38 BALANCE OF INDUSTRY. 



that moment their ruin is inevitable from this 

 very source. 



The principal losses to which agricultural 

 labourers are liable at present, are those arising 

 from the non-removal of their increasing num- 

 bers by the other interests. The immense 

 employment afforded by the formation of rail- 

 ways in the United Kingdom has almost pre- 

 vented any bad effects from being experienced 

 by over-population in our rural districts for the 

 last few years ; but Britain cannot continue for 

 any great length of time to make railways at 

 such an extraordinary rate. The inference, 

 therefore, is obvious, that the interest of the 

 agricultural labourers of the United Kingdom 

 is liable to be affected, at no distant perioil, by 

 a diminution of revenue to the amount of many 

 millions yearly, and the poor rates increased. 



On the other hand, the slightest improvement 

 or depression in the circumstances of the agri- 

 cultural labourer at once affects the intciv.-'t 

 of commerce. The reason of this is obvious. 

 Our agriculture is more dependent upon < mi- 

 commerce than our commerce upon our agri- 

 culture. Our agriculture is almost exclusively 

 dependent upon our commerce, while our 



