wealbk04-第69章

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pain　of　forfeiting　the　same；　the　horses　and　carriages。　The

hundred　next　adjoining　to　the　sea…coast；　out　of　or　through　which

the　wool　is　carried　or　exported；　forfeits　twenty　pounds；　if　the

wool　is　under　the　value　of　ten　pounds；　and　if　of　greater　value；

then　treble　that　value；　together　with　treble　costs；　to　be　sued

for　within　the　year。　The　execution　to　be　against　any　two　of　the

inhabitants；　whom　the　sessions　must　reimburse；　by　an　assessment

on　the　other　inhabitants；　as　in　the　cases　of　robbery。　And　if　any

person　compounds　with　the　hundred　for　less　than　this　penalty；　he

is　to　be　imprisoned　for　five　years；　and　any　other　person　may

prosecute。　These　regulations　take　place　through　the　whole

kingdom。

　　　　　But　in　the　particular　counties　of　Kent　and　Sussex；　the

restrictions　are　still　more　troublesome。　Every　owner　of　wool

within　ten　miles　of　the　sea…coast　must　given　an　account　in

writing；　three　days　after　shearing　to　the　next　officer　of　the

customs；　of　the　number　of　his　fleeces；　and　of　the　places　where

they　are　lodged。　And　before　he　removes　any　part　of　them　he　must

give　the　like　notice　of　the　number　and　weight　of　the　fleeces；　and

of　the　name　and　abode　of　the　person　to　whom　they　are　sold；　and　of

the　place　to　which　it　is　intended　they　should　be　carried。　No

person　within　fifteen　miles　of　the　sea；　in　the　said　counties；　can

buy　any　wool　before　he　enters　into　bond　to　the　king　that　no　part

of　the　wool　which　he　shall　so　buy　shall　be　sold　by　him　to　any

other　person　within　fifteen　miles　of　the　sea。　If　any　wool　is

found　carrying　towards　the　sea…side　in　the　said　counties；　unless

it　has　been　entered　and　security　given　as　aforesaid；　it　is

forfeited；　and　the　offender　also　forfeits　three　shillings　for

every　pound　weight。　If　any　person　lays　any　wool　not　entered　as

aforesaid　within　fifteen　miles　of　the　sea；　it　must　be　seized　and

forfeited；　and　if；　after　such　seizure；　any　person　claim　the　same；

he　must　give　security　to　the　Exchequer　that　if　he　is　cast　upon

trial　he　shall　pay　treble　costs；　besides　all　other　penalties。

　　　　　When　such　restrictions　are　imposed　upon　the　inland　trade；

the　coasting　trade；　we　may　believe；　cannot　be　left　very　free。

Every　owner　of　wool　who　carries　or　causes　to　be　carried　any　wool

to　any　port　or　place　on　the　seacoast；　in　order　to　be　from　thence

transported　by　sea　to　any　other　place　or　port　on　the　coast；　must

first　cause　an　entry　thereof　to　be　made　at　the　port　from　whence

it　is　intended　to　be　conveyed；　containing　the　weight；　marks；　and

number　of　the　packages；　before　he　brings　the　same　within　five

miles　of　that　port；　on　pain　of　forfeiting　the　same；　and　also　the

horses；　carts；　and　other　carriages；　and　also　of　suffering　and

forfeiting　as　by　the　other　laws　in　force　against　the　exportation

of　wool。　This　law；　however　（1st　William　III；　c。　32）；　is　so　very

indulgent　as　to　declare　that；　〃This　shall　not　hinder　any　person

from　carrying　his　wool　home　from　the　place　of　shearing；　though　it

be　within　five　miles　of　the　sea；　provided　that　in　ten　days　after

shearing；　and　before　he　remove　the　wool；　he　do　under　his　hand

certify　to　the　next　officer　of　the　customs；　the　true　number　of

fleeces；　and　where　it　is　housed；　and　do　not　remove　the　same；

without　certifying　to　such　officer；　under　his　hand；　his　intention

so　to　do；　three　days　before。〃　Bond　must　be　given　that　the　wool　to

be　carried　coastways　is　to　be　landed　at　the　particular　port　for

which　it　is　entered　outwards；　and　if　any　part　of　it　is　landed

without　the　presence　of　an　officer；　not　only　the　forfeiture　of

the　wool　is　incurred　as　in　other　goods；　but　the　usual　additional

penalty　of　three　shillings　for　every　pound　weight　is　likewise

incurred。

　　　　　Our　woollen　manufactures；　in　order　to　justify　their　demand

of　such　extraordinary　restrictions　and　regulations；　confidently

asserted　that　English　wool　was　of　a　peculiar　quality；　superior　to

that　of　any　other　country；　that　the　wool　of　other　countries　could

not；　without　some　mixture　of　it；　be　wrought　up　into　any　tolerable

manufacture；　that　fine　cloth　could　not　be　made　without　it；　that

England；　therefore；　if　the　exportation　of　it　could　be　totally

prevented；　could　monopolize　to　herself　almost　the　whole　woollen

trade　of　the　world；　and　thus；　having　no　rivals；　could　sell　at

what　price　she　pleased；　and　in　a　short　time　acquire　the　most

incredible　degree　of　wealth　by　the　most　advantageous　balance　of

trade。　This　doctrine；　like　most　other　doctrines　which　are

confidently　asserted　by　any　considerable　number　of　people；　was；

and　still　continues　to　be；　most　implicitly　believed　by　a　much

greater　number…　by　almost　all　those　who　are　either　unacquainted

with　the　woollen　trade；　or　who　have　not　made　particular

inquiries。　It　is；　however；　so　perfectly　false　that　English　wool

is　in　any　respect　necessary　for　the　making　of　fine　cloth　that　it

is　altogether　unfit　for　it。　Fine　cloth　is　made　altogether　of

Spanish　wool。　English　wool　cannot　be　even　so　mixed　with　Spanish

wool　as　to　enter　into　the　composition　without　spoiling　and

degrading；　in　some　degree；　the　fabric　of　the　cloth。

　　　　　It　has　been　shown　in　the　foregoing　part　of　this　work　that

the　effect　of　these　regulations　has　been　to　depress　the　price　of

English　wool；　not　only　below　what　it　naturally　would　be　in　the

present　times；　but　very　much　below　what　it　actually　was　in　the

time　of　Edward　III。　The　price　of　Scots　wool；　when　in　consequence

of　the　union　it　became　subject　to　the　same　regulations；　is　said

to　have　fallen　about　one　half。　It　is　observed　by　the　very

accurate　and　intelligent　author　of　the　Memoirs　of　Wool；　the

Reverend　Mr。　John　Smith；　that　the　price　of　the　best　English　wool

in　England　is　generally　below　what　wool　of　a　very　inferior

quality　commonly　sells　for　in　the　market　of　Amsterdam。　To　depress

the　price　of　this　commodity　below　what　may　be　called　its　natural

and　proper　price　was　the　avowed　purpose　of　those　regulations；　and

there　seems　to　be　no　doubt　of　their　having　produced　the　effect

that　was　expected　from　them。

　　　　　This　reduction　of　price；　it　may　perhaps　be　thought；　by

discouraging　the　growing　of　wool；　must　have　reduced　very　much　the

annual　produce　of　that　commodity；　though　not　below　what　it

formerly　was；　yet　below　what；　in　the　present　state　of　things；　it

probably　would　have　been；　had　it；　in　consequence　of　an　open　and

free　market；　been　allowed　to　rise　to　the　natural　and　proper

price。　I　am；　however；　disposed　to　believe　that　the　quantity　of

the　annual　produce　cannot　have　been　much；　though　it　may　perhaps

have　been　a　little；　affected　by　these　regulations。　The　growing　of

wool　is　not　the　chief　purpose　for　which　the　sheep　farmer　employs

his　industry　and　stock。　He　expects　his　profit　not　so　much　from

the　price　of　the　fleece　as　from　that　of　the　carcass；　and　the

average　or　ordinary　price　of　the　latter　must　even；　in　many　cases；

make　up　to　him　whatever　deficiency　there　may　be　in　the　average　or

ordinary　price　of　the　former。　It　has　been　observed　in　the

foregoing　part　of　this　work　that；　〃Whatever　regulations　tend　to

sink　the　price；　either　of　wool　or　of　raw　hides；　below　what　it

naturally　would　be；　must；　in　an　improved　and　cultivated　country；

have　some　tendency　to　raise　the　price　of　butcher's　meat。　The

price　both　of　the　great　and　small　cattle　which　are　fed　on

improved　and　cultivated　land　must　be　sufficient　to　pay　the　rent

which　the　landlord；　and　the　profit　which　the　farmer　has　reason　to

expect　from　improved　and　cultivated　land。　If　it　is　not；　they　will

soon　cease　to　feed　them。　Whatever　part　of　this　price；　therefore；

is　not　paid　by　the　wool　and　the　hide　must　be　paid　by　the　carcass。

The　less　there　is　paid　for　the　one；　the　more　must　be　paid　for　the

other。　In　what　manner　this　price　is　to　be　divided　upon　the

different　parts　of　the　beast　is　indifferent　to　the　landlords　and

farmers；　provided　it　is　all　paid　to　them。　In　an　improved　and

cultivated　country；　therefore；　their　interest　as　landlords　and

farmers　cannot　be　much　affected　by　such　regulations；　though　their

interest　as　consumers　may　by　the　rise　in　the　price　of

provisions。〃　According　to　this　reasoning；　therefore；　this

degradation　in　the　price　of　wool　is　not　likel