14 



that which produces the largest supplies, will 

 maintain the largest population, and a given 

 proportion of that population will, of course, 

 constitute a larger force than the same propor- 

 tion of the other population. On the other 

 hand, if two neighbouring nations are of une- 

 qual size, the smaller may, by a superior agri- 

 culture, support an equal population, and, of 

 course, equal armies. In the particular cir- 

 cumstances, therefore, of every state, its force 

 must be measured by the extent of its supplies. 

 If France be twice as large as Britain, or (what, 

 in the existing state of any two countries, is the 

 same thing) have twice as many acres in cul- 

 ture, and yet Britain raise twice as much grain 

 per acre, Britain will be as populous as France, 

 and will be able to support equal armies. This 

 is supposing the gross produce of both countries 

 to be the same ; their respective numbers to be 

 the same ; and the proportion of these numbers 

 which they maintain in war, also the same. 



But, strictly speaking, the power of a nation 

 to maintain armies does not depend so much 

 on the amount of its population, compared with 

 the population of other states, as on the amount 

 of its supplies, compared with the supplies of 

 other states. I have observed that, though po- 

 pulation always bears a near relation to supply, 

 yet it does not always bear exactly the same relation 



