Discoveries and inventions foster the growth of prosperity, and they allow people to multiply their numbers without fear of the hunger and squalor that formerly prevailed. For example, the discovery of America and Australia placed into mankind’s hands over 900 thousand square [geographical – Translator] miles [equal to over 19 million square international miles: 1 geographical mile = 4.6 U.K.-U.S. international miles – Translator] of very fertile and rich land, so that there will not soon be a shortage of living space. Millions of families have already moved from Europe to newly discovered parts of the world and have grown wealthy there. Additionally, America has given us the potato, which more than once has saved Europe from famine; and each year great quantities of cereals, cotton, wool, and costly woods are imported from America, providing us with new resources. However, not only great discoveries bear on wellbeing; indeed, the same may be said of smaller discoveries.
For a time, sugar was produced only from sugar cane, which grows in hot countries – hence sugar was very expensive; when, however, sugar was discovered in beets and when a means was invented of obtaining sugar that way, this product became much cheaper and is today affordable to all. Similarly vodka, once produced from rye, became cheaper when it came to be produced from potatoes.
Inventions heighten our powers: Today, with the help of steam-powered mills, one man produces more flour than 150 men did a century ago. A single man spins more cotton on a machine than 400 women spinners. A machine for tying fishermen’s nets replaces 37 workmen; with a pin-making machine, one man can produce 170 pins a minute. On a first-class naval ship, steam engines replace the work of 300,000 men, that is, 100 times more men than the ship can accommodate.
