Atlantic. As Richard Dox put it in 1689, quaintly but truly, in his
dedication to King William III, and Queen Mary of his "History of
Ireland from the Earliest Times."

"But no cost can be too great where the prize is of such value, and
whoever considers the situation, ports, plenty and other advantages
of Ireland will confess that it must be retained at what rate soever;
because if it should come into an enemy's hands, England would find
it impossible to _flourish_ and perhaps difficult to _subsist_ without
it. To demonstrate this assertion it is enough to say that Ireland
lies in the Line of Trade and that all the English vessels that
sail to the East, West, and South must, as it were, run the gauntlet
between the harbours of Brest and Baltimore; and I might add that
the Irish Wool being transported would soon ruin the English Clothing
Manufacture. Hence it is that all Your Majesty's Predecessors have
kept close to this fundamental maxim of retaining Ireland inseparably
united to the Crown of England."

The sole and exclusive appropriation of Ireland and of all her
resources has indeed formed, since the Recorder of Kinsale wrote, the
mainstay and chief support of British greatness.

The natural position of Ireland lying "in the line of trade," was
possibly its chief value, but that "Irish Wool" which was by no means
to be allowed free access to world markets typifies much else that
Ireland has been relentlessly forced to contribute to her neighbour's
growth and sole profit.

I read but yesterday "Few people realise that the trade of Ireland
with Great Britain is equal to that of our trade with India, is