^n Essa^j on Commercial ToUaj. 105 



from his speculations, the artist from his profession, or the 

 numufacturer from his industry, a more certain and even 

 result might be expected from the infinite sources of com- 

 merce. It is evident that the heaviest oppression on trade 

 is occasioned by stiite necessities : the armies, and the reve- 

 nue requisite to support wars and the paraphernalia of na- 

 tions, are obtained at the expense of its capital and the most 

 efficient instruments of labour. But this expense, great as 

 it is directly, is often increased indirectly by those regula- 

 tions which governments have promulgated for rendering 

 commercial enterprises subservient to political purposes. 

 Experience has proved that commerce furnishes the most 

 powerful engine of war, and statesmen respect trade only 

 for the aids which it yields in w-ar : it is always with a re- 

 ference to war that it receives the encouragement of states- 

 men. The view", for instance, with which the British go- 

 vernment has so assiduously encouraged the fisheries, had 

 certainly for its object the rearing of seamen for the navy, 

 as much as the local improvement of the dibtricts conti- 

 guous to the fishing stations. The navigation act, while it 

 has tended to increase the number of ships and sailors, and 

 thereby promoted the naval superiority of Great Britain, 

 has been perhaps detrimental to the extension of her trade 

 in aeneral by occupving so much capital in the value of 

 ships of war, and so many men in marine labour. Rut the 

 navigation act being one of those regulations of trad;' whick 

 arise out of political interests, it leads us to consider the 

 second thing proposed, namelv, how far such regulations 

 or restrictions ought to extend; in the consideration ot" 

 which it mav be as well to advert to what ought to be the 

 commercial policv of Great Britain. 



The political respectability of Great Britain demands, as 

 essential to her prepnnderaney, the preservation, perhaps 

 the extension, of her naval superiority. Therclbre the at- 

 tention of government should be directed to foster those 

 branches of trade that will employ or increase her shipping, 

 and at the same time encourage her manufactui-es. To ac^ 

 complish this, British connnerce must be confined to British 

 ships, and all the articles of Britsh trade permitted to pass 

 wherever the merchant conceives a likelihood of obtaining 

 profit. We must even shake ofl' that antiquated prejudice 

 which still makes a distinction between aoricullure and 

 trade, and consider .•igricullurc as oiily one of the manv 

 divisions of trade ; we nuist cea=e to believe that corn more 

 than any other connnodity requires a particular system of 

 Jaws ; and if we can import our corn cheaper than it can be 

 8 raised 



