wealbk04-第16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！


and　north…western　coasts　of　France；　the　returns　might　be

expected；　in　the　same　manner　as　in　the　inland　trade；　four；　five；

or　six　times　in　the　year。　The　capital；　therefore；　employed　in

this　trade　could　in　each　of　the　two　countries　keep　in　motion

four；　five；　or　six　times　the　quantity　of　industry；　and　afford

employment　and　subsistence　to　four；　five；　or　six　times　the　number

of　people；　which　an　equal　capital　could　do　in　the　greater　part　of

the　other　branches　of　foreign　trade。　Between　the　parts　of　France

and　Great　Britain　most　remote　from　one　another；　the　returns　might

be　expected；　at　least；　once　in　the　year；　and　even　this　trade

would　so　far　be　at　least　equally　advantageous　as　the　greater　part

of　the　other　branches　of　our　foreign　European　trade。　It　would　be；

at　least；　three　times　more　advantageous　than　the　boasted　trade

with　our　North　American　colonies；　in　which　the　returns　were

seldom　made　in　less　than　three　years；　frequently　not　in　less　than

four　or　five　years。　France；　besides；　is　supposed　to　contain

twenty…four　millions　of　inhabitants。　Our　North　American　colonies

were　never　supposed　to　contain　more　than　three　millions；　and

France　is　a　much　richer　country　than　North　America；　though；　on

account　of　the　more　unequal　distribution　of　riches；　there　is　much

more　poverty　and　beggary　in　the　one　country　than　in　the　other。

France；　therefore；　could　afford　a　market　at　least　eight　times

more　extensive；　and；　on　account　of　the　superior　frequency　of　the

returns；　four…and…twenty　times　more　advantageous　than　that　which

our　North　American　colonies　ever　afforded。　The　trade　of　Great

Britain　would　be　just　as　advantageous　to　France；　and；　in

proportion　to　the　wealth；　population；　and　proximity　of　the

respective　countries；　would　have　the　same　superiority　over　that

which　France　carries　on　with　her　own　colonies。　Such　is　the　very

great　difference　between　that　trade；　which　the　wisdom　of　both

nations　has　thought　proper　to　discourage；　and　that　which　it　has

favoured　the　most。

　　　　　But　the　very　same　circumstances　which　would　have　rendered　an

open　and　free　commerce　between　the　two　countries　so　advantageous

to　both；　have　occasioned　the　principal　obstructions　to　that

commerce。　Being　neighbours；　they　are　necessarily　enemies；　and　the

wealth　and　power　of　each　becomes；　upon　that　account；　more

formidable　to　the　other；　and　what　would　increase　the　advantage　of

national　friendship　serves　only　to　inflame　the　violence　of

national　animosity。　They　are　both　rich　and　industrious　nations；

and　the　merchants　and　manufacturers　of　each　dread　the　competition

of　the　skill　and　activity　of　those　of　the　other。　Mercantile

jealousy　is　excited；　and　both　inflames；　and　is　itself　inflamed；

by　the　violence　of　national　animosity；　and　the　traders　of　both

countries　have　announced；　with　all　the　passionate　confidence　of

interested　falsehood；　the　certain　ruin　of　each；　in　consequence　of

that　unfavourable　balance　of　trade；　which；　they　pretend；　would　be

the　infallible　effect　of　an　unrestrained　commerce　with　the　other。

　　　　　There　is　no　commercial　country　in　Europe　of　which　the

approaching　ruin　has　not　frequently　been　foretold　by　the

pretended　doctors　of　this　system　from　an　unfavourable　balance　of

trade。　After　all　the　anxiety；　however；　which　they　have　excited

about　this；　after　all　the　vain　attempts　of　almost　all　trading

nations　to　turn　that　balance　in　their　own　favour　and　against

their　neighbours；　it　does　not　appear　that　any　one　nation　in

Europe　has　been　in　any　respect　impoverished　by　this　cause。　Every

town　and　country；　on　the　contrary；　in　proportion　as　they　have

opened　their　ports　to　all　nations；　instead　of　being　ruined　by

this　free　trade；　as　the　principles　of　the　commercial　system　would

lead　us　to　expect；　have　been　enriched　by　it。　Though　there　are　in

Europe；　indeed；　a　few　towns　which　in　some　respects　deserve　the

name　of　free　ports；　there　is　no　country　which　does　so。　Holland；

perhaps；　approaches　the　nearest　to　this　character　of　any　though

still　very　remote　from　it；　and　Holland；　it　is　acknowledged；　not

only　derives　its　whole　wealth；　but　a　great　part　of　its　necessary

subsistence；　from　foreign　trade。

　　　　　There　is　another　balance；　indeed；　which　has　already　been

explained；　very　different　from　the　balance　of　trade；　and　which；

according　as　it　happens　to　be　either　favourable　or　unfavourable；

necessarily　occasions　the　prosperity　or　decay　of　every　nation。

This　is　the　balance　of　the　annual　produce　and　consumption。　If　the

exchangeable　value　of　the　annual　produce；　it　has　already　been

observed；　exceeds　that　of　the　annual　consumption；　the　capital　of

the　society　must　annually　increase　in　proportion　to　this　excess。

The　society　in　this　case　lives　within　its　revenue；　and　what　is

annually　saved　out　of　its　revenue　is　naturally　added　to　its

capital；　and　employed　so　as　to　increase　still　further　the　annual

produce。　If　the　exchangeable　value　of　the　annual　produce；　on　the

contrary；　fail　short　of　the　annual　consumption；　the　capital　of

the　society　must　annually　decay　in　proportion　to　this　deficiency。

The　expense　of　the　society　in　this　case　exceeds　its　revenue；　and

necessarily　encroaches　upon　its　capital。　Its　capital；　therefore；

must　necessarily　decay；　and　together　with　it　the　exchangeable

value　of　the　annual　produce　of　its　industry。

　　　　　This　balance　of　produce　and　consumption　is　entirely

different　from　what　is　called　the　balance　of　trade。　It　might　take

place　in　a　nation　which　had　no　foreign　trade；　but　which　was

entirely　separated　from　all　the　world。　It　may　take　place　in　the

whole　globe　of　the　earth；　of　which　the　wealth；　population；　and

improvement　may　be　either　gradually　increasing　or　gradually

decaying。

　　　　　The　balance　of　produce　and　consumption　may　be　constantly　in

favour　of　a　nation；　though　what　is　called　the　balance　of　trade　be

generally　against　it。　A　nation　may　import　to　a　greater　value　than

it　exports　for　half　a　century；　perhaps；　together；　the　gold　and

silver　which　comes　into　it　during　an　this　time　may　be　all

immediately　sent　out　of　it；　its　circulating　coin　may　gradually

decay；　different　sorts　of　paper　money　being　substituted　in　its

place；　and　even　the　debts；　too；　which　it　contracts　in　the

principal　nations　with　whom　it　deals；　may　be　gradually

increasing；　and　yet　its　real　wealth；　the　exchangeable　value　of

the　annual　produce　of　its　lands　and　labour；　may；　during　the　same

period；　have　been　increasing　in　a　much　greater　proportion。　The

state　of　our　North　American　colonies；　and　of　the　trade　which　they

carried　on　with　Great　Britain；　before　the　commencement　of　the

present　disturbances；　may　serve　as　a　proof　that　this　is　by　no

means　an　impossible　supposition。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　IV



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Of　Drawbacks　



　　　　　MERCHANTS　and　manufacturers　are　not　contented　with　the

monopoly　of　the　home　market；　but　desire　likewise　the　most

extensive　foreign　sale　for　their　goods。　Their　country　has　no

jurisdiction　in　foreign　nations；　and　therefore　can　seldom　procure

them　any　monopoly　there。　They　are　generally　obliged；　therefore；

to　content　themselves　with　petitioning　for　certain　encouragements

to　exportation。

　　　　　Of　these　encouragements　what　are　called　Drawbacks　seem　to　be

the　most　reasonable。　To　allow　the　merchant　to　draw　back　upon

exportation；　either　the　whole　or　a　part　of　whatever　excise　or

inland　duty　is　imposed　upon　domestic　industry；　can　never　occasion

the　exportation　of　a　greater　quantity　of　goods　than　what　would

have　been　exported　had　no　duty　been　imposed。　Such　encouragements

do　not　tend　to　turn　towards　any　particular　employment　a　greater

share　of　the　capital　of　the　country　than　what　would　go　to　that

employment　of　its　own　accord；　but　only　to　hinder　the　duty　from

driving　away　any　part　of　that　share　to　other　employments。　They

tend　not　to　overturn　that　balance　which　naturally　establishes

itself　among　all　the　various　employments　of　the　society；　but　to

hinder　it　from　being　overturned　by　the　duty。　They　tend　not　to

destroy；　but　to　preserve　what　it　is　in　most　cases　advantageous　to

preserve；　the　natural　division　and　distribution　of　labour　in　the

society。

　　　　　The　same　thing　may　be　said　of　the　drawbacks　upon　the

re…exportation　of　foreign　goods　imported；　which　in　Great　Britain

generally　amount　to　by　much　the　largest　part　of　the　duty　upon

importation。　By　the　second　of　the　rules　annexed　to　the　Act　of

Parliament　which　imposed　what　is　now　called　the　Old　Subsidy；

every　merchant；　whether　English　or　alien；　was　allowed　to　draw

back　half　that　duty　upon　exportation；　the　English　merchant；

provided　the　exportation　took　place　within　twelve　months；　the

alien；　provided　it　took　place　within　nine　months。　Wines；

currants；　and　wrought　silks　were　the　only　goods　which　did　not

fall　within　this　rule；　having　other　and　more　advantageous

allowances。　The　duties　imposed　by　this　Act　of　Parliament　were　at

that　time　the　only　duties　upon　the　importation　of　foreign　goods。

The　term　within　which　this　and　all　other　drawbacks　could　be

claimed　was　afterwards　（by　the　7th　George　I；　c。　21；　sect。　10）

extended　to　three　years。

　　　　　The　duties　which　have　been　imposed　since　the　Old　Subsidy

are；　the　greater　part　of　them；　wholly　drawn　back　upon

exportation。　This　general　rule；　however；　is　liable　to　a　great

number　of　exceptions；　and　the　doctrine　of　drawbacks　has　become　a

much　less　simple　matter　than　it　was　at　their　first　institution。

　　　　　Upon　the　exportation　of　some　foreign　goods；　of　which　it　was

expected　that　the　importation　would　greatly　exceed　what　was

necessary　for　the　home　consumption；　the　whole　duties　are　drawn

back；　without　retaining　even　half　the　Old　Subsidy。　Before　the

revolt　of　our　North　American　colonies；　we　had　the　monopoly　of　the

tobacco　of　Maryland　and　Virginia。　We　imported　about　ninety…six

thousand　hogsheads；　and　the　home　consumption　was　not　supposed　to

exceed　fourteen　thousand。　To　facilitate　the　great　exportation

which　was　necessary；　in　order　to　rid　us　of　the　rest；　the　whole

duties　were　drawn　back；　provided　the　exportation　took　place

within　three　years。

　　　　　We　still　have；　though　not　altogether；　yet　very　nearly；　the

monopoly　of　the　sugars　of　our　West　Indian　Islands。　If　sugars　are

exported　within　a　year；　therefore；　all　the　duties　upon

importation　are　drawn　back；　and　if　exported　within　three　years

all　the　duties；　except　half　the　Old　Subsidy；　which　still

continues　to　be　retained　upon　the　exportation　of　the　greater　part

of　goods。　Though　the　importation　of　sugar　exceeds；　a　good　deal；

what　is　necessary　for　the　home　consumption；　the　excess　is

inconsiderable　in　comparison　of　what　it　used　to　be　in　tobacco。

　　　　　Some　goods；　the　particular　objects　of　the　jealousy　of　our

own　manufacturers；　are　prohibited　to　be　imported　for　home

consumption。　They　may；　however；　upon　paying　certain　duties；　be

imported　and　warehoused　for　exportation。　But　upon　such

exportation；　no　part　of　these　duties　are　drawn　back。　Our

manufacturers　are　unwilling；　it　seems；　that　even　this　restricted

importation　should　be　encouraged；　and　are　afraid　lest　some　part

of　these　goods　should　be　stolen　out　of　the　warehouse；　and　thus

come　into　competition　with　their　own。　It　is