194 Traxsactions of the American IxsriruTE. 



of England is now brought into active competition with that of foreign 

 countries, whicli is daily becoming more developed in proportion as 

 nations emerge from the stagnation consequent on internal troubles, 

 a state of war or of chronic misgovernment. 



" National resources which have long lain dormant are now brought 

 into productive existence, and the increased faith reposed in the 

 stability of institutions is giving a surer basis for commercial enter- 

 prise. 



"Irrespective, therefore, of any questions as to abstract matters of 

 commercial policy, causes are at work which must influence the 

 mutual relations of nations so far as commercial intercourse is con- 

 cerned ; and it becomes a matter of great interest to ascertain the 

 true facts as regards the productive and commercial development in 

 progress abroad, as regards the results which such development is pro- 

 ducing on prices and on wages, and especially as regards the position 

 and prospects of those branches of foreign industry which come most 

 immediately into competition with those of this country." 



x\ ot to weary you, hear just one of the replies from Belgium : 



"'The characteristics of the Belgium workmen are steadiness and 

 perseverance, combined with great intelligence in working after 

 models ; their habits are not so expensive as those of English artificers ; 

 their diet is more humble — they consume less meat, and their bread 

 is seldom purely wheaten or white in quality. Eye, and the cheaper 

 quality of wheat called 'epeautre' enter in great proportion into the 

 composition of the loaf; beer and spirits are both lower in price 

 than in England ; they seldom use tea, and the chiccory-root consti- 

 tutes a very economical and wholesome substitute for coffee. 



" Instead of coals and open grates, closed stoves and artificial fuel, 

 made of mere dust of coal and clay worked into lumps, are univers- 

 ally in use." 



You are reminded of old Squeers, when he put water to the milk 

 of his pupils, and exclaimed, "Here's richness!" Hear another 

 instance of cheapness ; the cheapness of new-born infants. This is 

 from t];e Loiidon Times: 



" JSonie tmie since, one of the most eminent manufacturers of Mul- 

 house, j\[. Jean Dollfus, who employes in his establishment 1,100 

 women, had his attention drawn to the extraordinary mortality among 

 their new-born children, more than forty per cent having died in a 

 few weeks. The cause of tiiis was found to be the want of care ; the 

 mothers, having nothing ])ut their wages, were obliged to resume 



