A dictionary of science, literature & art ... ed. by W.T. Brande ... assisted by Joseph Cauvin ... The various departments by eminent literary and scientific gentlement ...

COMMERCE.
aole for the accommodation and comfort of man in differ- the employment and improvement ol machinery by toe
ent countries, has evidently provided for their mutual in- unlimited extent of the market, the price of cottons has
tercourse. In this respect, indeed, foreign trade is of far been reduced to less, probably, than a fourth part of what
more importance than the home trade. There is infinitely it would have been had they met with no outlet in foreign
less difference betweenthe products of the various districts countries. The hardware, woollen, leather, and other
of the most extensive country, than there is between the manufactures, exhibit similar results. The access their
products of different and distant countries; and the esta.b- products have had to other markets has led to important
ishment of a territorial division of labour amongst the improvements in their production; so that, as was previlatter must therefore be proportionaiiy advantageous. ously stated, commerce not only supplies us with a vast va"As the same country is rendered richer by the trade of riety of new and desirable articles, but it also cheapens the
one province with another; as its labour becomes thus staple productions of the country, and renders them more
infinitely more divided, and more productive than it could easily attainable by the great mass of people.
otherwise have been; and as the mutual interchange of all 3. The influence of commerce in making the people of
those commodities which one province has and another each country acquainted with foreign inventions and diswants multiplies the comforts and accommodation of the coveries, and in stimulating ingenuity by bringing them into
whole, and the country becomes thus, in a wonderful de- competition with strangers, is obvious and powerful. It
gree, more opulent and more happy; so the same beau- distributes the gifts of science and art, as well as those of
tifdil train of consequences is observable in the world at nature. It is the great engine by which the blessings of
large,-that vast empire, of which the different kingdoms civilization are diffused throughout the world, the iiitermay be regarded as the provinces. In this magnificent course to which it gives rise making every one acquainted
empire, one province is favourable to the production of one with the processes carried on and the inventions made in
species of produce, and another province to another. By the remotest corners of the globe. Were any considertheir mutual intercourse, mankind are enabled to distribute able improvement made in any important art either in Chitheir labour as best fits the genius of each particular coun- na or Peru, it would be very speedily understood and practry and people. The industry of the whole is thus render- tised in England. It is no longer possible to monopolize
ed incomparably more productive; and every species of an invention. The intimate communication that now exnecessary, useful and agreeable accommodation is ob- ists amongst nations renders any important discovery,
tained in much greater abundance and with infinitely less wherever it may be made, a common benefit. The ingeexpense."-(Mills's Commerce Defended, p. 38.) nious machine invented by Mr. Eli Whitney, of the United
But to enable the advantages of foreign commerce to be States, for separating cotton wool from the pod, has been
rightly appreciated, it will be proper to consider it under quite as advantageous to the English as to the Americans;
the following heads: —viz. 1. Its influence in supplying us and the inventions of Watt and Arkwright have added to
with useful and desirable articles, of which we should the comforts of the inhabitants of Siberia and Brazil, as
otherwise be wholly destitute; 2. Its influence in multiply- well as of England. The genuine commercial spirit is
ing and cheapening the peculiar productions of our own destructive of all sorts of monopolies. It enables every
country; 3. Its influence in making us acquainted with separate country to profit by the peculiar natural powers
foreign discoveries and inventions, and in exciting inven- and acquired skill of all the others; while, on the other
tion by means of competition and example; and, 4. Its in- hand, it communicates to them whatever advantages it
direct influence upon industry, by increasing the sources may enjoy. Every nation is thus intimately associated
of enjoyment. with its neighbours. Their products, their arts, and their
1. With respect to the first of these influences, or the sciences, are reciprocally communicated; and the emulaeffect of commerce in furnishing every people with com- tion that is thus excited and kept up, forces routine to give
modities not otherwise attainable, it is too obvious and place to invention, and inspires every people with zeal to
striking tc require any lengthened illustrations. Great undertake, and perseverance to overcome, the most for
Britain is as abundantly supplied with native products as midable tasks. It is not possible to form any accurate no.
most countries; and yet any one who reflects for a moment tions as to what would.have been our state at this moment
on the nature and variety of the articles we import from had we been confined within our own little world, and de
abroad, must be satisfied that we are indebted to trade for prived of all intercourse with foreigners. We know, how
a very large part of our superior accommodations. Tea, ever, that the most important arts, such as printing, glass
sugar, coffee, wine, and spices; silk and cotton, the mate- making, paper-making, &c., have been imported froin
rials of our most extensive manufactures; gold and silver; abroad. No doubt we might have invented some of thesa
and an endless variety of other highly important articles, ourselves; but there is not the shadow of a ground fo'
are sent to us by foreigners. And were the importation supposing that we should have invented them all; anrt
put an end to, what a prodigious deduction would be made, without foreign example and competition, we could hardl;
not from our comforts and enjoyments merely, but also have carried any of them beyond the merest rudiments.
from our means of supporting and employing labourers! 4. The influence of commerce upon industry, by its ir
If foreign commerce did nothing more than supply us with creasing the number of desirable articles, though not quit<
so many new products, it would be very difficult to over. so obvious, perhaps, as the influences already specified, is
rate its value and importance. not less powerful and salutary. Industry is in no resper
2. But such is the beneficent influence of commerce, different from the other virtues, and it were idle to expec'
that while it supplies an endless variety of new produc- it should be strongly manifested where it does not brir.
tions, it multiplies and cheapens those that are peculiar to along with it a corresponding reward. In the early stage.
every country. It does this, by enabling each separate of society, before artificial wants have been introduced, ane
people to employ themselves, in preference, in those de- men are satisfied if they can avert the attacks of hunger
partments in which they enjoy some natural or acquired and procure an inadequate defence against the cold, in
advantage, and by opening the markets of the world to dustry is confined within the narrowest limits; and pro
their productions. When the demand for a commodity is vided the mildness of the climate renders clothing ani
confined to a particular country, as soon as it is supplied lodging of little importance, and the earth spontaneousl7
improvement is at a stand. The subdivision and combina- pours forth an abundant supply of fruits, the inhabitante.
tion of employments is, in fact, always dependent upon are immersed in sloth, and seem to place their highest en
and regulated by the extent of the market. Dr. Smith has joyment in being free from occupation. Sir William
shown, that by making a proper distribution of labour Temple, Mr. Hume, and some otler sagacious inquirers
among ten workmen, in a pin manufactory, 48,000 pins into the progress of society, have been struck with thiu
might be produced in a day; and since his time the num- circumstance, and have justly remarked that those nation,,
ber has been nearly doubled. But had the demand not been that have laboured under the greatest national disadvan
sufficient to take off this quantity of pins, the divisions and tages have made the most rapid advances in industry.
improvements in question could not have been made; and But in civilized and commercial societies, new products
the price of pins would in consequence have been comrn- and new modes of enjoyment, brought from abroad, or
paritively high. This principle holds universally. The invented at home, stimulate the inhabitants to continued
most important manufacture carried on in Great Britain- exertions. Their acquired tastes and the wants which
that of cotton-is entirely the result of commerce. Sup- civilization introduces, and custom and examrple render
posing, however, that cotton wool had been a native pro.- univeirsa!, become infinitely more numerous, asd as ur
duct, we could never have nmadoe such astonishicng advances gent as the tastes or wonts of those that aye l-3s advanced.
in the manufacture had we been deniesd access to foreign The passion for luaxuries, conveniences,?,.d er.joymcnts
markets. Notwithstanding the splendid discoveries in ths vwne. onze excil:eO, becoemes quite i;limtat.'.. T'e gratimachinery, and the perfection to which every department fication of one desire leads immedi7lelt to t!ie formation
of the trade has been brought, the vast..:.tent of tie market of a.ioter. "'ho.atural fights of tlhe -.-,map mind are
has prevented its being giuli:ed, and has csimulatcd o-' ij rnot fron pleas-are to pleasure, but fronm -htpe to hope."
manufacturers and artizans to persG-;ere with.,abate_ ar- The happ.ness 01 a civilized nation is no* placed in indodour in the career of improvement. O.: cotton yiils b.ele ten.e 07 epjoynae it. uo. in couSinued exertion in devising
been constructed, not that they might sup.ly the linite J new contrivances'o'-.vee.come new difficulties in extend
demand of Great Britain, but that:t/y mighl supp)l the io T st'l f-.rth3r'ius oo-'nearies of science, and increasing
demand of the whole world. And in c-.-,equenpo of.ie the'.'r comwmand v-"c a.ixeuries and enjoyments. The re.
extraordinary subdivision of labour, and the sope -:.,en j, raarb of the o-' f i iakLiy is as true as it is forcibly ex258