350 BrJTAlN FOR TEE BRITON 



we axe watclimg. That he recognises the importance of sub- 

 sidiary industries, is shown by his reference to such industries 

 in connection with his predicted decline in our " shipbuilding " 

 trade. This is the passage — - 



"Shipbuilding, and other suljsidiary industries, so far as they 

 depend upon this branch of Commerce, would collapse." 



What ruEE-TEADERS Ignoee 



He, however, conveniently ignores the importance of the 

 many industries that are subsidiary to agriculture, and which 

 would spring into vigorous existence the moment agriculture 

 became a strong national industry, full of life and energy, instead 

 of the poor, crushed, enfeebled thing we have in our land industry 

 of to-day. This is blowing hot and cold in the same breath ! 



It has just been shown that the first result of growing our 

 own corn would be the cessation of imported corn, but it should 

 be made quite clear Ijy repeating the important fact that this 

 could not 2J0ssibli/ mean any decrease in the volume of imported 

 raw or semi-manufactured material of equal value to the agri- 

 cultural 2J'i'oducc less imjyorted, since commodities of even value 

 vjould have to he made by us in exchange for all agricultural 

 produce, whether imported from foreign countries or grown in 

 Great Britain. 



The only effect that growing our own corn could possibly 

 have on the British shipping trade, would be in ceasing to bring 

 us a certain amount of wheat and flour ; but as it is a statistical 

 fact that Great Britain owns but one-half of the world's carrying 

 trade, it follows that her shipping trade would only be partially 

 ahected in respect hereto. 



But even this slight falling off in tonnage would be more 

 than compensated for by the creation and establishment, on a 

 firm basis, of a universal system of agriculture in the midst of a 

 great industrial country, which would be sure to ofl'er a strong 

 stimulus to trades and manufactures ; and as more and more 

 raw material from foreign countries would be required to meet 

 the ever-growing demand of this immense prosperous agri- 

 cultural community, there is every probability that the aggre- 

 gate result would be an increase in our imports and a 

 corresponding increase in our exports, rather than a decrease. 



Subsidiary Industries : their Beneficent Effect 



Tlien, it by no means follows that this is the last move in 

 the game ; on the contrary, it is but the beginning of a new 



