The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-11-30

1mpelled trade westwardly over Europe,
throughout the 1900 years B. c. and
large part Of the first fifteen centuries
Of the Christian Era, the Mediter-
ranean and the Black seas had come
to be the most active scenes Of COM
merce. Meanwhile, also. there was
comparative ignorance on the Atlantic
seaboard of all that was taking place in
Asia and Eastern Europe The ad-
vancenent Of the Saracen, as the con-
queror Of Spain, early in the eighth
century. and at a period when the dark
ness of the Middle ages was at its den-
sity, brought mathematical science
from the Moorish civilization into the
notice of Europe. From this invasion
many contributions of incalculable
value were made to modern civilization
and with special reference to the navi-
cation of the seas
At this period the conditions prevail
ing in England and what are known as
the British Isles were, in the matter
Of industrial pursuit and human habi-
tation, little better than those of the
barbarian, and the people were wholly
unconscious Of the magnitude of the
wealth and sp1endors Of the Orient
To these people, through his triumph
over Spain, the Saracen brought the
first knowledge on this subject most
worthy of confirmation. The Crusades
following in the twelfth century like
wise had the effect, through bringing
into contact the dwellers Of Northwest
ern Europe with those of Arabia and
other Eastern countries, Of enlarging
the general vision of the inhabitants
of the Eastern Atlantic coast.
ISOLATION OF ENGLAND.
Theoretically and commercially. as
well as geographically speaking, Eng
land was substantially isolated; and
what are today the scenes Of some of
the greatest industrial activity in the
world, were even, at so recent a period
as the eighth century, overgrown with
rank forests, inhabited by wild beasts,
and there was little or no land of an
arabic nature. There had been some
trading of tin, Of wool and furs and
hides with Greek markets and those of
the italian republics. The first article
OF real value, as an export commodity,
from England, was wool, and this,
fortuitously, found it's way to Holland.
London, early in the seventh century,
was a small trading post Little at
tention had been given to agriculture
and the manufacture Of fabrics was
limited to the weaving and the spin
ming of the home Communication be-
tween different points on the land was
very difficult owing to the Topography
of the country, pack horses being large
ly used for transportation purposes,
While in the East, centuries before.
many forms of respectable craft.
manned with formidable crews, were
employed in commerce between the
shores Of the Mediterranean, England
had advanced no further than mere
canoes. The navy Of Alfred the Great.
IN his encounters with Denmark, con-
sisted Of war gallies propelled by the
brawney muscles Of from sixty to
eighty men each.
ENGLAND AND THE MONASTE-
RIES.
It is an interesting fact, and one
which bears with peculiarly striking
effect upon the settlement of North
America and the opening of the path
way Of commerce across this continent.
that the monasterles Of England af-
forded the first substantial impulse in
the development Of agriculture. The
monks dwelt in the vallies, where the
lands were richest; and as labor was
one Of eXaction, under the stern disci-
pline Of the church, the industry of the
population soon began to make itself
apparent in localities that previously
We're nothing more than barren wastes.
The fertility of the soil was there. It
only needed the hand Of Industry to
stir 1t and to imbed 1t with seed to en-
able 1t to reveal It's power of produc-
tton. The Importance OF the develop
ment Of this spirit is commented upon
by John Yeates, LII. D., the historian of
commerce, in the following tribute to
the monks: 1.-THE monasteries of that
time seemed to have been the sanctu-
aries of industry as we'll as of learning.
Located in fertile wales the clergy made
labor sacred duty, and by cultivating
the rich lands around them they i'm
proved the practice of agriculture They
were lenient masters. By shielding the
farm laborers from the injustice Of the
barons, the monks prepared the way
for the overthrow Of the villeinage. If
the loss Of liberty be the loss Of half
our virtue we owe an infinite debt to
monachism for the restitution of this
priceless boon. AS free men, the lower
orders acquired a right to property.
which elevated their moral tone and
population. Manufactures no less than
husbandry were fostered by the monks.
The principle of every monastery was
that each community should supply,
as far as possible. its own wants by
home labor. Cloth was woven from
homegrown wool; abbeys and churches
planned and built by ecclesiastical
architecture and beautiful ruins and
splendid cathedrals remain as eviden-
ces of their genius Each religious re-
treat was center of Industry greater
than military laurels. ConQuerors and
conquered We're silently brought to-
gether by the teaching and example
OF the church, until, in the lapse of
time, and through many agencies, the
fusion of the two rival races, Saxon
and Norman. was completed"
BROADENING OF THE WORLDS
TRADE.
This brings US down to the point of
the beginning of that splendid system
for the conduct of commerce through
out all the world which gives to Eng
land its elevated rank at the close of
the nineteenth century. Indeed, may
1t not be also said, truthfully, that
from these valleys, populated by the
industrious monks. the future United
| States of America likewise found some
/ thing of that inspiration which has
| given to this continent its exalted rank
/ in the development of national re-
sources and which has gradually, de-
eade by decade. and generation by gen.
GRAFTON, brought our vast territorial