It may be considered as an axiom that the commerce andprosperity of countries on the sea coast is dependent on thegreater or less magnitude of the river territories with which theyhave communication by water.(1*) If we look at the map of Italy， weshall find in the great extent and fertility of the valley of thePo the natural reason why the commerce of Venice so greatlysurpassed that of Genoa or of Pisa.The trade of Holland has itschief sources in the territories watered by the Rhine and itstributary streams， and in the same proportion as these territorieswere much richer and more fertile than those watered by the Elbeand the Weser must the commerce of Holland exceed that of the HanseTowns.To the advantages above named was added another fortunateincident -- the invention by Peter B鯿kels of the best mode ofsalting herrings.The best mode of catching and of 'b鯿kelling'
these fish (the latter term derived from the inventor) remained fora long period a secret known only to the Dutch， by which they knewhow to prepare their herrings with a peculiar excellence surpassingthose of all other persons engaged in sea fishery， and secured forthemselves a preference in the markets as well as betterprices.(2*) Anderson alleges that after the lapse of centuries fromthe date of these inventions in Holland， the English and Scotchfishermen， notwithstanding their enjoyment of a considerable bountyon export， could not find purchasers for their herrings in foreignmarkets， eves at much lower prices， in competition with the Dutch.
If we bear in mind how great was the consumption of sea fish in allcountries before the Reformation， we can well give credit to thefact that at a time when the Hanseatic shipping trade had alreadybegun to decline， the Dutch found occasion for building 2，000 newvessels annually.
From the period when all the Belgian and Batavian provinceswere united under the dominion of the House of Burgundy， thesecountries partly acquired the great benefit of national unity， acircumstance which must not be left out of sight in connection withHolland's success in maritime trade in competition with the citiesof Northern Germany.Under the Emperor Charles V the UnitedNetherlands constituted a mass of power and capacity which wouldhave insured to their imperial ruler supremacy over the world， bothby land and at sea， far more effectually than all the gold mines onearth and all the papal favours and bulls could have done， had heonly comprehended the nature of those powers and known how todirect and to make use of them.
Had Charles V cast away from him the crown of Spain as a mancasts away a burdensome stone which threatens to drag him down aprecipice， how different would have been the destiny of the Dutchand the German peoples！ As Ruler of the United Netherlands， asEmperor of Germany， and as Head of the Reformation， Charlespossessed all the requisite means， both material and intellectual，for establishing the mightiest industrial and commercial empire，the greatest military and naval power which had ever existed -- amaritime power which would have united under one flag all theshipping from Dunkirk as far as Riga.
The conception of but one idea， the exercise of but one man'swill， were all that were seeded to have raised Germany to theposition of the wealthiest and mightiest empire in the world， tohave extended her manufacturing and commercial supremacy over everyquarter of the globe， and probably to have maintained it thus formany centuries.
Charles V and his morose son followed the exactly oppositepolicy.Placing themselves at the head of the fanatical party， theymade it their chief object to hispanicise the Netherlands.Theresult of that policy is matter of history.The northern Dutchprovinces， strong by means of the element over which they weresupreme， conquered their independence.In the southern provincesindustry， the arts， and commerce， perished under the hand of theexecutioner， save only where they managed to escape that fate byemigrating to other countries.Amsterdam became the central pointof the world's commerce instead of Antwerp.The cities of Holland，which already at an earlier period， in consequence of thedisturbances in Brabant， had attracted a great number of Belgianwoollen weavers， had now not room enough to afford refuge to allthe Belgian fugitives， of whom a great number were consequentlycompelled to emigrate to England and to Saxony.