These Causes Are Explained In A Very Judicious And
Satisfactory Manner By Sir William Temple, In His Observations On The
Netherlands.
He remarks, that though the territory of the Dutch was very
small, and though they laboured under many natural disadvantages, yet their
commerce was immense; and it was generally esteemed that they had more
shipping belonging to them than there did to all the rest of Europe.
They had no native commodities towards the building or equipping their
ships; their flax, hemp, pitch, wood, and iron, coming all from abroad, as
wool does for clothing their men, and corn for feeding them. The only
productions or manufactures of their own, which they exported, were butter,
cheese, and earthern wares. They have no good harbours in all their coast;
even Amsterdam is difficult of approach, from the dangerous entrance of the
Texel, and the shallowness of the Zuider Zee.
What then were the causes which, in spite of these disadvantages, rendered
Holland so commercial? In the first place, great multitudes in small
compass, who were forced to industry and labour, or else to want. In the
second place, the emigration of men of industry, skill, and capital, driven
into Holland from Germany, France, and England, by persecution and civil
wars. In the third place, the security to property established by the
government of the United States; and akin to this, general liberty of
conscience in religious matters. The great fairs in the Netherlands may be
regarded as another cause. These Sir W. Temple regards as the principal
causes of the foundation of their trade. He next enquires into the chief
advancers and encouragers of trade in that country.
These he considers to have been low interest, which caused money to be
easily obtained, not only for the purposes of commerce, but also to make
canals, bridges, &c. and to drain marshes. The use of their banks, which
secures money, and makes all payments easy and trade quick, - the sale by
registry, which makes all purchases safe, - the severity of justice,
especially with regard to forging bills, - the convoys of merchant ships,
which gives trade security, the nation credit abroad, and breeds up
seamen, - the lowness of their custom duties and freedom of their ports,
which rendered their cities magazines as well as markets, - order and
exactness in managing their trade, - each town affecting some particular
commerce or staple, and so improving it to the greatest height; as
Flushing, the West India trade; Middleburgh, French wines; Terveer, the
Scotch staple; Dort, the English staple and Rhenish wines; Rotterdam, the
English and Scotch trade at large, and French wines; Leyden, the
manufacture of all sorts of stuffs, silk, hair, gold, and silver; Haerlem,
linen, mixed stuffs, and flowers; Delft, beer and earthen ware; Swaardam,
ship building; Sluys, herring fishery; Friezeland, the Greenland trade; and
Amsterdam, the East India, Spanish, and Mediterranean trade. Sir W. Temple
mentions other two causes, the great application of the whole province to
the fishing trade, and the mighty advance the Dutch made towards engrossing
the whole commerce of the East Indies.
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