OF INDUSTRIES. 27 



Her young industry, which had begun to grow 

 by the end of the 18th century, was crushed 

 down. Germany, Italy were powerless in the 

 industrial field. The armies of the great Republic 

 had struck a mortal blow to serfdom on the 

 Continent ; but with the return of reaction 

 efforts were made to revive the decaying insti- 

 tution, and serfdom meant no industry worth 

 speaking of. The terrible wars between France 

 and England, which wars are often explained 

 by merely political causes, had a much deeper 

 meaning an economical meaning. They were 

 wars for the supremacy on the world market, 

 wars against French industry and commerce, 

 supported by a strong navy which France had 

 begun to build and Britain won the battle. She 

 became supreme on the seas. Bordeaux was no 

 more a rival to London ; as to the French indus- 

 tries, they seemed to be killed in the bud. And, 

 aided by the powerful impulse given to natural 

 sciences and technology by a great era of inven- 

 tions, finding no serious competitors in Europe, 

 Britain began to develop her manufactures. 

 To produce on a large scale in immense quan- 

 tities became the watchword. The necessary 

 human forces were at hand hi the peasantry, 

 partly driven by force from the land, partly 

 attracted to the cities by high wages. The 

 necessary machinery was created, and the 



