Such, then, was the prosperous state of this country, at all those epochs of tranquillity, and of war, and of renewed peace, at the final conclusion of eight years of unexampled hostilities. Every intimation, indeed, evinces, that the resources of a nation, which possesses all the means of acquiring wealth, agriculture, manufactures, commerce, shipping, are almost inexhaustible. The vast wealth of Britain has been obtained, by industry, amidst wars, taxes, and debts. One of the great objects of this estimate is to trace the progress of all those; and to show their striking effects: And, the invigorating result is, that every war, as the experience of six long wars has demonstrated, left the people more industry, more manufactures, more commerce, and more wealth, than they enjoyed, at the commencement of each. Why, then, should doubt embitter the enjoyments of the present, or apprehension make us fear, for the success of the future. Thus, knowledge, gained by trial, and practice, may induce us to cry out, with the poet,

"Britain, the queen of isles, our fair possession, "Secur'd by nature, laughs at foreign force: "Her ships her bulwark, and the sea her dyke; "Sees commerce in her lap, and braves the world! "

CHAP. XIII.

The Peace of Amiens had a very short Duration.-The War of 1803.-The Strength of the United Kingdom, at that Epoch ;—From its Consolidation, by the Union;-from its Popu lousness;-from the Number of its Fighting Men;-from its Shipping;-from its Navy; -from its permanent Revenue ;-from its War Taxes:Its Domestic Improvements :--Its Corn Trade.--State of England.--State of Scotland.

THE peace of Amiens, which had been desired by so many; which had been approved by the Parliament; and which had brought some respite to all; was, however, of the short continuance of a mere truce. The repose, short as it was, which it brought, was of great importance to the people, and the public. It was, certainly, an object of still greater moment, to satisfy all parties, from actual experience, that with such a nation, and such a government, it is impossible to preserve, for any length of time, any advantageous amity.

After a feverish truce of a twelvemonth, we were compelled, by necessity, to enter, in 1803, into the seventh great war, since the Revolution. After all the exertions of the long course of hostilities, which had just been closed, the nation was never

more able, or ardent, for the renewment of warfare. The islands of Great Britain, Ireland, Man, Guernsey, Jersey, and Sark, contained upwards of three millions of fighting men, who were animated by a sense of their rights, and their wrongs, and invigorated by freedom.

The population of Great Britain, as found by enumeration, in 1801, is - 10,961,881

Of which there is of

fighting men

The population of Ireland

was estimated, during

2,435,974

The increased population of 1810 will give a stil! greater number of fighting men.-A more minute statement of the national force of Great Britain, appears from the general abstract of the subdivision rolls, so far as the same can be at present made up, from the returns transmitted to the secretary of state, in consequence of the General Defence Act, 15th February, 1804. The numbers,

In

The certainty, with which we now know all those satisfactory details, adds greatly to the efficient force of the State. During some of our former wars, as we have seen, the pertinacious disputes, with respect to our real population, greatly enfeebled our real powers. The triumphant end, which has been put to all those discussions, by actual enumeration, contributes greatly to our effective force, by the confidence of certainty. It had become a sort of maxim, that, money is the sinews of war. Yet, recent experience seems to demonstrate the fallibility of such sayings, in favour of those, who reasoned in a different manner. "I agree with "Machiavel," says the great Lord Bacon, in his Advancement of Learning, "in condemning "the opinion, that moneys were the sinews of 66 war; whereas the true sinews of war are the "sinews of mens arms, that is, a valiant, popu"lous, and military nation. "

When the statesmen on the continent saw, during the late war, that our money could not command armies, they, idly, supposed, that there was a limit put to our power, whatever our revenues might be. During the present war, the world has seen the nation, as one man, take arms, to defend their liberties, and avenge their wrongs. statesmen, on the continent, must now behold what Lord Bacon wished to see, the kingdom, enjoying the true sinews of war, as a valiant, populous, and military nation.

The

The effective force of the whole was thus stated, in Parliament, on the 9th December, 1803:

Volunteers in Great Britain

340,000