Impulse given to Trade

and commerce by the introduction of steam power. Why was this? Simply because steam gave us greater facilities for working machinery and for the transportation of heavy weights; thus lessening the cost of production, and placing the power to purchase and travel within the reach of vast numbers who were unable to do either before. It therefore appears to me to be certain that if we greatly reduce our transit charges; we should at once reduce the cost of production, secure an increased number of buyers, and thus immediately bring about increased prosperity.

One reason why cheap transit would lessen the cost of production is that it would enable