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by ministerial Ordinance (18th and 26th of November 1807) that all European harbors, which, on account of Napoleon's Continental System refused to admit English vessels, would be blockaded. Moreover, all ships of neutrals had to submit to contraband search by English cruisers and they were ordered under threat of confiscation to stop in English harbors before proceeding to the points of their destination. By this England bluntly declared that it would not recognize neutral states, ships, harbors and flags, but would treat every one as an enemy, who would not submit to English omnipotence.
England, the Scourge of Ireland.
England's nearest neighbors, the Irish, also belong to the nations who had to suffer from the violence and cupidity of the British. Erin, the "Emerald Isle" had in the early Middle Ages reached a high standard of culture and was an abode of Sciences and Arts, whence the first rays of Christianity radiated over the nations north of Europe, enveloped as yet in barbarism. This opulent position of the fair island aroused the Anglo-Saxon cupidity of a very early date, and they made frequent raids into Ireland, until during the days of Cromwell the whole island was subjected to English rule. In these times the black-browed puritanism committed horrible cruelties against the Irish who were Catholics. From 1641 to 1652 over 500,000 perished by sword, famine and disease. Almost 100,000 others were banished and their land and property confiscated. Those remaining were driven into the most barren parts of Ireland, where they had difficulties to maintain their lives. The sequestrated property was handed over to English and Scotch colonists or to favorites of the kings. Complaisant concubines were not forgotten, as for instance Elizabeth Villiers, who was created Countess of Orkney. Rebellions were suppressed with indescribable brutality and the confiscation repeated, where a few of the Irish had escaped before. In the interest of the English landlords, manufacturers and merchants, the growth of the Irish cattle breeding, industry and commerce was suppressed. When the Irish started to export cattle, sheep, butter and eggs to England, this was forbidden upon the instigation of the English cattle raisers. When they started to spin wool and manufacture worsted goods the Parliament, in 1699, passed a law forbidding their export to foreign countries. The magnificent harbors of Ireland, in order to exclude competition with the ports of England, were not to be used and and so finally became desolated. The suffrage
