10 G. G. Hubbard — TJie Evolution of Commerce. 



steamers began to sail through the canal, and the route around 

 the cape of Good Hope was almost abandoned. Other flags 

 soon followed, and the commerce with India and the east, so long 

 lost to Venice and the ports of the Mediterranean, was revived. 



In 1875 Ijord Beaconsfielcl purchased for England a control- 

 ling interest in the Suez canal, and England now rules both 

 Egypt and the canal. The vessels of all the maritime nations of 

 the world are constantly passing through the canal, with the 

 single exception of those of the United States. 



Colonies. , 



The commerce of the great nations of the world has been princi- 

 pally with their colonies or dependencies, and from this com- 

 merce they have derived their wealth. The mother country in 

 return for its real or nominal protection, and for its own aggran- 

 dizement, has restricted the commerce of her colonies. 



The European nations adopted four classes of restrictions : 



1. Restricting the exportation of goods from the colony except 

 to the mother country. 



2. Restricting the importation of goods from foreign countries 

 into the colonies. 



3. Restricting the exportation or importation of goods except- 

 ing in ships of the mother country. 



4. Restricting the manufacture even of their own raw products 

 by the colonies. So strong was this feeling in England that even 

 Lord Chatham declared in Parliament, " The British colonies of 

 North America have no right to manufacture even a nail or a 

 horseshoe." 



Most of these restrictions have been removed, though the re- 

 sult still remains. 



The Phoenicians, Carthagenians, and Greeks had colonies on 

 the Mediterranean. The Romans conquered and held as sub- 

 jects, nations and empires. Venice and Genoa had colonies on 

 the Black and Mediterranean seas. Sjjain and Portugal held as 

 dependencies all Central America, South America, Africa, India, 

 and the islands of the Pacific. The Dutch republic and France 

 planted colonies in India and America. England has colonies 

 in every part of the world, and on her dominion the sun never 

 sets. 



Germany, France, Portugal, and Russia, appreciating the neces- 

 sity of colonies for the extension of their commerce and for open- 



