( 130 ) 



eONCERNI^TG OUR MARINE:, &C. 



Can we consider the Briton sane who speaks of 

 bounding this country to her home resources ? Can 

 any one doubt that our name, our wealth, our 

 power, are not wholly attributable to our Marine ? 

 Can any one be ignorant that the superiority of our 

 marine is wholly dependant on our foreign trade^ 

 particularly the bulkier part of it, om foreign sup- 

 ply ? Does any one dread the necessity of foreign 

 supply, from the foolish fear that it may be cut off 

 by war ? Keeping out of view the argument, that 

 ere the British pride would suffer other domination 

 on the waters, our numbers would be well thinned 

 away, they know little of the influence of circum- 

 stance on man, who do not perceive that, in the event 

 of free trade, and of the population of Britain in- 

 creasing beyond what the country, under the best 

 possible culture, could support, the very necessity of 

 being mistress of the seas would make her so. They 

 know little of what Britain is, country and people, 

 who doubt of her continued supremacy, should she 

 not be ruined, indeed, by following the narrow selfish 



