64 On the Inportance of 
These doctrines will apply to every case 
in which the navy and army consume the pro- 
duce of our own country: and if it be consi- 
dered that our own country produces the most 
essential articles, and that our colonial pos- 
sessions furnish a variety: of those which we 
usually procured from other quarters, it will be 
found that we possess, in an ample degree, 
the means of maintaming our fleets and armies, 
independently of foreign commerce. Some 
apprehensions which were once entertained 
regarding the possibility of procuring naval 
stores, when cut off from the commerce of the 
continent, seem now to have vanished, in con- 
sequence of the inquiries that have been made 
4 
ou the subject. 
We shall therefore pass from financial con- 
siderations to another topic highly worthy of 
attention, namely, the reply which Mr. Spence. 
has given to those who consider foreign com- 
merce as an indispensible nursery for seamen. 
It seems perfectly clear, that, whatever has 
been the origin of our naval power, its dura- 
tion is independent of a commercial naviga- 
tion, because young men can be trained on 
“board ships of war to every naval operation, 
with even greater advantage than in merchant 
vessels. This is an argument to which no 
rational reply has yet been given. 
1 
