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sea; and further; that fractions of other nations which; hitherto



divided; have possessed either no naval power whatever or only an



unimportant one; should constitute themselves into one united naval



power。 In regard to England; France and North America sustain loss



if the naval power of Russia declines; and vice vers狻!hey all



gain; if Germany; Holland; and Belgium constitute together a common



naval power; for while separated these last are mere satellites to



the supremacy of England; but if united they strengthen the



opposition to that supremacy of all nations at sea。



    None of these less powerful nations possesses a mercantile



marine which exceeds the requirements of its own international



trade  none of these nations possesses a manufacturing power



which would maintain important preponderance over that of the



others。 None of them; therefore; has any ground to fear the



competition of the others。 On the other hand; all have a common



interest in protecting themselves against the destructive



competition of England。 Hence it must be to the interests of all



that the predominating manufacturing power of England should lose



those means of access (Holland; Belgium; and the Hanse Towns) by



means of which England has hitherto dominated the markets of the



Continent。



    Inasmuch as the products of tropical climates are chiefly paid



for by the manufactured products of temperate climates; and hence



the consumption of the former depends on the sale of the latter;



therefore every manufacturing nation should endeavour to establish



direct intercourse with tropical countries。 And thus; if all



manufacturing nations of the second rank understand their own



interests and act accordingly; no nation will be permitted to



maintain a predominant amount of colonial possessions in tropical



countries。 If; for instance; England could succeed in the object



for which she is at present striving; viz。 to produce in India the



colonial produce which she requires  in that case England could



only carry on trade with the West Indies to the extent to which she



was able to sell to other countries the colonial produce which she



now obtains from the West Indies in exchange for her manufactured



goods。 If; however; she could not dispose of these to other



countries; then her West Indian possessions would become useless to



her。 She would then have no other option than either to let them go



free; or to surrender the trade with them to other manufacturing



countries。 Hence it follows that all manufacturing nations less



powerful at sea have a common interest in following this policy and



in reciprocally supporting one another in it; and it follows



further that no one of these nations would lose by the accession of



Holland to the German Commercial Union; and through the closer



connection of Germany with the Dutch colonies。



    Since the emancipation of the Spanish and Portuguese colonies



in South America and the West Indies; it is no longer indispensably



necessary that a manufacturing nation should possess colonies of



its own in tropical climates in order to put itself in a position



to carry on directly the exchange of manufactured goods against



colonial produce。 As the markets of these emancipated tropical



countries are free; every manufacturing nation which is able to



compete in these free markets can carry on direct trade with them。



But these free tropical countries can only produce great quantities



of colonial products; and only consume great quantities of



manufactured goods; if prosperity and morality; peace and repose;



lawful order and religious tolerance; prevail within them。 All



nations not powerful at sea; especially those who possess no



colonies; or only unimportant ones; have hence a common interest in



bringing about such a state of things by their united power。 To



England; with her commercial supremacy; the circumstances of these



countries cannot matter so much because she is sufficiently



supplied; or at least hopes to become sufficiently supplied; with



colonial produce from her own exclusive and subject markets in the



East and West Indies。 From this point of view also we must partly



judge respecting the extremely important question of slavery。 We



are very far from ignoring that much philanthropy and good motive



lies at the root of the zeal with which the object of the



emancipation of the negroes is pursued by England; and that this



zeal does great honour to the character of the English nation。 But



at the same time; if we consider the immediate effects of the



measures adopted by England in reference to this matter; we cannot



get rid of the idea that also much political motive and commercial



interest are mingled with it。 These effects are: (1) That by the



sudden emancipation of the blacks; through their rapid transition



from a condition of disorder and carelessness little removed from



that of wild animals to a high degree of individual independence;



the yield of tropical produce of South America and the West Indies



will be extremely diminished and ultimately reduced to nothing; as



the example of St。 Domingo incontestably shows; inasmuch as there



since the expulsion of the French and Spaniards the production has



greatly decreased from year to year; and continues to do so。 (2)



That the free negroes continually seek to obtain an increase in



their wages; whilst they limit their labour to the supply of their



most indispensable wants; that hence their freedom merely leads to



idleness。 (3) That; on the other hand; England possesses in the



East Indies ample means for supplying the whole world with colonial



products。 It is well known that the Hindoos; owing to great



industry and great moderation in their food and other wants;



especially in consequence of the precepts of their religion; which



forbid the use of animal food; are excessively frugal。 To these



must be added the want of capital among the natives; the great



fruitfulness of the soil in vegetable products; and the restriction



of caste and the great competition of those in want of work。



    The result of all this is; that wages in India are incomparably



lower than in the West Indies and South America; whether the



plantations there are cultivated by free blacks or by slaves; that



consequently the production of India; after trade has been set free



in that country; and wiser principles of administration have



prevailed; must increase at an enormous rate; and the time is no



longer distant when England will not only be able to supply all her



own requirements of colonial produce from India; but also export



great quantities to other countries。 Hence it follows that England



cannot lose through the diminution of production in the West Indies



and South America; to which countries other nations also export



manufactured goods; but she will gain if the colonial production in



India becomes preponderant; which market England exclusively



supplies with manufactured goods。 (4) Finally; it may be asserted;



that by the emancipation of the slaves England desires to hang a



sword over the head of the North American slave states; which is so



much the more menacing to the Union the more this emancipation



extends and the wish is excited among the negroes of North America



to partake of similar liberty。 The question if rightly viewed must



appear a philanthropical experiment of doubtful benefit towards



those on whose behalf it was undertaken from motives of general



philanthropy; but must in any case appear to those nations who rely



on the trade with South America and the West Indies as not



advantageous to them; and they may not unreasonably inquire:



Whether a sudden transition from slavery to freedom may not prove



more injurious to the negroes themselves than the maintenance of



the existing state of things?  whether it may not be the task of



several generations to educate the negroes (who are accustomed to



an almost animal state of subjection) to habits of voluntary labour



and thrift?  whether it might not better attain the object if the



transition from slavery to freedom was made by the introduction of



a mild form of serfdom; whereby at first some interest might be



secured to the serf in the land which he cultivates; and a fair



share of the fruits of his labour; allowing sufficient rights to



the landlord in order to bind the serf to habits of industry and



order?  whether such a condition would not be more desirable than



that of a miserable; drunken; lazy; vic

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