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to improve their condition, because that would create in them 

 more wants, which, to a certain extent, would be supplied by 

 British industry. The imports to Prussia and Poland have de- 

 creased much of late years, from the diminished means of the 

 people to buy ; so much so, that consignments of goods for sale 

 here are almost always attended with loss, and are with much 

 difficulty to be disposed of. By a more free Corn trade, Britain 

 and Prussia, with Poland, would become more reciprocally 

 beneficial. 



It merits consideration, that the people in these parts are enabled 

 to eat cheaper bread than those in England, not merely in pro- 

 portion to the difference in the price of Wheat in the two countries, 

 but to the difference between the price of Wheat in England, and 

 Rye in these parts, which is the Bread Corn of their population ; 

 and that bears generally only from one-half to two-thirds the 

 price of Wheat here. What encouragement does not this give 

 the people of these parts, to compete in various branches of 

 industry. The machinery and capital of England may at present 

 counterbalance the advantage of cheaper food, and thence of 

 cheaper labour, but will it always remain so ? May not ma- 

 chinery and capital be created in, or be removed even from 

 England to other countries ? England may indeed prevent 

 injurious competition within the bounds of her dominion, but will 

 she be able to make head against competitors in their own coun- 

 try, or in other countries, particularly if, by being involved in a 

 maritime war, she has higher premiums of insurance to pay? 

 \Vould it not be more beneficial to England, as a mercantile 

 country, to induce agricultural nations to remain so as long as 

 profitable, rather than to force them to become manufacturers ? 

 The advantages other countries have over England, in a fair com- 

 petition, from provisions being so much cheaper, are, at present, 

 very evident, with respect to the expense of navigating ships, as 

 the Prussian ship-owners have the crews at half the wages, and 

 can maintain them at less than half the expense, that English ship- 

 owners can do, independently of the smaller cost of the ships, 

 partly from the heavy duties in England on timber, and partly 

 from the higher wages. The Prussian shipping must gradually 

 supersede the English, wherever their rights are equal. The 

 Prussian ship-owners indeed labour under a disadvantage, from 

 their seamen being subject to a conscription, which takes away all 

 the best men ; but the press in time of war is equally injurious 

 to the British owner. It is true the latter has the advantage of a 

 wider field for his undertakings, of having better ships, and being 

 able to sail them all the year, while the Prussian owner cannot 

 navigate his vessels in the winter, at least to or from Prussia. 



Agriculture, trade, and commerce being means for supplying 

 men's wants, must extend as these wants increase. But the wants 



