58 CANADA AND THE EMPIRE,

there was a not inconsiderable one in manufactured
articles. Before Canada manufactured for herself,
her intercourse, commercial and social, with the
States naturally led her to buying in their market.
Besides being the nearest and the most natural one
to resort to, it was the market that above all others
suited her. Just as the Canadians sold to the
republic, so the republicans sold to Canada. Being
accustomed to supply conditions almost precisely
similar to Canadian ones, they were able to meet
her needs completely, whilst the readiness of
American manufacturers to comply with any
stated requirement, the great rapidity with which
their orders could be executed and delivered, due
partly, of course, to proximity, were advantages
which soon gave the United States a preponderating
 hold on the Canadian market. That hold was
never seriously challenged from this side of the
Atlantic.
Here is where the United States keeps her
hold, and although Canada is daily becoming more
self-supporting in her manufactures, although it
is astonishing to find how many articles of
everyday use are of Canadian make, yet the adaptiveness
 of the republican manufacturers and the
rapidity of execution ensured by its geographical
proximity will always make trade with the United
States of considerable importance to Canada.
On these two points trading with Great Britain
can bear no comparison with trading with the
United States, and there is no possibility of ever