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With the fall of Napoleon； English competition； which had been
till then restricted to a contraband trade； recovered its footing
on the continents of Europe and America。 Now for the first time the
English were heard to condemn protection and to eulogise Adam
Smith's doctrine of free trade； a doctrine which heretofore those
practical islanders considered as suited only to an ideal state of
Utopian perfection。 But an impartial； critical observer might
easily discern the entire aBsence of mere sentimental motives of
philanthropy in this conversion； for only when increased facilities
for the exportation of English goods to the continents of Europe
and America were in question were cosmopolitan arguments resorted
to； but so soon as the question turned upon the free importation of
corn； or whether foreign goods might be allowed to compete at all
with British manufactures in the English market； in that case quite
different principles were appealed to。（3*） Unhappily； it was said；
the long continuance in England of a policy contrary to natural
principles had created an artificial state of things； which could
not Be interfered with suddenly without incurring the risk of
dangerous and mischievous consequences。 It was not to be attempted
without the greatest caution and prudence。 It was England's
misfortune； not her fault。 All the more gratifying ought it to be
for the nations of the European and American continents； that their
happy lot and condition left them quite free to partake without
delay of the blessings of free trade。
In France； although her ancient dynasty reascended the throne
under the protection of the banner of England； or at any rate by
the influence of English gold； the above arguments did not obtain
currency for very long。 England's free trade wrought such havoc
amongst the manufacturing industries which had prospered and grown
strong under the Continental blockade system； that a prohibitive
r間ime was speedily resorted to； under the protecting aegis of
which； according to Dupin's testimony；（4*） the producing power of
French manufactories was doubled between the years 1815 and 1827。
NOTES：
1。 'Eloge de Jean Baptiste Colbert； par Necker' （1773） （OEuvres
Completes； vol。 xv。）。
2。 See Quesnay's paper entitled； 'Physiocratie； ou du Gouvernement
le plus avantageux au Genre Humain （1768）；' Note 5； 'sur la maxime
viii；' wherein Quesnay contradicts and condemns Colbert in two
brief pages； whereas Necker devoted a hundred pages to the
exposition of Colbert's system and of what he accomplished。 It is
hard to say whether we are to wonder most at the ignorance of
Quesnay on matters of industry； history； and finance； or at the
presumption with which he passes judgment upon such a man as
Colbert without adducing grounds for it。 Add to that； that this
ignorant dreamer was not even candid enough to mention the
expulsion of the Huguenots； nay； that he was not ashamed to allege；
contrary to all truth； that Colbert had restricted the trade in
corn between province and province by vexatious police ordinances。
3。 A highly accomplished American orator； Mr Baldwin； Chief Justice
of the United States； when referring to the Canning…Huskisson
system of free trade； shrewdly remarked； that； like most English
productions； it had been manufactured not so much for home
consumption as for exportation。
Shall we laugh most or weep when we call to mind the rapture of
enthusiasm with which the Liberals in France and Germany； more
particularly the cosmopolitan theorists of the philanthropic
school； and notably Mons。 J。 B。 Say； hailed the announcement of the
Canning…Huskisson system？ So great was their jubilation； that one
might have thought the millennium had come。 But let us see what Mr
Canning's own biographer says about this minister's views on the
subject of free trade。
'Mr Canning was perfectly convinced of the truth of the
abstract principle； that commerce is sure to flourish most when
wholly unfettered； but since such had not been the opinion either
of our ancestors or of surrounding nations； and since in
consequence restraints had been imposed upon all commercial
transactions； a state of things had grown up to which the unguarded
application of the abstract principle； however true it was in
theory； might have been somewhat mischievous in practice。' （The
Political Life of Mr Canning； by Stapleton； p。 3。） In the year
1828； these same tactics of the English had again assumed a
prominence so marked that Mr Hume； the Liberal member of
Parliament； felt no hesitation in stigmatising them in the House as
the strangling of Continental industries。
4。 Forces productives de la France。
Chapter 7
The Germans
In the chapter on the Hanseatic League we saw how； next in
order to Italy； Germany had flourished； through extensive commerce；
long before the other European states。 We have now to continue the
industrial history of that nation； after first taking a rapid
survey of its earliest industrial circumstances and their
development。
In ancient Germania； the greater part of the land was devoted
to pasturage and parks for game。 The insignificant and primitive
agriculture was abandoned to serfs and to women。 The sole
occupation of the freemen was warfare and the chase； and that is
the origin of all the German nobility。
The German nobles firmly adhered to this system throughout the
Middle Ages； oppressing agriculturists and opposing manufacturing
industry； while quite blind to the benefits which must accrued to
them； as the lords of the soil； from the prosperity of both。
Indeed； so deeply rooted has the passion for their hereditary
favourite occupation ever continued with the German nobles； that
even in the our days； long after they have been enriched by the
ploughshare and shuttle； they still dream in legislative the about
the preservation of game and the game laws； as though the wolf and
the sheep； the bear and the bee； could dwell in peace side by side；
as though landed property could be devoted at one and the same time
to gardening； timber growing； and scientific farming； and to the
preservation of wild boars； deer； and hares。
German husbandry long remained in a barbarous condition；
notwithstanding that the influence of towns and monasteries on the
districts in their immediate vicinity could not be ignored。
Towns sprang up in the ancient Roman colonies； at the seats of
the temporal and ecclesiastical princes and lords； near
monasteries； and； where favoured by the Emperor； to a certain
extent within their domains and inclosures； also on sites where the
fisheries； combined with facilities for land and water transport；
offered inducements to them。 They flourished in most cases only by
supplying the local requirements； and by the foreign transport
trade。 An extensive system of native industry capable Of supplying
an export trade could only have grown up by means of extensive
sheep farming and extensive cultivation of flax。 But flax
cultivation implies a high standard of agriculture； while extensive
sheep farming needs protection against wolves and robbers。 Such
protection could not be maintained amid the perpetual feuds of the
nobles and princes between themselves and against the towns。 Cattle
pastures served always as the principal field for robbery； while
the total extermination of beasts of prey was out of the question
with those vast tracts of forest which the nobility so carefully
preserved for their indulgence in the chase。 The scanty number of
cattle； the insecurity of life and property； the entire lack of
capital and of freedom on the part of the cultivators of the soil；
or of any interest in agriculture on the part of those who owned
it； necessarily tended to keep agriculture； and with it the
prosperity of the towns； in a very low state。
If these circumstances are duly considered； it is easy to
understand the reason why Flanders and Brabant under totally
opposite conditions attained at so early a period to a high degree
of liberty and prosperity。
Notwithstanding these impediments； the German cities on the
Baltic and the German Ocean flourished； owing to the fisheries； to
navigation； and the foreign trade at sea； in Southern Germany and
at the foot of the Alps； owing to the influence of Italy； Greece；
and the transport trade b