I have before me a curious history in verse relating to navigation and nautical affairs, written during the reign of Henry, entitled _De Politia conservativa Maris_. The author, in his preface, urges the importance of England maintaining the dominion of the channel. "The true process of English policy, Of utterward to keep this regne in Of our England, that no man may deny, Nor say of sooth but it is one of the best, Is this that who seeth south, north, east, and west, Cherish merchandise, keep the Admiralty That we be masters of the narrow sea. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Who can here pass without danger and woe? What merchandise may forby be ago? For needs him must take trewes every foe: Flanders, and Spain, and other, trust to me Or else hindered all for this narrow sea." The whole poem is very curious, and full of information respecting the commerce of England in those days. It shows us how extensive it had already become, and how much alive the British merchants were to its importance, although the monarchs and chief nobles, madly engaged in civil wars or foreign conquests, did their utmost to destroy it, instead of endeavouring to protect and improve it. The more we study history, the more we shall be convinced that England owes her present greatness and prosperity to the enlightened energy and perseverance of her merchants and manufacturers, and the seamen of the mercantile marine. Without them her brave armies and navies could not have been created or maintained, nor won the renown which England proudly claims. "From Spain," says our poetical author, "we import figs, raisins, wine, dates, liquorice, oil, grains, white pastil soap, wax, iron, wool, wadmolle, goat-fell, kid-fell, saffron, and quicksilver. "From Flanders, fine cloth of _Ypre and Curtike_, fine cloth of all colours, fustian, linen cloth; for which England returns wool and tin. "From Portugal, always in unity with England, we obtain wine, osey, wax, grain, figs, raisins, honey, cordmeynes, dates, salt, hides. "With Bretaigne we deal in salt, wine, crest cloth, and canvas; but this is only of late years, for the Bretons were noted pirates, and greatly interrupted the navigation of this kingdom, both by taking the merchant-ships and plundering and burning the towns on the sea-coast, till Edward the Third granted letters of reprisal to the inhabitants of Dartmouth, Plymouth, and Fowey, which obliged the Duke of Bretaigne to sue for peace and engage for the future good behaviour of his subjects." Here we have an example of the advantage of allowing people who possess the sinews of war to take care of themselves. We may depend on it they will, in most instances, give a good account of their proceedings.