The sun., 1904-08-28

Let us begin with Lord Aveburys book,
which deals to considerable extent. as we
have seen, with new materials. In the first
seven of his eight chapters the author un-
dertakes to show that the gloomy assertions
made by protectionists as to the present
condition of Britain's manufactures and
commerce have no foundation in fact; that,
on the contrary her trade has expanded
steadily, continuously and satisfactorily.
The statistics show that under free trade
the commerce Of Great Britain has expanded
from f25o 900 900 to over f900, 900 900 an
nually, and though there have been times
Of depression, still. il intervals Of ten years
be taken the progress will be found to have
been continuous. So much is undeniable;
but Mr.. Chamberlain and Mr.. Balfour have
insisted that the actual condition OF Great
Britain's exports is unsatisfactory. Lord
Avebury replies that while in the fifty years
preceding the establishment of free trade
the exports of Great Britain only increased
by G22 900 900, in the fifty years following
the adoption of free trade they rose by
E19O 900 900. 1t is not disputed that there
may have been several causes of the re-
markable increase, but IL is submitted that
free trade was certainly one, and very
important factor. The fact Is also called
to mind that Britains commerce in general
and her exports in particular exceed those
OF any other European country. 1t Ia true
that the United States is expanding more
rapidly. but its population is nearly twice
as large as that of the United Kingdom
while, as regards area. that Of the United
States is some 35oo,ooO square miles against
12i 900; indeed, the State Of New York alone
in respect of area. does not fall very far
short Of England proper,
As to the British interests which. ac-
cording to Mr.. Chamberlain, have been
ruined, or put in the way to ruin, by free
trade, Lord Avebury sets forth reasons
for believing that the fears entertained
with reference to those interests are ex-
aggerated and in most cases entirely
groundless In the case of the shipping
interest the advance which has been made
Is pronounced extraordinary The United
Kingdom is but speck on the ocean; yet
more than half the ships at sea fly the British
flag. It Is conceded that the excess of i'm
ports over exports is very large. but Lord
Avebury holds that the payment OF freight
on British ships, which the Board of Trade
estimates at E00,OO0,O 900, and the interest
on foreign and colonial investments which
the board puts at another ECO 600 600. are
sufficient to account for the difference.
To the question whether Britain's COM
merce has been fairly profitable, he replies
by quoting the Report OF the Commissioners
II Inland Revenue. which proves that the
Income assessable to income tax, which in
1859 was fsse 600 900, had grown in 1902
to fs07 900 900, an increase in thirty-three
years Of no less than e4os ,OO0, 600. This
although Britain has recently experienced
very unfavorable seasons for agriculture,
and has passed through a terribly costly
war. In Lord Avebury's judgment, then
the evidence is conclusive that his country
70 by no means bleeding to death, but that
on the contrary notwithstanding the un-
favorable seasons the enormous expense
OF the South African war and the depression
tn certain interests, Britain, as whole, Is
prosperous and progressive under the
4 existing policy Of free trade.
Lord Avebury proceeds in his next chap
tsr to consider what that policy is. He
Points out that many Of those who are