wealbk04-第14章

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legislature。　The　Member　of　Parliament　who　supports　every　proposal

for　strengthening　this　monopoly　is　sure　to　acquire　not　only　the

reputation　of　understanding　trade；　but　great　popularity　and

influence　with　an　order　of　men　whose　numbers　and　wealth　render

them　of　great　importance。　If　he　opposes　them；　on　the　contrary；

and　still　more　if　he　has　authority　enough　to　be　able　to　thwart

them；　neither　the　most　acknowledged　probity；　nor　the　highest

rank；　nor　the　greatest　public　services　can　protect　him　from　the

most　infamous　abuse　and　detraction；　from　personal　insults；　nor

sometimes　from　real　danger；　arising　from　the　insolent　outrage　of

furious　and　disappointed　monopolists。

　　　　　The　undertaker　of　a　great　manufacture；　who；　by　the　home

markets　being　suddenly　laid　open　to　the　competition　of

foreigners；　should　be　obliged　to　abandon　his　trade；　would　no

doubt　suffer　very　considerably。　That　part　of　his　capital　which

had　usually　been　employed　in　purchasing　materials　and　in　paying

his　workmen　might；　without　much　difficulty；　perhaps；　find　another

employment。　But　that　part　of　it　which　was　fixed　in　workhouses；

and　in　the　instruments　of　trade；　could　scarce　be　disposed　of

without　considerable　loss。　The　equitable　regard；　therefore；　to

his　interest　requires　that　changes　of　this　kind　should　never　be

introduced　suddenly；　but　slowly；　gradually；　and　after　a　very　long

warning。　The　legislature；　were　it　possible　that　its　deliberations

could　be　always　directed；　not　by　the　clamorous　importunity　of

partial　interests；　but　by　an　extensive　view　of　the　general　good；

ought　upon　this　very　account；　perhaps；　to　be　particularly　careful

neither　to　establish　any　new　monopolies　of　this　kind；　nor　to

extend　further　those　which　are　already　established。　Every　such

regulation　introduces　some　degree　of　real　disorder　into　the

constitution　of　the　state；　which　it　will　be　difficult　afterwards

to　cure　without　occasioning　another　disorder。

　　　　　How　far　it　may　be　proper　to　impose　taxes　upon　the

importation　of　foreign　goods；　in　order　not　to　prevent　their

importation　but　to　raise　a　revenue　for　government；　I　shall

consider　hereafter　when　I　come　to　treat　of　taxes。　Taxes　imposed

with　a　view　to　prevent；　or　even　to　diminish　importation；　are

evidently　as　destructive　of　the　revenue　of　the　customs　as　of　the

freedom　of　trade。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　III



Of　the　extraordinary　Restraints　upon　the　Importation　of　Goods　of

almost　all　kinds　from　those　Countries　with　which　the　Balance　is

supposed　to　be　disadvantageous　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　PART　I

Of　the　Unreasonableness　of　those　Restraints　even　upon　the

Principles　of　the　Commercial　System　



　　　　　TO　lay　extraordinary　restraints　upon　the　those　particular

countries　with　which　the　importation　of　goods　of　almost　all　kinds

from　balance　of　trade　is　supposed　to　be　disadvantageous；　is　the

second　expedient　by　which　the　commercial　system　proposes　to

increase　the　quantity　of　gold　and　silver。　Thus　in　Great　Britain；

Silesia　lawns　may　be　imported　for　home　consumption　upon　paying

certain　duties。　But　French　cambrics　and　lawns　are　prohibited　to

be　imported；　except　into　the　port　of　London；　there　to　be

warehoused　for　exportation。　Higher　duties　are　imposed　upon　the

wines　of　France　than　upon　those　of　Portugal；　or　indeed　of　any

other　country。　By　what　is　called　the　impost　1692；　a　duty　of

five…and…twenty　per　cent　of　the　rate　or　value　was　laid　upon　all

French　goods；　while　the　goods　of　other　nations　were；　the　greater

part　of　them；　subjected　to　much　lighter　duties；　seldom　exceeding

five　per　cent。　The　wine；　brandy；　salt　and　vinegar　of　France　were

indeed　excepted；　these　commodities　being　subjected　to　other　heavy

duties；　either　by　other　laws；　or　by　particular　clauses　of　the

same　law。　In　1696；　a　second　duty　of　twenty…five　per　cent；　the

first　not　having　been　thought　a　sufficient　discouragement；　was

imposed　upon　all　French　goods；　except　brandy；　together　with　a　new

duty　of　five…and…twenty　pounds　upon　the　ton　of　French　wine；　and

another　of　fifteen　pounds　upon　the　ton　of　French　vinegar。　French

goods　have　never　been　omitted　in　any　of　those　general　subsidies；

or　duties　of　five　per　cent；　which　have　been　imposed　upon　all；　or

the　greater　part　of　the　goods　enumerated　in　the　book　of　rates。　If

we　count　the　one…third　and　two…third　subsidies　as　making　a

complete　subsidy　between　them；　there　have　been　five　of　these

general　subsidies；　so　that　before　the　commencement　of　the　present

war　seventy…five　per　cent　may　be　considered　as　the　lowest　duty　to

which　the　greater　part　of　the　goods　of　the　growth；　produce；　or

manufacture　of　France　were　liable。　But　upon　the　greater　part　of

goods；　those　duties　are　equivalent　to　a　prohibition。　The　French

in　their　turn　have；　I　believe；　treated　our　goods　and　manufactures

just　as　hardly；　though　I　am　not　so　well　acquainted　with　the

particular　hardships　which　they　have　imposed　upon　them。　Those

mutual　restraints　have　put　an　end　to　almost　all　fair　commerce

between　the　two　nations；　and　smugglers　are　now　the　principal

importers；　either　of　British　goods　into　France；　or　of　French

goods　into　Great　Britain。　The　principles　which　I　have　been

examining　in　the　foregoing　chapter　took　their　origin　from　private

interest　and　the　spirit　of　monopoly；　those　which　I　am　going　to

examine　in　this；　from　national　prejudice　and　animosity。　They　are；

accordingly；　as　might　well　be　expected；　still　more　unreasonable。

They　are　so；　even　upon　the　principles　of　the　commercial　system。

　　　　　First；　though　it　were　certain　that　in　the　case　of　a　free

trade　between　France　and　England；　for　example；　the　balance　would

be　in　favour　of　France；　it　would　by　no　means　follow　that　such　a

trade　would　be　disadvantageous　to　England；　or　that　the　general

balance　of　its　whole　trade　would　thereby　be　turned　more　against

it。　If　the　wines　of　France　are　better　and　cheaper　than　those　of

Portugal；　or　its　linens　than　those　of　Germany；　it　would　be　more

advantageous　for　Great　Britain　to　purchase　both　the　wine　and　the

foreign　linen　which　it　had　occasion　for　of　France　than　of

Portugal　and　Germany。　Though　the　value　of　the　annual　importations

from　France　would　thereby　be　greatly　augmented；　the　value　of　the

whole　annual　importations　would　be　diminished；　in　proportion　as

the　French　goods　of　the　same　quality　were　cheaper　than　those　of

the　other　two　countries。　This　would　be　the　case；　even　upon　the

supposition　that　the　whole　French　goods　imported　were　to　be

consumed　in　Great　Britain。

　　　　　But；　secondly；　a　great　part　of　them　might　be　re…exported　to

other　countries；　where；　being　sold　with　profit；　they　might　bring

back　a　return　equal　in　value；　perhaps；　to　the　prime　cost　of　the

whole　French　goods　imported。　What　has　frequently　been　said　of　the

East　India　trade　might　possibly　be　true　of　the　French；　that

though　the　greater　part　of　East　India　goods　were　bought　with　gold

and　silver；　the　re…exportation　of　a　part　of　them　to　other

countries　brought　back　more　gold　and　silver　to　that　which　carried

on　the　trade　than　the　prime　cost　of　the　whole　amounted　to。　One　of

the　most　important　branches　of　the　Dutch　trade；　at　present；

consists　in　the　carriage　of　French　goods　to　other　European

countries。　Some　part　even　of　the　French　wine　drank　in　Great

Britain　is　clandestinely　imported　from　Holland　and　Zeeland。　If

there　was　either　a　free　trade　between　France　and　England；　or　if

French　goods　could　be　imported　upon　paying　only　the　same　duties

as　those　of　other　European　nations；　to　be　drawn　back　upon

exportation；　England　might　have　some　share　of　a　trade　which　is

found　so　advantageous　to　Holland。

　　　　　Thirdly；　and　lastly；　there　is　no　certain　criterion　by　which

we　can　determine　on　which　side　what　is　called　the　balance　between

any　two　countries　lies；　or　which　of　them　exports　to　the　greatest

value。　National　prejudice　and　animosity；　prompted　always　by　the

private　interest　of　particular　traders；　are　the　principles　which

generally　direct　our　judgment　upon　all　questions　concerning　it。

There　are　two　criterions；　however；　which　have　frequently　been

appealed　to　upon　such　occasions；　the　customhouse　books　and　the

course　of　ex