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Miscellany: Notes On Political Economy: Of Natural Agents

Miscellany: Notes On Political Economy: Of Natural Agents image
Parent Issue
Day
28
Month
November
Year
1842
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

A natural agent is any quality or relation of things wluch can be made 10 assist in the produc-, tion of values. Thus the light and heat of the sun are natural agcnts, which are necessary in creating vegetable producís. Su also are calorie, or artificial heat, wind, tho gravitating power ol water, steam, and the various powers and inEtinct8 of animáis. A tool or machine, is any combination ofmatter by which we are enabled to avail ourselves oi the qualities of a natural agent. A fire place or Btove, a mariner's compass, a water wheel, a Bteam ongine, are tools or machines. The only diílerence bctween a tool nnd a machine is, that ene is more complicated :han the other. Natural agenta are the gift of G)d, and cost us nothing, Our only outlay is the cost of the instrument by which the natural agent is rendered available. Thus we can use the momentum of a watcrfall, by adapting machinery to it, without further expense. Somc natural agenls can be used without any tools, as air, and the light of the sun. Others require only very cheap nnd simple instrurneuts, as the mariner's compass. Others are used by few perron and only on particular occasions, as tlif lens, or the microscope. Otliers are very complicated and expensive, os the steain engine. To créate cliango ín tho natural anieles, and ronder them more valuable, the most universal requisito is momentum, or, as it is coninionly called, power. Without this no change in commerce, agriculture. or manufactures, can take piace. The natural agents whicfa enable us to créate momentum, or power, are citlier animalt or inan'mnte. Anímate agents are beasls ofdraft and burden. gencrally. Tho most common of these are tho ox, the horse, and the mule: otliers uscd in particular districts, are the camel, tho elephant, the dog, and the reindeer. The subjection ot animáis to the human will marks an important era in the progress of civilization. The ox and the horse have much greater physical power than man. They can be susíained at less expense; they nced no clothing, and in warm climates, no shelter. If, then, a man, by the use of animáis can produce as much as ten men, he will have ten times the means of human lappincss. He will have a largor portion of valué to exhange, henee, he can enjoy more of his neighbors produets. He can olso excliange with i greater number of producers; and gratifya greater nuinber of his wants. When ihis first step has een taken, the meclianical arts iininediately folow, and wealth rnpidly incrcases. In the labors of agriculture, anímate power is bund to be superior to all other kinds. In this respect, the carly and laicr periods of society rcnain o ft a leve!, and it is not probable tha'. other ;reative power will ever supersede the use of añina) s.The most useful irMnimatcagews n:c, gunpcw der, wirid, thz graviiaiing power of water, anc the cxpansir.e -power of stcam. Gun.iowJer is u.sed a the blasting of rocks, in huming. and in war. lts use in constructing railroads and canals is important. It is doubtfu whether many of the most important of these vvorks could ever have been executed without this agent. Gunpowder is also used extensivcly ir war. In this respect, it is of the utmost importance. The principal object of war is to destroy as many men as possiblc with the least physica] suflering. and the least amour.t oí labor. No other agent has been found cqual to it. Men exercise less ferocity in desiroying each other, where this means of destruetiun is used. Henee, wars are now conducted on more humane principies than formeily. It has promoted civilization, by subjeeting savage to civilizod nations. Christendom isnotnow in dangr from barbarían invasions. Also the loss of Iife in bntile is less now than formerly. It has been suggested by some. that some nicans of destruction might yct be invented, so overwhelming in its effecis, as to put the smaücst number of men on a level with the greatest, and ihus put an end to war altogether. Wi.id is anoiher agent in creating power. It is useful ss astationary agent in countries where waterpower or s:oam cannot be used. lis principal advantage is its cheapness. Ii costs nolhing to créate it, and the machinery connectcd with it s simple. The disadvantages of wind ore its uncertainty, both in quantity and time, and tho JifIculty of reguiating it. As a locomoiive power on water, wind is general'y used. By nauucal skill, tiie mariner is a)le to proceed towards his destination, let it blow rom ahnost any point. On the principal rivers n the civilized world. steam vessels are fast suerseding others. In 1837, the fírst regular cimnunication was established by. steam between ui verpool and New York: and the vessels are bund to perfonn their trips withcertainty, speed, and great regula rity. The graviiaiing poteer of toatcr is anothcr agent extcnsively used. lts advantages are that t s cheap, tolerably constant, and capable of exering great meehanlcal force. lts principal disadvantage is that it is stationary. It can be used nly in one place. The water is also often insuficient in quantity. Besides, the machinery is liable io;destruction from inundation, This mny commonly bc guarded against. but the expense ol doing it is often very considerable. Steam, is, however, on most accounts, the most valuable natural agent. It can be used to créate any required mechanical force; it is per'ecüy under human control; u may be created in any place where fuel can be obtnined; it can be used at will, as stationary, or locomotivo; and it iets wiih perfect regularity. lts only disadvanage is its expensivcness. The rmchinery is costy, needs frequent repairs, and consumes much 'uel.

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Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News