The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

34
THE BRITISH ISLES.
followed the routes already discovered, establishing commercial relations with
distant countries, destroying the factories of rival traders, and landing troops and
colonists. By degrees the admirable geographical position of England with
reference to Europe, America, and the whole of the habitable world revealed itself.
Its situation at the western extremity of the European continent marked it out as
the natural intermediary of the commerce carried on between the Baltic, Germany,
Netherlands, and France on the one hand, and America on the other ;
and whilst
the trade winds and the equatorial current sped the progress of vessels sailing to
the West Indies, the gulf-stream facilitated their return to the shores of Europe.
London, as was first pointed out by Sir John Herschel, occupies very nearly the
geometrical centre of that hemisphere which embraces the greater part of the land,
and consequently no city is more favourably situated for attracting the world's
maritime commerce.* This magnificent geographical position in a large measure
accounts for the commercial preponderance of England. English commerce grew
apace, but the English colonists established in distant countries never relaxed in
their efforts to extend it still farther. No colonising nation, the Dutch alone
excepted, has brought greater zeal and more sustained effort to bear upon the
work it had taken in hand ; and thus a small European people, numbering hardly
5,000,000 souls at the time it entered upon its career of conquest, has gradually
extended its dominions, until they embrace the sixth part of the habitable
globe, and close upon 300,000,000 human beings. In addition to this there are
wide territories in India, in Arabia, in Africa, and elsewhere, which do not
officially form part of the British Empire, but where English influence is never-
theless paramount, and the request of an English consul is tantamount to a
command. Travellers who explore distant countries contribute in no small
degree to the extension of British influence, for whether they wish it or not, they
are looked upon as the representatives of British power, and the precursors of
conquering armies. There is not a country in the world where these British
travellers and explorers are not to be met with, either simply in search of
adventure, or anxious to do honour, to the country of their birth by their dis-
coveries. Whilst artisans and labourers expatriate themselves, because in another
hemisphere they hope to acquire the comforts and independence they lack at
home, there are also thousands of the younger sons of the aristocracy whom no
responsibilities tie to the land of their birth, and who are at all times ready to
exchange their place of abode. Deprived of a share in the paternal acres, they,
like modern Mamertines, take the whole earth for their domain, and turn their
backs upon the land which dispenses with their services.
And whilst mariners, colonists, and explorers discover and occupy new lands
beyond the ocean, the miners who remain at home explore the riches of an under-
ground world. British ships bring cotton, rice, and spices ; the miners raise coal
from the bowels of the earth, and it would be difficult to tell whose share of work
is most contributive towards an increase of British power. Huge industrial towns
* The hemisphere ha\'iiig London for its centre embraces 16-17ths of the land, that of which New
Zealand is the centre only l-171h.