Let us consider in detail the arguments by which Dr Bowringproves to the Parliament that in case a check is not put to theprogress of the German protective system in the way which hepointed out, the German market for manufactured goods must becomeirrecoverably lost to England.
The German people is remarkable, says Dr Bowring, fortemperance, thrift, industry, and intelligence, and enjoys a systemof universal education.Excellent polytechnic schools diffusetechnical instruction throughout the entire country.
The art of design is especially much more cultivated there thanin England.The great annual increase of its population, of itshead of cattle, and especially of sheep, proves what progressagriculture there has achieved.(The report makes no mention of theimprovement in the value of property, though that is an importantfeature, nor of the increase in the value of produce.) The wages oflabour have risen thirty per cent in the manufacturing districts.
The country possesses a great amount of water power, as yet unused,which is the cheapest of all motive powers.Its mining industry iseverywhere flourishing, more than at any previous time.From 1832up to 1837 the imports of raw cotton have increased from 118,000centners to 240,000 centners; the imports of cotton yarn from172,000 centners to 322,000 centners; the exports of cotton fabricsfrom 26,000 centners to 75,000 centners; the number ofcotton-weaving looms in Prussia from 22,000 in 1825 to 32,000 in1834; the imports of raw wool from 99,000 centners to 195,000centners; the exports of the same from 100,000 centners to 122,000centners; the imports of woollen articles from 15,000 centners to18,000 centners; the exports of the same from 49,000 centners to69,000 centners.
The manufacture of linen cloths contends with difficultyagainst the high duties in England, France, and Italy and has notincreased.On the other hand, the imports of linen yarn haveincreased from 30,000 centners in 1832 to 86,000 centners in 1835,chiefly through the imports from England, which are stillincreasing.The consumption of indigo increased from 12,000centners in 1831 to 24,000 centners in 1837; a striking proof ofthe progress of German industry.The exports of pottery have beenmore than doubled from 1832 to 1836.The imports of stoneware havediminished from 5,000 centners to 2,000 centners, and the exportsof it increased from 4,000 centners to 18,000 centners.The importsof porcelain have diminished from 4,000 centners to 1,000 centners,and the exports of it have increased from 700 centners to 4,000centners.The output of coal has increased from 6,000,000 Prussiantons in 1832 to 9,000,000 in 1836.In 1816 there were 8,000,000sheep in Prussia; and in 1837, 15,000,000.
In Saxony in 1831 there were 14,000 stocking-weaving machines;in 2836, 20,000.From 1831 to 1837, the number of manufactories forspinning woollen yarn and of spindles had increased in Saxony tomore than double their previous number.Everywhere machinemanufactories had arisen, and many of these were in the mostflourishing condition.
In short, in all branches of industry, in proportion as theyhave been protected, Germany has made enormous advances, especiallyin woollen and cotton goods for common use, the importation ofwhich from England had entirely ceased.At the same time Dr Bowringadmits, in consequence of a trustworthy opinion which had beenexpressed to him, 'that the price of the Prussian stuffs wasdecidedly lower than that of the English; that certainly in respectof some of the colours they were inferior to the best Englishtints, but that others were perfect and could not be surpassed;that in spinning, weaving, and all preparatory processes, theGerman goods were fully equal to the British, but only in thefinish a distinct inferiority might be observed, but that the wantof this would disappear after a little time.'
It is very easy to understand how by means of suchrepresentations as these the English Parliament may at length beinduced to abandon its corn laws, which have hitherto operated asa protective system to Germany.But it appears to us utterlyincomprehensible how the German Union, which has made such enormousadvances in consequence of the protective system, should be inducedby this report to depart from a system which has yielded them suchexcellent results.
It is very well for Dr Bowring to assure us that the homeindustry of Germany is being protected at the expense of theagriculturists.But how can we attach any credence to hisassurance, when we see, on the contrary, that the demand foragricultural produce, prices of produce, the wages of labour, therents, the value of property, have everywhere considerably risen,without the agriculturist having to pay more than he did before forthe manufactured goods which he requires?
