n of industry.

Within the nation we had for the most part a number of self-sufficing
communities, or, in other words, there was little specialisation of
function in the several parts, and little integration in the national
industry. With the single exception of Holland, whose admirable
natural and artificial water communication seemed to give unity to its
commerce, the other countries of Europe, France, Germany, Italy,
Spain, Russia, were still more disintegrated in their industry.

Sec. 7. In regarding those districts of England in which strong
indications of growing industrial specialisation showed themselves, it
is important to observe the degree and character of that
specialisation.

We find various branches of the woollen, silk, cotton, iron, hardware,
and other manufactures allocated to certain districts. But if we
compare this specialisation with that which obtains to-day we shall
observe wide differences.

In the first place, it was far less advanced. The woollen industry of
England, though conveniently divided into three districts--one in the
Eastern Counties, with Norwich, Colchester, Sandwich, Canterbury,
Maidstone, for principal centres; one in the West, with Taunton,
Devizes, Bradford (in Wilts), Frome, Trowbridge, Stroud, and Exeter;
and the third, in the West Riding, is in reality distributed over
almost the whole of England south of the Thames, and over a large part
of Yorkshire, to say nothing of the widespread production, either for
private consumption or for the market, in Westmoreland, Cumberland,
and indeed all the North of England. Where the land was richer in
pasture or with easier access to large supplies of wool, the clothing
manufactures were more flourishing and gave more employment, but over
all the southern and most of the northern counties some form of
woollen manufacture was carried on.

[Illustration: INDUSTRIAL ENGLAND IN 1830.]

The only part of England which Defoe regarded as definitely
specialised in manufacture is part of the West Riding, for though
agriculture is carried on here to some extent, the chief manufacturing
district is dependent upon surrounding districts for its main supply
of food.[29]

Iron, the industry of next, though of far inferior importance, was of
necessity less widely distributed. But in 1737 the fifty-nine furnaces
in use were distributed over no fewer than fifteen counties, Sussex,
Gloucester, Shropshire, Yorkshire, and Northumberland taking the