Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-16
THE GEOGRAPHY OF COMMERCE.

THE GEOGRAPHY OF COMMERCE..
Annual Address OF President Hubbard of
the National Geographic Society.
AN INTERESTING HISTORICAL REVIEW OF THE
INFLUENCE OF COMMERCE Upon THE PROS
PERrTY OF THE NATIONS OF THE woRLp-TuE
CAREER OF THE UNITED STATES AND ITS FUTURE.
The annual address of the president of the
National Geographic Society is always an event
OF great interest in scientific circles Last
evening special meeting Of the society was
held for the purpose Of listening to the annual
address Of the president Gardiner q. Hub
bard. The audience was not distinguished for
numbers, but it was q representative gathering Of
scientists, and the address received that close
attention which the recognized ability Of the
author and the careful treatment Of the sub
ject fully warranted Seated on tho platform
with President Hubbard were Maj Powell.
Mr.. Everett Hayden and Gen. Morgan, the
commissioner of Indian affairs. Maj. Powell
made q few Introductory remarks TO the lecture
and not for the lecturer. He said that he was
more familiar with the trails through the forests
which were the ways of commerce of the wild
Indian tribes Of this country than with those
great roadways of the worlds trade which
would be the theme of the evening address. In
few brief sentences he brought out the con-
trasts in savage and civilized life as developed
by commerce, and then gave way to the speaker
OF the evening.
PRESIDENT HUBBAnp's ADDRESS.
The subject selected was 1.-The Geography Of
| Commerce" which was discussed by the speaker
| in a broad and comprehensive fashion. At the
| outset he reviewed the earliest commercial
movements which were inaugurated by the
| nations OF remote antiquity and described in a
graphic way the feeble beginnings of trade,
which has now spread its network of activities
| over the entire globe. He spoke Of the great
| highway for commerce which was in use 3 coo
years ago from India by the Persian gulf
and the Euphrates or by the Red to the
| Mediterranean and thence through the Medi-
| terranean by Gibralter TO western and north
ern Europe. He alluded to the commerce OF
| Tyre and Sidon, of Carthage and then the trans
fer of the seat of commercial activity from Asia
| to Europe. which came with the rise OF Greece
| and Rome to positions of power and influence
| Then when the sun of these great nations had
| set,and during the period Of the dark ages, COM
merce died out. Upon the revival of trade
| Venice and Genoa became the centers of the
| worlds commerce. A new power appeared
| upon the stage and Spain and Portugal entered
upon a career Of maritime rule. which was con-
tinued until the Netherlands became the mis-
/ tress Of the seas. Then came the long contin-
ued war with Spain, ending in the siege and
fall Of Antwerp. The ruin Of that great COM
mercial metropolis was the gain of England.
| GROWTH OF ENGLISH COMMERCE.
| 1.-THE growth of English commerce" said the
speaker, twas slower than that of Spain, Por-
tugal. Holland or France, and not until the
| middle CT the eighteenth century, or less than
| one hundred and fifty ears ago. did she enter
| upon that career which gave her tho control
of the ocean. The commerce was built up by
protective Law. The navigation act Of 1851
prohibited foreign vessels from carrying to or
4 from England the commerce of any country
but its own. Subsequently its colonies were
! prohibited from importing or exporting goods
| in any but English vessels. or from manufac-
| turing goods in competition with the mother
country. This protective legislation continued
| until English ships controlled the carrying
trade Of the world.
| THE inventions of Watt Arkwright and
| other great inventors gave to England that
! supremacy in manufactures which she has ever
since retained. The French revolution only a
| little later aroused the fear of the statesmen,
merchants and capitalists of England that the
energy of the new republic would be as omnip-
otcnt in mercantile affairs on the field of
| battle They believed that France might again
regain the trade and colonies and with them
the commerce she had lost. England de-
clared war against Napoleon, which was carried
| on almost continuously from 1888 TO 1915.
The shipping of the continent disappeared or
| was captured by the fleets of England. The
colonies, and with them the wealth, power and
commerce If Spain and Portugal, Holland and
France passed TO England, and though she ia
still burdenc6 with the debt then created she
mas net YER lost the commerce and carrying
trade she then obtained. Though smaller than
any other great nation her manufactures
and mineral products were the largest, and
though dependent on America for her food
supplies she yet controls the commerce. OF the
world.
.:Tho manufactures aud commerce Of Eng
/ -, har h.a lnrc md