Pearl and
Potashes has made a large industry,--over a thousand tons are annually
produced.
Ship building is growing greatly in the North American Colonies. Ships
are all built of oak, some for use at home, others for sale in England.
Pennsylvania is mainly farming and cattle growing, just as are most of
the German countries. It has little Fishery trade, as it has a small
coast, and it has no products that can be used largely in commerce.
The growth of the neighboring Colonies is due to their Fisheries,
Tobacco, Rice and Indigo. Pennsylvania flourishes on its farming and
cattle. Horses are raised in some Colonies, but it is better to raise
oxen, which can be used for twelve years and then killed or sold.
The farmers are industrious and frugal, educate their families, and are
growing rich in land if not in money.
Manufacturing, wool, flax, iron, steel, and copper, is growing,--field
pieces, rifled guns for hunters, and iron cannon are all made in the
Colonies. England does not interfere with domestic production, but it
prevents exportation, and does not allow hats to be made, lest the
English production, although made of American beaver, should be lessened
in demand in the Colonies. There is little ground for fear of American
competition, as workmen are few there, and farming is always preferred
to trades. Farmers are good fathers, and large families help economical
living. Even if manufacturing increases, it cannot keep pace with the
increase of population and the demand for goods. In 34 years the
population of Pennsylvania increased fourfold at most, but the
importation of English wares increased from L16000 Sterling to
L268000,--that is seventeen times greater. In 1725 the value of such
importations was L16000, in 1757, L268426. Four times the population
uses much more than four times, really seventeen times more goods,
because the population grows more rapidly in wealth than in numbers.
Manufactures must in time be established in the Colonies, because with
their prosperity likely to increase for centuries to come, England and
Ireland cannot supply all the wares needed and the Colonies must provide
them for their future necessities.
The three largest cities are Boston, New York and Philadelphia. In 1720
the first was as large as the other two together, but since then they
have grown faster. In New England there are many sea ports, but the only
ports for New York and Pennsylvania are their two capitals, and
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