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navigation； but as soon as she had acquired supremacy in trade；
manufactures； and navigation； it was folly to retain them。 For
owing to them she was left behind in the race； both as respects
shipbuilding； navigation； and seamanship of her sailors； with other
maritime and commercial nations which were advancing in her
footsteps。 Thus England by her policy increased her naval power；
and by means of her naval power enlarged the range of her
manufacturing and commercial powers； and again； by the latter；
there accrued to her fresh accessions of maritime strength and of
colonial possessions。 Adam Smith； when he maintains that the
Navigation Laws have not been beneficial to England in commercial
respects； admits that； in any case； these laws have increased her
power。 And power is more important than wealth。 That is indeed the
fact。 Power is more important than wealth。 And why？ Simply because
national power is a dynamic force by which new productive resources
are opened out； and because the forces of production are the tree
on which wealth grows； and because the tree which bears the fruit
is of greater value than the fruit itself。 Power is of more
importance than wealth because a nation； by means of power； is
enabled not only to open up new productive sources； but to maintain
itself in possession of former and of recently acquired wealth； and
because the reverse of power namely； feebleness leads to the
relinquishment of all that we possess； not of acquired wealth
alone； but of our powers of production； of our civilisation； of our
freedom； nay； even of our national independence； into the hands of
those who surpass us in might； as is abundantly attested by the
history of the Italian republics； of the Hanseatic League； of the
Belgians； the Dutch； the Spaniards； and the Portuguese。
But how came it that； unmindful of this law of alternating
action and reaction between political power； the forces of
production and wealth； Adam Smith could venture to contend that the
Methuen Treaty and the Act of Navigation had not been beneficial to
England from a commercial point of view？ We have shown how England
by the policy which she pursued acquired power； and by her
political power gained productive power； and by her productive
power gained wealth。 Let us now see further how； as a result of
this policy； power has been added to power； and productive forces
to productive forces。
England has got into her possession the keys of every sea； and
placed a sentry over every nation： over the Germans； Heligoland；
over the French； Guernsey and Jersey； over the inhabitants of North
America； Nova Scotia and the Bermudas； over Central America； the
island of Jamaica； over all countries bordering on the
Mediterranean； Gibraltar； Malta； and the Ionian Islands。 She
possesses every important strategical position on both the routes
to India with the exception of the Isthmus of Suez； which she is
striving to acquire； she dominates the Mediterranean by means of
Gibraltar； the Red Sea by Aden； and the Persian Gulf by Bushire and
Karrack。 She needs only the further acquisition of the Dardanelles；
the Sound； and the Isthmuses of Suez and Panama； in order to be
able to open and close at her pleasure every sea and every maritime
highway。 Her navy alone surpasses the combined maritime forces of
all other countries； if not in number of vessels； at any rate in
fighting strength。
Her manufacturing capacity excels in importance that of all
other nations。 And although her cloth manufactures have increased
more than tenfold （to forty…four and a half millions） since the
days of James I； we find the yield of another branch of industry；
which was established only in the course of the last century；
namely； the manufacture of cotton； amounting to a much larger sum；
fifty…two and a half millions。（8*）
Not content with that； England is now attempting to raise her
linen manufacture； which has been long in a backward state as
compared with that of other countries； to a similar position；
possibly to a higher one than that of the two above…named branches
of industry： it now amounts to fifteen and a half millions
sterling。 In the fourteenth century； England was still so poor in
iron that she thought it necessary to prohibit the exportation of
this indispensable metal； she now； in the nineteenth century；
manufactures more iron and steel wares than all the other nations
on earth （namely； thirty…one millions' worth）； while she produces
thirty…four millions in value of coal and other minerals。 These two
sums exceed by over sevenfold the value of the entire gold and
silver production of all other nations； which amount to about two
hundred and twenty million francs； or nine millions sterling。
At this day she produces more silk goods than all the Italian
republics produced in the Middle Ages together； namely； thirteen
and a half million pounds。 Industries which at the time of Henry
VIII and Elizabeth scarcely deserved classification； now yield
enormous sums； as； for instance； the glass； china； and stoneware
manufactures； representing eleven millions； the copper and brass
manufactures； four and a half millions； the manufactures of paper；
books； colours； and furniture； fourteen millions。
England produces； moreover； sixteen millions' worth of leather
goods； besides ten millions' worth of unenumerated articles。 The
manufacture of beer and spirituous liquors in England alone greatly
exceeds in value the aggregate of national production in the days
of James I； namely； forty…seven millions sterling。
The entire manufacturing production of the United Kingdom at
the present time； is estimated to amount to two hundred and
fifty…nine and a half millions sterling。
As a consequence； and mainly as a consequence； of this gigantic
manufacturing production； the productive power of agriculture has
been enabled to yield a total value exceeding twice that sum （five
hundred and thirty…nine millions sterling）。
It is true that for this increase in her power； and in her
productive capacity； England is not indebted solely to her
commercial restrictions； her Navigation Laws； or her commercial
treaties； but in a large measure also to her conquests in science
and in the arts。
But how comes it； that in these days one million of English
operatives can perform the work of hundreds of millions？ It comes
from the great demand for manufactured goods which by her wise and
energetic policy she has known how to create in foreign lands； and
especially in her colonies； from the wise and