Page 351 - clra62_0019-(GIPE)

THE IMPORfANCE OF GENERAL STATISTICAL IDEAS 343
qC particular articles would fully confirm the impression
given by the summary figures. But it may be enough
to refer to the It Statistical Abstract" from which I
have" been quoting, as well as to Mr. Crawford's paper.
The figures are not out of the way in any respect, and·
it is the idea we have now to get hold of.
The inference is that the difference between the
United Kingdom and continental countries, especially
Germany, as regards dependence on foreign supplies
of food and raw materials, is only one of degree, and
that as regards Germany at least the conditions are
already remarkably like those of the United Kingdom,
while the more rapidly Germany increases its manu-
facturing and industrial population, the more like it will
become to this country. In other words, in the future
there will be two great countries, and not one only,
dependent largely for their food and raw materials on
supplies from abroad. What their position is to be
economically and otherwise relatively to the United
States, which is at once the main source of supply, and
a competitor with European countries in manufactures,
is obVIously a matter of no little interest. As a believer
in free trade, I am sure that nothing but good will come
to all the countries concerned if trade is interfered with
as little as possible by tariffs and government regula-
tions. I believe, moreover, that the practice of free
trade, whatever their theories may be, will unavoidably
be accepted by all three countries before long. -Obvi-
ously, however, as the new tariff in Germany indicates,
there is to be a great struggle in that country before
the situation is accepted, and if some people in this
country had their way, notwithstanding our long ex-
perience of free trade and its blessings, we should even
have a struggle here.
There is another point of view from which the facts
should be studied. We are accustomed, and rightly so,
I think to consider naval preponderance indispensable
to the ~afety of the Empire. and especially indispens-
able to the safety of the country from blockade, and