106 An Essay on Commercial Poller/. 



raised at home, we must cease to think that a free importa- 

 tion of corn can be detrimental to our national prosperity. 

 I admit, unquestionably, that a free importation of corn 

 would probably atfect the rent-rolls of the landholders; 

 but is there any one who will assert that a reduction of 

 rents produced by such a cause would be a misfortune to 

 the kingdom ? If the income of the landholders can only 

 be supported at its present rate by restrictions on the corn 

 trade, it is surely evident that the landholders are benefited 

 at the expense of the nation. But granting that the land- 

 holders were injured by removing the restraints of the com 

 laws, .it is highly probable that their misfortune would ul- 

 timately become advantageous to themselves ; for, to pre- 

 serve their hereditary importance they might be induced to 

 engage in trade, and with their visible capital would possess 

 an oGvious superiority over those who are dependent on in- 

 dustry and enterprise. The fertile tracts of America pre- 

 sent the great resource from which the British empire should 

 be supplied with grain. By limiting the supplies which 

 the colonies and the united kingdom might draw from 

 America to the importations of British vessels, the quantity 

 of British shipping w ould necessarily augment ; and the 

 Americans, thus finding an advantage in attending more 

 to agriculture, would resign navigation, and, gradually relin- 

 qui.'^hing that power upon the seas which they are as gra- 

 dually obtaining, leave us the mastery which we still pos- 

 sess. It may perhaps be said, that such a restriction as is 

 here proposed might force the Americans to countervail us, 

 bv refusing to ship their produce in British vessels. But 

 this is an evil that time would rectify; for we are yet suffi- 

 ciently independent of American produce to wait patiently 

 the oj>eratiou of the measure. In the present state of Ame- 

 rica, it cannot be doubf^d that agriculture more than com- 

 merce ought to engage the inhabitants; so that the very 

 restrictions which would come in to the aid of our advan- 

 tage, would also I)e beneficial to them. 



There is another point that should be considered here. 

 It ought to be part of the commercial policy of Great 

 Britain, to nfioid every accommodation to the British mer- 

 chant for trading with foreign colonies, and to prevent 

 foreign merchants from trading with the British colo- 

 nies. By attending to the former we may obtain the latter: 

 for, as part of our policy is to increase our shipping, we 

 .■•hould, by giving occupation to foreigners in their own 

 countries, take away their desire to become navigators by 

 removing the necessity. Thus the nature of British restric- 

 tions 



