D.” 4 FE

a M it R RS

The Britiſp Merchant.

[May

their greateſt efforts. To form a naval force to the Romans, all the ſmaller maritime and commercial powers, readily com- bined againſt the imperious Carthaginians, the maſters of the ſea, Carthage could not, for ever, withſtand the armies of Rome, and the fleets of all the powers around the Mediterra- nean ſea. Carthage fell. LTts fall proved uſeful to the trade and navigation of Alexandria, Greece, and Italy. The wealth and civilization which the Carthaginians had introduced into Africa, were, however, long to endure, and were to make the African province, one of the moſt flouriſhing parts of the whole Roman Empire.

Sicily and Italy contained maritime cities, which, from the age of Alexander to that of Auguſtus, became, continually, wealthier and more flouriſhing. The union of all the ftates of Italy under the Roman yoke, making them mutually more peace- able, contributed’ much to increaſe their induftry, and augment their wealth. When the congqueîts of Rome extended over the vet of the world; the commercial adventures of the Italians were extended with them. The balance of trade, in favour of Ltaly, and againſt the reſt of the world, was, at one time, pro- digious. It continued ſuch, till the ſtrength of the Roman Em- pire ceaſed to be confined to Italy, and was diffuſed over all che faireſt provinces, and over thoſe which were expoſed the moít to hoftile attacks.:

Spain gained confiderably by the fall of Carthage. Its gold, wool, and other commodities were highly valued in traffflc. Commercial cities of great opulence quickly aroſe throughouct this Roman province. The maſters of Spaniſh ſhips, and mer-

«chants in the Spaniſh trade, are mentioned in the writings of

Horace and other claffical writers, as perſons who acguired money in great abundance, which they often ſpent profuſely and

“ eriminally,

Gaul, too, while it was gradually ſubdued by the Roman arms, became a much more commercial country than it had hi- therto been. Lt is ever agreeable to merchants to form con- nexions with ſoldiers, if thoſe ſoldiers do not pillage them; for, when ſoldiers have- money, they are the beſt of cuſtomers. ‘The merchants of Marſeilles, accordingly, were among the firít and ihe fſeadieſt friends whom the Romans found in Gaul. And theſe merchants were undoubtedly, enriched by the gains which they, in conſequence of this, acquired by means of the Rómans. When Gaul was entirely ſubdued, many other trad- ing cities aroſe init.

[To be continued,|