wealbk04-第8章

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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

their　neighbours'　farms　and　estates。　They　have　no　secrets　such　as

those　of　the　greater　part　of　manufacturers；　but　are　generally

rather　fond　of　communicating　to　their　neighbours　and　of　extending

as　far　as　possible　any　new　practice　which　they　have　found　to　be

advantageous。　Pius　Questus；　says　old　Cato；　stabilissimusque；

minimeque　invidiosus；　minimeque　male　cogitantes　sunt；　qui　in　eo

studio　occupati　sunt。　Country　gentlemen　and　farmers；　dispersed　in

different　parts　of　the　country；　cannot　so　easily　combine　as

merchants　and　manufacturers；　who；　being　collected　into　towns；　and

accustomed　to　that　exclusive　corporation　spirit　which　prevails　in

them；　naturally　endeavour　to　obtain　against　all　their　countrymen

the　same　exclusive　privilege　which　they　generally　possess　against

the　inhabitants　of　their　respective　towns。　They　accordingly　seem

to　have　been　the　original　inventors　of　those　restraints　upon　the

importation　of　foreign　goods　which　secure　to　them　the　monopoly　of

the　home　market。　It　was　probably　in　imitation　of　them；　and　to　put

themselves　upon　a　level　with　those　who；　they　found；　were　disposed

to　oppress　them；　that　the　country　gentlemen　and　farmers　of　Great

Britain　in　so　far　forgot　the　generosity　which　is　natural　to　their

station　as　to　demand　the　exclusive　privilege　of　supplying　their

countrymen　with　corn　and　butcher's　meat。　They　did　not　perhaps

take　time　to　consider　how　much　less　their　interest　could　be

affected　by　the　freedom　of　trade　than　that　of　the　people　whose

example　they　followed。

　　　　　To　prohibit　by　a　perpetual　law　the　importation　of　foreign

corn　and　cattle　is　in　reality　to　enact　that　the　population　and

industry　of　the　country　shall　at　no　time　exceed　what　the　rude

produce　of　its　own　soil　can　maintain。

　　　　　There　seem；　however；　to　be　two　cases　in　which　it　will

generally　be　advantageous　to　lay　some　burden　upon　foreign　for　the

encouragement　of　domestic　industry。

　　　　　The　first　is；　when　some　particular　sort　of　industry　is

necessary　for　the　defence　of　the　country。　The　defence　of　Great

Britain；　for　example；　depends　very　much　upon　the　number　of　its

sailors　and　shipping。　The　Act　of　Navigation；　therefore；　very

properly　endeavours　to　give　the　sailors　and　shipping　of　Great

Britain　the　monopoly　of　the　trade　of　their　own　country　in　some

cases　by　absolute　prohibitions　and　in　others　by　heavy　burdens

upon　the　shipping　of　foreign　countries。　The　following　are　the

principal　dispositions　of　this　Act。

　　　　　First；　all　ships；　of　which　the　owners　and　three…fourths　of

the　mariners　are　not　British　subjects；　are　prohibited；　upon　pain

of　forfeiting　ship　and　cargo；　from　trading　to　the　British

settlements　and　plantations；　or　from　being　employed　in　the

coasting　trade　of　Great　Britain。

　　　　　Secondly；　a　great　variety　of　the　most　bulky　articles　of

importation　can　be　brought　into　Great　Britain　only；　either　in

such　ships　as　are　above　described；　or　in　ships　of　the　country

where　those　goods　are　purchased；　and　of　which　the　owners；

masters；　and　three…fourths　of　the　mariners　are　of　that　particular

country；　and　when　imported　even　in　ships　of　this　latter　kind；

they　are　subject　to　double　aliens'　duty。　If　imported　in　ships　of

any　other　country；　the　penalty　is　forfeiture　of　ship　and　goods。

When　this　act　was　made；　the　Dutch　were；　what　they　still　are；　the

great　carriers　of　Europe；　and　by　this　regulation　they　were

entirely　excluded　from　being　the　carriers　to　Great　Britain；　or

from　importing　to　us　the　goods　of　any　other　European　country。

　　　　　Thirdly；　a　great　variety　of　the　most　bulky　articles　of

importation　are　prohibited　from　being　imported；　even　in　British

ships；　from　any　country　but　that　in　which　they　are　produced；

under　pains　of　forfeiting　ship　and　cargo。　This　regulation；　too；

was　probably　intended　against　the　Dutch。　Holland　was　then；　as

now；　the　great　emporium　for　all　European　goods；　and　by　this

regulation　British　ships　were　hindered　from　loading　in　Holland

the　goods　of　any　other　European　country。

　　　　　Fourthly；　salt　fish　of　all　kinds；　whale…fins；　whale…bone；

oil；　and　blubber；　not　caught　by　and　cured　on　board　British

vessels；　when　imported　into　Great　Britain；　are　subjected　to

double　aliens'　duty。　The　Dutch；　as　they　are　they　the　principal；

were　then　the　only　fishers　in　Europe　that　attempted　to　supply

foreign　nations　with　fish。　By　this　regulation；　a　very　heavy

burden　was　laid　upon　their　supplying　Great　Britain。

　　　　　When　the　Act　of　Navigation　was　made；　though　England　and

Holland　were　not　actually　at　war；　the　most　violent　animosity

subsisted　between　the　two　nations。　It　had　begun　during　the

government　of　the　Long　Parliament；　which　first　framed　this　act；

and　it　broke　out　soon　after　in　the　Dutch　wars　during　that　of　the

Protector　and　of　Charles　the　Second。　It　is　not　impossible；

therefore；　that　some　of　the　regulations　of　this　famous　act　may

have　proceeded　from　national　animosity。　They　are　as　wise；

however；　as　if　they　had　all　been　dictated　by　the　most　deliberate

wisdom。　National　animosity　at　that　particular　time　aimed　at　the

very　same　object　which　the　most　deliberate　wisdom　would　have

recommended；　the　diminution　of　the　naval　power　of　Holland；　the

only　naval　power　which　could　endanger　the　security　of　England。

　　　　　The　Act　of　Navigation　is　not　favourable　to　foreign　commerce；

or　to　the　growth　of　that　opulence　which　can　arise　from　it。　The

interest　of　a　nation　in　its　commercial　relations　to　foreign

nations　is；　like　that　of　a　merchant　with　regard　to　the　different

people　with　whom　he　deals；　to　buy　as　cheap　and　to　sell　as　dear　as

possible。　But　it　will　be　most　likely　to　buy　cheap；　when　by　the

most　perfect　freedom　of　trade　it　encourages　all　nations　to　bring

to　it　the　goods　which　it　has　occasion　to　purchase；　and；　for　the

same　reason；　it　will　be　most　likely　to　sell　dear；　when　its

markets　are　thus　filled　with　the　greatest　number　of　buyers。　The

Act　of　Navigation；　it　is　true；　lays　no　burden　upon　foreign　ships

that　come　to　export　the　produce　of　British　industry。　Even　the

ancient　aliens'　duty；　which　used　to　be　paid　upon　all　goods

exported　as　well　as　imported；　has；　by　several　subsequent　acts；

been　taken　off　from　the　greater　part　of　the　articles　of

exportation。　But　if　foreigners；　either　by　prohibitions　or　high

duties；　are　hindered　from　coming　to　sell；　they　cannot　always

afford　to　come　to　buy；　because　coming　without　a　cargo；　they　must

lose　the　freight　from　their　own　country　to　Great　Britain。　By

diminishing　the　number　of　sellers；　therefore；　we　necessarily

diminish　that　of　buyers；　and　are　thus　likely　not　only　to　buy

foreign　goods　dearer；　but　to　sell　our　own　cheaper；　than　if　there

was　a　more　perfect　freedom　of　trade。　As　defence；　however　it　is　of

much　more　importance　than　opulence；　the　Act　of　Navigation　is；

perhaps；　the　wisest　of　all　the　commercial　regulations　of　England。

　　　　　The　second　case；　in　which　it　will　generally　be　advantageous

to　lay　some　burden　upon　foreign　for　the　encouragement　of　domestic

industry　is；　when　some　tax　is　imposed　at　home　upon　the　produce　of

the　latter。　In　this　case；　it　seems　reasonable　that　an　equal　tax

should　be　imposed　upon　the　like　produce　of　the　former。　This　would

not　give　the　monopoly　of　the　home　market　to　domestic　industry；

nor　turn　towards　a　particular　employment　a　greater　share　of　the

stock　and　labour　of　the　country　than　what　would　naturally　go　to

it。　It　would　only　hinder　any　part　of　what　would　naturally　go　to

it　from　being　turned　away　by　the　tax　into　a　less　natural

direction；　and　would　leave　the　competition　between　foreign　and

domestic　industry；　after　the　tax；　as　nearly　as　possible　upon　the

same　footing　as　before　it。　In　Great　Britain；　when　any　such　tax　is

laid　upon　the　produce　of　domestic　industry；　it　is　usual　at　the

same　time；　in　order　to　stop　the　clamorous　complaints　of　our

merchants　and　manufacturers　that　they　will　be　undersold　at　home；

to　lay　a　much　heavier　duty　upon　the　importation　of　all　foreign

goods　of　the　same　kind。

　　　　　This　second　limitation　of　the　freedom　of　trade　according