(322.) A few years only have elapsed since our workmen were not merely prohibited by act of Parliament from transporting themselves to countries in which their industry would produce for them higher wages, but it was forbidden to export the greater part of the machinery which they were employed to manufacture at home. The reason assigned for this prohibition was, the apprehension that foreigners might avail themselves of our improved machinery, and thus compete with our manufacturers. It was, in fact, a sacrifice of the interests of one class of persons, the makers of machinery, for that of another class, those who use it. Now, independently of the impolicy of interfering unnecessarily between these two classes it may be observed, that the first class, or the makers of machinery, are, as a body, far more intelligent than those who only use it; and although, at present, they are not nearly so numerous, yet, when the removal of the prohibition which cramps their ingenuity shall have had time to operate, there appears good reason to believe, that their numbers will be greatly increased; and that it may, in time, surpass that of those who use machinery.

(323.) The advocates of these prohibitions seem to rely greatly upon the possibility of preventing the knowledge of new contrivances being conveyed from one country to another; and they appear to take much too limited a view of the possible, and even probable, improvements in mechanics.