wealbk02-第7章

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！


employ；　amounts　exactly　to　forty　thousand　pounds；　and　that　for

answering　occasional　demands；　this　bank　is　obliged　to　keep　at　all

times　in　its　coffers　ten　thousand　pounds　in　gold　and　silver。

Should　this　bank　attempt　to　circulate　forty…four　thousand　pounds；

the　four　thousand　pounds　which　are　over　and　above　what　the

circulation　can　easily　absorb　and　employ；　will　return　upon　it

almost　as　fast　as　they　are　issued。　For　answering　occasional

demands；　therefore；　this　bank　ought　to　keep　at　all　times　in　its

coffers；　not　eleven　thousand　pounds　only；　but　fourteen　thousand

pounds。　It　will　thus　gain　nothing　by　the　interest　of　the　four

thousand　pounds'　excessive　circulation；　and　it　will　lose　the

whole　expense　of　continually　collecting　four　thousand　pounds　in

gold　and　silver；　which　will　be　continually　going　out　of　its

coffers　as　fast　as　they　are　brought　into　them。

　　　　　Had　every　particular　banking　company　always　understood　and

attended　to　its　own　particular　interest；　the　circulation　never

could　have　been　overstocked　with　paper　money。　But　every

particular　banking　company　has　not　always　understood　or　attended

to　its　own　particular　interest；　and　the　circulation　has

frequently　been　overstocked　with　paper　money。

　　　　　By　issuing　too　great　a　quantity　of　paper；　of　which　the

excess　was　continually　returning；　in　order　to　be　exchanged　for

gold　and　silver；　the　Bank　of　England　was　for　many　years　together

obliged　to　coin　gold　to　the　extent　of　between　eight　hundred

thousand　pounds　and　a　million　a　year；　or　at　an　average；　about

eight　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　pounds。　For　this　great　coinage

the　bank　（in　consequence　of　the　worn　and　degraded　state　into

which　the　gold　coin　had　fallen　a　few　years　ago）　was　frequently

obliged　to　purchase　gold　bullion　at　the　high　price　of　four　pounds

an　ounce；　which　it　soon　after　issued　in　coin　at　53　17s。　10　1/2d。

an　ounce；　losing　in　this　manner　between　two　and　a　half　and　three

per　cent　upon　the　coinage　of　so　very　large　a　sum。　Though　the　bank

therefore　paid　no　seignorage；　though　the　government　was　properly

at　the　expense　of　the　coinage；　this　liberality　of　government　did

not　prevent　altogether　the　expense　of　the　bank。

　　　　　The　Scotch　banks；　in　consequence　of　an　excess　of　the　same

kind；　were　all　obliged　to　employ　constantly　agents　at　London　to

collect　money　for　them；　at　an　expense　which　was　seldom　below　one

and　a　half　or　two　per　cent。　This　money　was　sent　down　by　the

waggon；　and　insured　by　the　carriers　at　an　additional　expense　of

three　quarters　per　cent　or　fifteen　shillings　on　the　hundred

pounds。　Those　agents　were　not　always　able　to　replenish　the

coffers　of　their　employers　so　fast　as　they　were　emptied。　In　this

case　the　resource　of　the　banks　was　to　draw　upon　their

correspondents　in　London　bills　of　exchange　to　the　extent　of　the

sum　which　they　wanted。　When　those　correspondents　afterwards　drew

upon　them　for　the　payment　of　this　sum；　together　with　the　interest

and　a　commission；　sonic　of　those　banks；　from　the　distress　into

which　their　excessive　circulation　had　thrown　them；　had　sometimes

no　other　means　of　satisfying　this　draught　but　by　drawing　a　second

set　of　bills　either　upon　the　same；　or　upon　some　other

correspondents　in　London；　and　the　same　sum；　or　rather　bills　for

the　same　sum；　would　in　this　manner　make　sometimes　more　than　two

or　three　journeys；　the　debtor；　bank；　paying　always　the　interest

and　commission　upon　the　whole　accumulated　sum。　Even　those　Scotch

banks　which　never　distinguished　themselves　by　their　extreme

imprudence；　were　sometimes　obliged　to　employ　this　ruinous

resource。

　　　　　The　gold　coin　which　was　paid　out　either　by　the　Bank　of

England；　or　by　the　Scotch　banks；　in　exchange　for　that　part　of

their　paper　which　was　over　and　above　what　could　be　employed　in

the　circulation　of　the　country；　being　likewise　over　and　above

what　could　be　employed　in　that　circulation；　was　sometimes　sent

abroad　in　the　shape　of　coin；　sometimes　melted　down　and　sent

abroad　in　the　shape　of　bullion；　and　sometimes　melted　down　and

sold　to　the　Bank　of　England　at　the　high　price　of　four　pounds　an

ounce。　It　was　the　newest；　the　heaviest；　and　the　best　pieces　only

which　were　carefully　picked　out　of　the　whole　coin；　and　either

sent　abroad　or　melted　down。　At　home；　and　while　they　remained　in

the　shape　of　coin；　those　heavy　pieces　were　of　no　more　value　than

the　light。　But　they　were　of　more　value　abroad；　or　when　melted

down　into　bullion；　at　home。　The　Bank　of　England；　notwithstanding

their　great　annual　coinage；　found　to　their　astonishment　that

there　was　every　year　the　same　scarcity　of　coin　as　there　had　been

the　year　before；　and　that　notwithstanding　the　great　quantity　of

good　and　new　coin　which　was　every　year　issued　from　the　bank；　the

state　of　the　coin；　instead　of　growing　better　and　better；　became

every　year　worse　and　worse。　Every　year　they　found　themselves

under　the　necessity　of　coining　nearly　the　same　quantity　of　gold

as　they　had　coined　the　year　before；　and　from　the　continual　rise

in　the　price　of　gold　bullion；　in　consequence　of　the　continual

wearing　and　clipping　of　the　coin；　the　expense　of　this　great

annual　coinage　became　every　year　greater　and　greater。　The　Bank　of

England；　it　is　to　be　observed；　by　supplying　its　own　coffers　with

coin；　is　indirectly　obliged　to　supply　the　whole　kingdom；　into

which　coin　is　continually　flowing　from　those　coffers　in　a　great

variety　of　ways。　Whatever　coin　therefore　was　wanted　to　support

this　excessive　circulation　both　of　Scotch　and　English　paper

money；　whatever　vacuities　this　excessive　circulation　occasioned

in　the　necessary　coin　of　the　kingdom；　the　Bank　of　England　was

obliged　to　supply　them。　The　Scotch　banks；　no　doubt；　paid　all　of

them　very　dearly　for　their　own　imprudence　and　inattention。　But

the　Bank　of　England　paid　very　dearly；　not　only　for　its　own

imprudence；　but　for　the　much　greater　imprudence　of　almost　all　the

Scotch　banks。

　　　　　The　overtrading　of　some　bold　projectors　in　both　parts　of　the

United　Kingdom　was　the　original　cause　of　this　excessive

circulation　of　paper　money。

　　　　　What　a　bank　can　with　propriety　advance　to　a　merchant　or

undertaker　of　any　kind；　is　not　either　the　whole　capital　with

which　he　trades；　or　even　any　considerable　part　of　that　capital；

but　that　part　of　it　only　which　he　would　otherwise　be　obliged　to

keep　by　him　unemployed；　and　in　ready　money　for　answering

occasional　demands。　If　the　paper　money　which　the　bank　advances

never　exceeds　this　value；　it　can　never　exceed　the　value　of　the

gold　and　silver　which　would　necessarily　circulate　in　the　country

if　there　was　no　paper　money；　it　can　never　exceed　the　quantity

which　the　circulation　of　the　country　can　easily　absorb　and

employ。

　　　　　When　a　bank　discounts　to　a　merchant　a　real　bill　of　exchange

drawn　by　a　real　creditor　upon　a　real　debtor；　and　which；　as　soon

as　it　becomes　due；　is　really　paid　by　that　debtor；　it　only

advances　to　him　a　part　of　the　value　which　he　would　otherwise　be

obliged　to　keep　by　him　unemployed　and　in　ready　money　for

answering　occasional　demands。　The　payment　of　the　bill；　when　it

becomes　due；　replaces　to　the　bank　the　value　of　what　it　had

advanced；　together　with　the　interest。　The　coffers　of　the　bank；　so

far　as　its　dealings　are　confined　to　such　customers；　resemble　a

water　pond；　from　which；　though　a　stream　is　continually　running

out；　yet　another　is　continually　running　in；　fully　equal　to　that

which　runs　out；　so　that；　without　any　further　care　or　attention；

the　pond　keeps　always　equally；　or　very　near　equally　full。　Little

or　no　expense　can　ever　be　necessary　for　replenishing　the　coffers

of　such　a　bank。

　　　　　A　merchant；　without　overtrading；　may　frequently　have

occasion　for　a　sum　of　ready　money；　even　when　he　has　no　bills　to

discount。　When　a　bank；　besides　discounting　his　bills；　advances

him　likewise　upon　such　occasions　such　sums　upon　his　cash　account；

and　accepts　of　a　piecemeal　repayment　as　the　money　comes　in　from

the　occasional　sale　of　his　goods；　upon　the　easy　terms　of　the

banking　companies　of　Scotland；　it　dispenses　him　entirely　from　the

necessity　of　keeping　any　part　of　his　stock　by　him　unemployed　and

in　ready　money　for　answering　occasional　demands。　When　such

demands　actually　come　upon　him；　he　can　answer　them　sufficiently

from　his　cash　account。　The　bank；　however；　in　dealing　with　such

customers；　ought　to　observe　with　great　attention；　whether　in　the

course　of　some　short　period　（of　four；　five；　six；　or　eight　months

for　example）　the　sum　of　the　repayments　which　it　commonly　receives

from　them　is；　or　is　not；　fully　equal　to　that　of　the　advances

which　it　commonly　makes　to　them。　If；　within　the　course　of　such

short　periods；　the　sum　of　the　repayments　from　certain　customers

is；　upon　most　occasions；　fully　equal　to　that　of　the　advances；　it

may　safely　continue　to　deal　with　such　customers。　Though　the

stream　which　is　in　this　case　continually　running　out　from　its

coffers　may　be　very　large；　that　which　is　continually　running　into

them　must　be　at　least　equally　large；　so　that　without　any　further

care　or　attention　those　coffers　are　likely　to　be　always　equally

or　very　near　equally　full；　and　scarce　ever　to　require　any

extraordinary　expense　to　replenish　them。　If；　on　the　contrary；　the

sum　of　the　repayments　from　certain　other　customers　falls　commonly

very　much　short　of　the　advances　which　it　makes　to　them；　it　cannot

with　any　safety　continue　to　deal　with　such　customers；　at　least　if

they　continue　to　deal　with　it　in　this　manner。　The　stream　which　is

in　this　case　continually　running　out　from　its　coffers　is

necessarily　much　larger　than　that　which　is　continually　running

in；　so　that；　unless　they　are　replenished　by　some　great　and

continual　effort　of　expense；　those　coffers　must　soon　be　exhausted

altogether。

　　　　　The　banking　companies　of　Scotland；　accordingly；　were　for　a

long　time　very　careful　to　require　frequent　and　regular　repayments

from　all　their　customers；　and　did　not　care　to　deal　with　any

person；　whatever　might　be　his　fortune　or　credit；　who　did　not

make；　what　they　called；　frequent　and　regular　operations　with

them。　By　this　attention；　besides　saving　almost　entirely　the

extraordinary　expense　of　replenishing　their　coffers；　they　gained

two　other　very　considerable　advantages。

　　　　　First；　by　this　attention　they　were　enabled　to　make　some

tolerable　judgment　concerning　the　thriving　or　declining

circumstances　of　their　debtors；　without　being　obliged　to　look　out

for　any　other　evidence　besides　what　their　own　books　afforded

them；　men　being　for　the　most　part　either　regular　or　irregular　in

their　repayments；　according　as　their　circumstances　are　either

thriving　or　declining。　A　private　man　who　lends　out　his　money　to

perhaps　half　a　dozen　or　a　dozen　of　debtors；　may；　either　by

himself　or　his　agents；　observe　and　inquire　both　constantly　and

carefully　into　the　conduct　and　situation　of　each　of　them。　But　a

banking　company；　which　lends　money　to　perhaps　five　hundred

different　people；　and　of　which　the　attention　is　continually

occupied　by　objects　of　a　very　different　kind；　can　have　no　regular

information　concerning　the　conduct　and　circumstances　of　the

greater　part　of　its　debtors　beyond　what　its　own　books　afford　it。

In　requ