wealbk04-第8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！


proportion　as　its　capital　augments；　and　its　capital　can　augment

only　in　proportion　to　what　can　be　gradually　saved　out　of　its

revenue。　But　the　immediate　effect　of　every　such　regulation　is　to

diminish　its　revenue；　and　what　diminishes　its　revenue　is

certainly　not　very　likely　to　augment　its　capital　faster　than　it

would　have　augmented　of　its　own　accord　had　both　capital　and

industry　been　left　to　find　out　their　natural　employments。

　　　　　Though　for　want　of　such　regulations　the　society　should　never

acquire　the　proposed　manufacture；　it　would　not；　upon　that

account；　necessarily　be　the　poorer　in　any　one　period　of　its

duration。　In　every　period　of　its　duration　its　whole　capital　and

industry　might　still　have　been　employed；　though　upon　different

objects；　in　the　manner　that　was　most　advantageous　at　the　time。　In

every　period　its　revenue　might　have　been　the　greatest　which　its

capital　could　afford；　and　both　capital　and　revenue　might　have

been　augmented　with　the　greatest　possible　rapidity。

　　　　　The　natural　advantages　which　one　country　has　over　another　in

producing　particular　commodities　are　sometimes　so　great　that　it

is　acknowledged　by　all　the　world　to　be　in　vain　to　struggle　with

them。　By　means　of　glasses；　hotbeds；　and　hot　walls；　very　good

grapes　can　be　raised　in　Scotland；　and　very　good　wine　too　can　be

made　of　them　at　about　thirty　times　the　expense　for　which　at　least

equally　good　can　be　brought　from　foreign　countries。　Would　it　be　a

reasonable　law　to　prohibit　the　importation　of　all　foreign　wines

merely　to　encourage　the　making　of　claret　and　burgundy　in

Scotland？　But　if　there　would　be　a　manifest　absurdity　in　turning

towards　any　employment　thirty　times　more　of　the　capital　and

industry　of　the　country　than　would　be　necessary　to　purchase　from

foreign　countries　an　equal　quantity　of　the　commodities　wanted；

there　must　be　an　absurdity；　though　not　altogether　so　glaring；　yet

exactly　of　the　same　kind；　in　turning　towards　any　such　employment

a　thirtieth；　or　even　a　three…hundredth　part　more　of　either。

Whether　the　advantages　which　one　country　has　over　another　be

natural　or　acquired　is　in　this　respect　of　no　consequence。　As　long

as　the　one　country　has　those　advantages；　and　the　other　wants

them；　it　will　always　be　more　advantageous　for　the　latter　rather

to　buy　of　the　former　than　to　make。　It　is　an　acquired　advantage

only；　which　one　artificer　has　over　his　neighbour；　who　exercises

another　trade；　and　yet　they　both　find　it　more　advantageous　to　buy

of　one　another　than　to　make　what　does　not　belong　to　their

particular　trades。

　　　　　Merchants　and　manufacturers　are　the　people　who　derive　the

greatest　advantage　from　this　monopoly　of　the　home　market。　The

prohibition　of　the　importation　of　foreign　cattle；　and　of　salt

provisions；　together　with　the　high　duties　upon　foreign　corn；

which　in　times　of　moderate　plenty　amount　to　a　prohibition；　are

not　near　so　advantageous　to　the　graziers　and　farmers　of　Great

Britain　as　other　regulations　of　the　same　kind　are　to　its

merchants　and　manufacturers。　Manufactures；　those　of　the　finer

kind　especially；　are　more　easily　transported　from　one　country　to

another　than　corn　or　cattle。　It　is　in　the　fetching　and　carrying

manufactures；　accordingly；　that　foreign　trade　is　chiefly

employed。　In　manufactures；　a　very　small　advantage　will　enable

foreigners　to　undersell　our　own　workmen；　even　in　the　home　market。

It　will　require　a　very　great　one　to　enable　them　to　do　so　in　the

rude　produce　of　the　soil。　If　the　free　importation　of　foreign

manufactures　were　permitted；　several　of　the　home　manufactures

would　probably　suffer；　and　some　of　them；　perhaps；　go　to　ruin

altogether；　and　a　considerable　part　of　the　stock　and　industry　at

present　employed　in　them　would　be　forced　to　find　out　some　other

employment。　But　the　freest　importation　of　the　rude　produce　of　the

soil　could　have　no　such　effect　upon　the　agriculture　of　the

country。

　　　　　If　the　importation　of　foreign　cattle；　for　example；　were　made

ever　so　free；　so　few　could　be　imported　that　the　grazing　trade　of

Great　Britain　could　be　little　affected　by　it。　Live　cattle　are；

perhaps；　the　only　commodity　of　which　the　transportation　is　more

expensive　by　sea　than　by　land。　By　land　they　carry　themselves　to

market。　By　sea；　not　only　the　cattle；　but　their　food　and　their

water　too；　must　be　carried　at　no　small　expense　and　inconveniency。

The　short　sea　between　Ireland　and　Great　Britain；　indeed；　renders

the　importation　of　Irish　cattle　more　easy。　But　though　the　free

importation　of　them；　which　was　lately　permitted　only　for　a

limited　time；　were　rendered　perpetual；　it　could　have　no

considerable　effect　upon　the　interest　of　the　graziers　of　Great

Britain。　Those　parts　of　Great　Britain　which　border　upon　the　Irish

Sea　are　all　grazing　countries。　Irish　cattle　could　never　be

imported　for　their　use；　but　must　be　driven　through　those　very

extensive　countries；　at　no　small　expense　and　inconveniency；

before　they　could　arrive　at　their　proper　market。　Fat　cattle　could

not　be　driven　so　far。　Lean　cattle；　therefore；　only　could　be

imported；　and　such　importation　could　interfere；　not　with　the

interest　of　the　feeding　or　fattening　countries；　to　which；　by

reducing　the　price　of　lean　cattle；　it　would　rather　be

advantageous；　but　with　that　of　the　breeding　countries　only。　The

small　number　of　Irish　cattle　imported　since　their　importation　was

permitted；　together　with　the　good　price　at　which　lean　cattle

still　continue　to　sell；　seem　to　demonstrate　that　even　the

breeding　countries　of　Great　Britain　are　never　likely　to　be　much

affected　by　the　free　importation　of　Irish　cattle。　The　common

people　of　Ireland；　indeed；　are　said　to　have　sometimes　opposed

with　violence　the　exportation　of　their　cattle。　But　if　the

exporters　had　found　any　great　advantage　in　continuing　the　trade；

they　could　easily；　when　the　law　was　on　their　side；　have　conquered

this　mobbish　opposition。

　　　　　Feeding　and　fattening　countries；　besides；　must　always　be

highly　improved；　whereas　breeding　countries　are　generally

uncultivated。　The　high　price　of　lean　cattle；　by　augmenting　the

value　of　uncultivated　land；　is　like　a　bounty　against　improvement。

To　any　country　which　was　highly　improved　throughout；　it　would　be

more　advantageous　to　import　its　lean　cattle　than　to　breed　them。

The　province　of　Holland；　accordingly；　is　said　to　follow　this

maxim　at　present。　The　mountains　of　Scotland；　Wales；　and

Northumberland；　indeed；　are　countries　not　capable　of　much

improvement；　and　seem　destined　by　nature　to　be　the　breeding

countries　of　Great　Britain。　The　freest　importation　of　foreign

cattle　could　have　no　other　effect　than　to　hinder　those　breeding

countries　from　taking　advantage　of　the　increasing　population　and

improvement　of　the　rest　of　the　kingdom；　from　raising　their　price

to　an　exorbitant　height；　and　from　laying　a　real　tax　upon　all　the

more　improved　and　cultivated　parts　of　the　country。

　　　　　The　freest　importation　of　salt　provisions；　in　the　same

manner；　could　have　as　little　effect　upon　the　interest　of　the

graziers　of　Great　Britain　as　that　of　live　cattle。　Salt　provisions

are　not　only　a　very　bulky　commodity；　but　when　compared　with　fresh

meat；　they　are　a　commodity　both　of　worse　quality；　and　as　they

cost　more　labour　and　expense；　of　higher　price。　They　could　never；

therefore；　come　into　competition　with　the　fresh　meat；　though　they

might　with　the　salt　provisions　of　the　country。　They　might　be　used

for　victualling　ships　for　distant　voyages　and　such　like　uses；　but

could　never　make　any　considerable　part　of　the　food　of　the　people。

The　small　quantity　of　salt　provisions　imported　from　Ireland　since

their　importation　was　rendered　free　is　an　experimental　proof　that

our　graziers　have　nothing　to　apprehend　from　it。　It　does　not

appear　that　the　price　of　butcher's　meat　has　ever　been　sensibly

affected　by　it。

　　　　　Even　the　free　importation　of　foreign　corn　could　very　little

affect　the　interest　of　the　farmers　of　Great　Britain。　Corn　is　a

much　more　bulky　commodity　than　butcher's　meat。　A　pound　of　wheat

at　a　penny　is　as　dear　as　a　pound　of　butcher's　meat　at　fourpence。

The　small　quantity　of　foreign　corn　imported　even　in　times　of　the

greatest　scarcity　may　satisfy　our　farmers　that　they　can　have

nothing　to　fear　from　the　freest　importation。　The　average　quantity

imported；　one　year　with　another；　amounts　only；　according　to　the

very　well　informed　author　of　the　tracts　upon　the　corn　trade；　to

twenty…three　thousand　seven　hundred　and　twenty…eight　quarters　of

all　sorts　of　grain；　and　does　not　exceed　the　five　hundred　and

seventy…first　part　of　the　annual　consumption。　But　as　the　bounty

upon　corn　occasions　a　greater　exportation　in　years　of　plenty；　so

it　must　of　consequence　occasion　a　greater　importation　in　years　of

scarcity　than　in　the　actual　state　of　tillage　would　otherwise　take

place。　By　means　of　it　the　plenty　of　one　year　does　not　compensate

the　scarcity　of　another；　and　as　the　average　quantity　exported　is

necessarily　augmented　by　it；　so　must　likewise；　in　the　actual

state　of　tillage；　the　average　quantity　imported。　If　there　were　no

bounty；　as　less　corn　would　be　exported；　so　it　is　probable　that；

one　year　with　another；　less　would　be　imported　than　at　present。

The　corn…merchants；　the　fetchers　and　carriers　of　corn　between

Great　Britain　and　foreign　countries　would　have　much　less

employment；　and　might　suffer　considerably；　but　the　country

gentlemen　and　farmers　could　suffer　very　little。　It　is　in　the　corn

merchants　accordingly；　rather　than　in　the　country　gentlemen　and

farmers；　that　I　have　observed　the　greatest　anxiety　for　the

renewal　and　continuation　of　the　bounty。

　　　　　Country　gentlemen　and　farmers　are；　to　their　great　honour；　of

all　people；　the　least　subject　to　the　wretched　spirit　of　monopoly。

The　undertaker　of　a　great　manufactory　is　sometimes　alarmed　if

another　work　of　the　same　kind　is　established　within　twenty　miles

of　him。　The　Dutch　undertaker　of　the　woollen　manufacture　at

Abbeville　stipulated　that　no　work　of　the　same　kind　should　be

established　within　thirty　leagues　of　that　city。　Farmers　and

country　gentlemen；　on　the　contrary；　are　generally　disposed　rather

to　promote　than　to　obstruct　the　cultivation　and　improvement　of