CROMWELL'S NAVAL AND COMMERCIAL POLICY 277 liamerit. Years of war and internal struggle followed. But as soon as Cromwell firmly established the Com- monwealth, his mercantile policy took a definite shape. The Navigation Act of 1651 laid the foundation of Eng- land's mercantile ascendency, and formed a chief cause of the Dutch war in the following year. Even before Cromwell granted peace to Holland, he seems to have resolved on a similar assertion of power over the Cath- olic nations. From Portugal he enforced the English liberty of trade in the East Indies; and his West In- dian expedition against Spain, in 1654-1655, had its origin in mercantile not less than in political reasons. Not only in European waters, but throughout all the ocean-world from Malabar to Hispaniola, Oliver deter- mined to make England supreme. In 1655 the chief economic writer of the time presented to the Protector his mature work, and in the same year Cromwell ap- pointed the Committee of Trade—" a great concern- ment of the Commonwealth/ ' says Carlyle, " ' which his Highness is eagerly set upon.' " Cromwell perceived that, as the time had not yet come for an open trade to India, to be supported by a national fleet in Asiatic seas, the real question lay between a Eegulated Company, the members of which might trade on their individual account, and a Joiijt Stock Company. The analogy of the Turkey Company, confidently relied on by the advocates of the Regulated system, did not bear scrutiny. For the dealings of the Turkey Company were chiefly with the Mediterranean powers— Venetians, Spaniards, Barbary Corsairs, and
