West India

Among the leading objects contemplated by theinferiority, that control can be asserted.If the region
British ministry in this war was the control of the Eastcontested be small and compact, as, for instance, the
and West Indies, particularly of the latter, as amongimmediate approaches to the English Channel, the
the most important sources as well as markets ofpreponderance of the fleet alone will determine the
British trade. In the present day, the value of thecontrol and the safety of the national commerce
West India islands, and of all positions in thewithin its limits; but if it be extensive, the distance
Caribbean Sea, is chiefly military or maritime; due lessbetween centres great, and the centres themselves
to the commerce they maintain than to theirweak, the same difficulties arise that are felt in
relations, as coaling ports or fortified stations, to themaintaining order in a large and sparsely settled
commercial routes passing through that region. It isterritory on land, as has till very lately been the case
scarcely necessary to add that whatever importancein our western Territories. In such circumstances the
of this character they now possess will be vastlysecurity of the traveller depends upon the
increased when an interoceanic canal is completed.government putting down nests of lawlessness, and
During the French revolution, however, the islandsestablishing, at fitting stations, organized forces, that
had a great commercial value, and about one fourthcan by their activity insure reasonable safety in all
the total amount of British commerce, both exportdirections. In the War of the French Revolution, it
and import, was done with them. This lucrative tradesoon, though not immediately, became evident, that
Great Britain had gathered into her hands,the British navy could everywhere preponderate in
notwithstanding the fact that other nations ownedforce over its enemy; but it could not be
the largest and richest of the islands, as well as thoseomnipresent. The Caribbean Sea offered conditions
producing the best sugar and coffee. The commercialpeculiarly favorable to marauders, licensed or
aptitudes of the British people, the superior quality ofunlicensed; while its commercial value necessitated
their manufactures, their extensive merchant shippingthe preservation, and, as far as possible, the
and ingenious trade regulations, conspired to make itmonopoly, of so fruitful a source of revenue. The
the interest of the foreign colonists to trade withpresence of hostile cruisers not only inflicted direct
them, even when by so doing the laws of their ownloss, which was measured by their actual captures,
governments were defied; and to a great extent thebut, beyond these, caused a great indirect injury by
British free ports engrossed the West Indian trade,the friction and delays which the sense of insecurity
as well as that to the adjacent South and Centralalways introduces into commercial transactions.The
American coasts, known as the Spanish Main. In war,article was produced by the writer of
the control of a maritime region depends upon navalSharon White is a 5-years experienced freelance
preponderance. When the opposing navies are ofwriter and a senior manager of topics of dissertations
nearly equal strength, it is only by open battle, andservices support team. Contact her to get essay
by the reduction of one to a state of completetopics tips and undergraduate dissertation.