It is curious to look back, and observe the small beginnings of
maritime navigation. As regards this country, though its
institutions are old, modern England is still young. As respects
its mechanical and scientific achievements, it is the youngest of
all countries. Watt's steam engine was the beginning of our
manufacturing supremacy; and since its adoption, inventions and
discoveries in Art and Science, within the last hundred years,
have succeeded each other with extraordinary rapidity. In 1814
there was only one steam vessel in Scotland; while England
possessed none at all. Now, the British mercantile steam-ships
number about 5000, with about 4 millions of aggregate tonnage.[2]
In olden times this country possessed the materials for great
things, as well as the men fitted to develope them into great
results. But the nation was slow to awake and take advantage of
its opportunities. There was no enterprise, no commerce--no "go"
in the people. The roads were frightfully bad; and there was
little communication between one part of the country and another.
If anything important had to be done, we used to send for
foreigners to come and teach us how to do it. We sent for them
to drain our fens, to build our piers and harbours, and even to
pump our water at London Bridge. Though a seafaring population
lived round our coasts, we did not fish our own seas, but left it
to the industrious Dutchmen to catch the fish, and supply our
markets.
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