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408 RISE OF THE CONTINENTALprovince which commands the mouths of those streams, andwith them the two principal sea-ports of Germany, becameannexed to the dominions of her king, these roads of commerce were permanently open to England ; the communication with Germany no longer depended on politicalcircumstances; she had no longer any cause to fear thather exports would be either excluded from the continent oradmitted under the disadvantagesof increased duties ; anda fair prospect was opened to her of securing the commerceof the whole of northern Germany.In order to comprehend the truth of this, we must viewthe case not according to present circumstances, but thoseof that time. In the state of alienation which then existedbetween England and Sweden, it was but too certain thatCharles would seize the first opportunity of vengeance. Letus supposehe had succeeded in recovering himself, andthis, considering the reconciliation which he was on thepoint of effecting with Russia, was far from impossible,and had regained possession of his German territories, wouldnot these rivers, as well as the entrance into the Baltic, havebeen closed, either immediately or on every future quarrel,and privateers have been fitted out for the purpose of infestingthat as well as the northern sea ?But these advantages must have appeared the more important to England at that time, in proportion to the powerof the rivals with whom she had to cope, England was thenfar from having the greatest share in the commerce of Germany, especially upon theWeser and Elbe. The Dutch unquestionably still retained the superiority. In order thereforeto be able to compete with them with a hope of equalling orsurpassing them, that acquisition was of the greatest importance. It would be easy to point out other advantages, suchas the power of sending troops to and from Germany unimpeded, and the like, which were secured to England, theimportance of which depended upon political circumstancesas they arose.From all this I think it has been made clear, and morewas not intended, that those British authors who make theshare which GeorgeI. took in the affairs of the North an_occasion of reproach, embrace a very narrow view of thesubject. Still it remains true, that he did not act on fixed