants that are 

 best understood by the native manufacturers. Crippled as their 

 producers are by fiscal restrictions upon their purchases and com- 

 binations, several of them are even now able to sell their wares 

 largely to England herself. The artisans of the European conti- 

 nent are willing to work during a greater number of hours daily 

 and for lower wages than those of Great Britain, and the cost 

 of production is thereby diminished ; and there are always in each 

 country some advantages peculiar to itself and its population. 

 Thus, France has a specialty in artistic taste, which enables her to 

 supply the English market with most of its silks and ornamental 

 objects, as well as with large quantities of fine woolen fabrics. 

 Germany, the best educated country in the world, excels in ap- 

 plied science, as in the working of metals and stained glass ; and 

 the United States in labor-economizing apparatus, such as agri- 

 cultural, sewing, and printing machines. Belgium has supplied 

 wrought-iron girders for the roofs of English and Scotch rail- 

 way stations. England also exports large quantities of partially 

 manufactured goods, such as yarns, chemicals, and pig-iron, show- 

 ing that the importing countries have, in various ways, superior 

 facilities for the finishing processes. She also has need of the 

 co-operation of other countries for the perfecting of her own 

 wares. Thus, the finest flax grown in the north of Ireland, in 

 order to attain its highest quality, must be sent to Belgium to be 



