120 TRAVELS IN THE CONFEDERATION 



was done beyond the experiment, and I suppose that 

 there were no profits to be reckoned on. 



At the beginning of the war sakpetre was prepared 

 in America, but, as it appeared, merely because it was 

 necessary to find a substitute for the cheaper European 

 article. For so soon as the alliance with France made 

 importations freer, the preparation of the inland salt- 

 petre, was given over, and so, in the mountains par- 

 ticularly, no end of material is on hands. 



A similar fate met other attempts in several branches 

 of manufactures. But all this is proof only that in its 

 present situation America cannot undertake what, after 

 a few generations,* will be less difficult. Of individual 

 craftsmen America has, if not all that are needed, at 

 least the most necessary. 



* And until then they must contrive to do without dispen- 

 sable articles and must give thought to the best possible way 

 of augmenting their inland products, these being not sufficient 

 to pay for necessary importations from foreign states. For 

 it is only because America, on the whole, needs or imports 

 more foreign articles than it can pay for in cash or in produce 

 that there have arisen complaints recently over the decline of 

 trade. 



