wealbk01-第41部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



the　ancient　mines　of　Peru；　after　the　discovery　of　those　of

Potosi。

　　　　　The　price　of　every　metal　at　every　mine；　therefore；　being

regulated　in　some　measure　by　its　price　at　the　most　fertile　mine

in　the　world　that　is　actually　wrought；　it　can　at　the　greater　part

of　mines　do　very　little　more　than　pay　the　expense　of　working；　and

can　seldom　afford　a　very　high　rent　to　the　landlord。　Rent；

accordingly；　seems　at　the　greater　part　of　mines　to　have　but　a

small　share　in　the　price　of　the　coarse；　and　a　still　smaller　in

that　of　the　precious　metals。　Labour　and　profit　make　up　the

greater　part　of　both。

　　　　　A　sixth　part　of　the　gross　produce　may　be　reckoned　the

average　rent　of　the　tin　mines　of　Cornwall　the　most　fertile　that

are　known　in　the　world；　as　we　are　told　by　the　Reverend　Mr。

Borlace；　vice…warden　of　the　stannaries。　Some；　he　says；　afford

more；　and　some　do　not　afford　so　much。　A　sixth　part　of　the　gross

produce　is　the　rent；　too；　of　several　very　fertile　lead　mines　in

Scotland。

　　　　　In　the　silver　mines　of　Peru；　we　are　told　by　Frezier　and

Ulloa；　the　proprietor　frequently　exacts　no　other　acknowledgment

from　the　undertaker　of　the　mine；　but　that　he　will　grind　the　ore

at　his　mill；　paying　him　the　ordinary　multure　or　price　of

grinding。　Till　1736；　indeed；　the　tax　of　the　King　of　Spain

amounted　to　one…fifth　of　the　standard　silver；　which　till　then

might　be　considered　as　the　real　rent　of　the　greater　part　of　the

silver　mines　of　Peru；　the　richest　which　have　been　known　in　the

world。　If　there　had　been　no　tax　this　fifth　would　naturally　have

belonged　to　the　landlord；　and　many　mines　might　have　been　wrought

which　could　not　then　be　wrought；　because　they　could　not　afford

this　tax。　The　tax　of　the　Duke　of　Cornwall　upon　tin　is　supposed　to

amount　to　more　than　five　per　cent　or　one…twentieth　part　of　the

value；　and　whatever　may　be　his　proportion；　it　would　naturally；

too；　belong　to　the　proprietor　of　the　mine；　if　tin　was　duty　free。

But　if　you　add　one…twentieth　to　one…sixth；　you　will　find　that　the

whole　average　rent　of　the　tin　mines　of　Cornwall　was　to　the　whole

average　rent　of　the　silver　mines　of　Peru　as　thirteen　to　twelve。

But　the　silver　mines　of　Peru　are　not　now　able　to　pay　even　this

low　rent；　and　the　tax　upon　silver　was；　in　1736；　reduced　from

one…fifth　to　one…tenth。　Even　this　tax　upon　silver；　too；　gives

more　temptation　to　smuggling　than　the　tax　of　one…twentieth　upon

tin；　and　smuggling　must　be　much　easier　in　the　precious　than　in

the　bulky　commodity。　The　tax　of　the　King　of　Spain　accordingly　is

said　to　be　very　ill　paid；　and　that　of　the　Duke　of　Cornwall　very

well。　Rent；　therefore；　it　is　probable；　makes　a　greater　part　of

the　price　of　tin　at　the　most　fertile　tin　mines　than　it　does　of

silver　at　the　most　fertile　silver　mines　in　the　world。　After

replacing　the　stock　employed　in　working　those　different　mines；

together　with　its　ordinary　profits；　the　residue　which　remains　to

the　proprietor　is　greater；　it　seems；　in　the　coarse　than　in　the

precious　metal。

　　　　　Neither　are　the　profits　of　the　undertakers　of　silver　mines

commonly　very　great　in　Peru。　The　same　most　respectable　and

well…informed　authors　acquaint　us；　that　when　any　person

undertakes　to　work　a　new　mine　in　Peru；　he　is　universally　looked

upon　as　a　man　destined　to　bankruptcy　and　ruin；　and　is　upon　that

account　shunned　and　avoided　by　everybody。　Mining；　it　seems；　is

considered　there　in　the　same　light　as　here；　as　a　lottery；　in

which　the　prizes　do　not　compensate　the　blanks；　though　the

greatness　of　some　tempts　many　adventurers　to　throw　away　their

fortunes　in　such　unprosperous　projects。

　　　　　As　the　sovereign；　however；　derives　a　considerable　part　of

his　revenue　from　the　produce　of　silver　mines；　the　law　in　Peru

gives　every　possible　encouragement　to　the　discovery　and　working

of　new　ones。　Whoever　discovers　a　new　mine　is　entitled　to　measure

off　two　hundred　and　forty…six　feet　in　length；　according　to　what

he　supposes　to　be　the　direction　of　the　vein；　and　half　as　much　in

breadth。　He　becomes　proprietor　of　this　portion　of　the　mine；　and

can　work　it　without　paying　any　acknowledgment　to　the　landlord。

The　interest　of　the　Duke　of　Cornwall　has　given　occasion　to　a

regulation　nearly　of　the　same　kind　in　that　ancient　duchy。　In

waste　and　unenclosed　lands　any　person　who　discovers　a　tin　mine

may　mark　its　limits　to　a　certain　extent；　which　is　called　bounding

a　mine。　The　bounder　becomes　the　real　proprietor　of　the　mine；　and

may　either　work　it　himself；　or　give　it　in　lease　to　another；

without　the　consent　of　the　owner　of　the　land；　to　whom；　however；　a

very　small　acknowledgment　must　be　paid　upon　working　it。　In　both

regulations　the　sacred　rights　of　private　property　are　sacrificed

to　the　supposed　interests　of　public　revenue。

　　　　　The　same　encouragement　is　given　in　Peru　to　the　discovery　and

working　of　new　gold　mines；　and　in　gold　the　king's　tax　amounts

only　to　a　twentieth　part　of　the　standard　metal。　It　was　once　a

fifth；　and　afterwards　a　tenth；　as　in　silver；　but　it　was　found

that　the　work　could　not　bear　even　the　lowest　of　these　two　taxes。

If　it　is　rare；　however；　say　the　same　authors；　Frezier　and　Ulloa；

to　find　a　person　who　has　made　his　fortune　by　a　silver；　it　is

still　much　rarer　to　find　one　who　has　done　so　by　a　gold　mine。　This

twentieth　part　seems　to　be　the　whole　rent　which　is　paid　by　the

greater　part　of　the　gold　mines　in　Chili　and　Peru。　Gold；　too；　is

much　more　liable　to　be　smuggled　than　even　silver；　not　only　on

account　of　the　superior　value　of　the　metal　in　proportion　to　its

bulk；　but　on　account　of　the　peculiar　way　in　which　nature　produces

it。　Silver　is　very　seldom　found　virgin；　but；　like　most　other

metals；　is　generally　mineralized　with　some　other　body；　from　which

it　is　impossible　to　separate　it　in　such　quantities　as　will　pay

for　the　expense；　but　by　a　very　laborious　and　tedious　operation；

which　cannot　well　be　carried　on　but　in　workhouses　erected　for　the

purpose；　and　therefore　exposed　to　the　inspection　of　the　king's

officers。　Gold；　on　the　contrary；　is　almost　always　found　virgin。

It　is　sometimes　found　in　pieces　of　some　bulk；　and　even　when　mixed

in　small　and　almost　insensible　particles　with　sand；　earth；　and

other　extraneous　bodies；　it　can　be　separated　from　them　by　a　very

short　and　simple　operation；　which　can　be　carried　on　in　any

private　house　by　anybody　who　is　possessed　of　a　small　quantity　of

mercury。　If　the　king's　tax；　therefore；　is　but　ill　paid　upon

silver；　it　is　likely　to　be　much　worse　paid　upon　gold；　and　rent；

must　make　a　much　smaller　part　of　the　price　of　gold　than　even　of

that　of　silver。

　　　　　The　lowest　price　at　which　the　precious　metals　can　be　sold；

or　the　smallest　quantity　of　other　goods　for　which　they　can　be

exchanged　during　any　considerable　time；　is　regulated　by　the　same

principles　which　fix　the　lowest　ordinary　price　of　all　other

goods。　The　stock　which　must　commonly　be　employed；　the　food；　the

clothes；　and　lodging　which　must　commonly　be　consumed　in　bringing

them　from　the　mine　to　the　market；　determine　it。　It　must　at　least

be　sufficient　to　replace　that　stock；　with　the　ordinary　profits。

　　　　　Their　highest　price；　however；　seems　not　to　be　necessarily

determined　by　anything　but　the　actual　scarcity　or　plenty　of　those

metals　themselves。　It　is　not　determined　by　that　of　any　other

commodity；　in　the　same　manner　as　the　price　of　coals　is　by　that　of

wood；　beyond　which　no　scarcity　can　ever　raise　it。　Increase　the

scarcity　of　gold　to　a　certain　degree；　and　the　smallest　bit　of　it

may　become　more　precious　than　a　diamond；　and　exchange　for　a

greater　quantity　of　other　goods。

　　　　　The　demand　for　those　metals　arises　partly　from　their　utility

and　partly　from　their　beauty。　If　you　except　iron；　they　are　more

useful　than；　perhaps；　any　other　metal。　As　they　are　less　liable　to

rust　and　impurity；　they　can　more　easily　be　kept　clean；　and　the

utensils　either　of　the　table　or　the　kitchen　are　often　upon　that

account　more　agreeable　when　made　of　them。　A　silver　boiler　is　more

cleanly　than　a　lead；　copper；　or　tin　one；　and　the　same　quality

would　render　a　gold　boiler　still　better　than　a　silver　one。　Their

principal　merit；　however；　arises　from　their　beauty；　which　renders

them　peculiarly　fit　for　the　ornaments　of　dress　and　furniture。　No

paint　or　dye　can　give　so　splendid　a　colour　as　gilding。　The　merit

of　their　beauty　is　greatly　enhanced　by　their　scarcity。　With　the

greater　part　of　rich　people；　the　chief　enjoyment　of　riches

consists　in　the　parade　of　riches；　which　in　their　eye　is　never　so

complete　as　when　they　appear　to　possess　those　decisive　marks　of

opulence　which　nobody　can　possess　but　themselves。　In　their　eyes

the　merit　of　an　object　which　is　in　any　degree　either　useful　or

beautiful　is　greatly　enhanced　by　its　scarcity；　or　by　the　great

labour　which　it　requires　to　collect　any　considerable　quantity　of

it；　a　labour　which　nobody　can　afford　to　pay　but　themselves。　Such

objects　they　are　willing　to　purchase　at　a　higher　price　than

things　much　more　beautiful　and　useful；　but　more　common。　These

qualities　of　utility；　beauty；　and　scarcity；　are　the　original

foundation　of　the　high　price　of　those　metals；　or　of　the　great

quantity　of　other　goods　for　which　they　can　everywhere　be

exchanged。　This　value　was　antecedent　to　and　independent　of　their

being　employed　as　coin；　and　was　the　quality　which　fitted　them　for

that　employment。　That　employment；　however；　by　occasioning　a　new

demand；　and　by　diminishing　the　quantity　which　could　be　employed

in　any　other　way；　may　have　afterwards　contributed　to　keep　up　or

increase　their　value。

　　　　　The　demand　for　the　precious　stones　arises　altogether　from

their　beauty。　They　are　of　no　use　but　as　ornaments；　and　the　merit

of　their　beauty　is　greatly　enhanced　by　their　scarcity；　or　by　the

difficulty　and　expense　of　getting　them　from　the　mine。　Wages　and

profit　accordingly　make　up；　upon　most　occasions；　almost　the　whole

of　their　high　price。　Rent　comes　in　but　for　a　very　small　share；

frequently　for　no　share；　and　the　most　fertile　mines　only　afford

any　considerable　rent。　When　Tav