wealbk04-第45章

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appearance　of　reason　too；　would　not　be　of　very　long　continuance。

Such　has　hitherto　been　the　rapid　progress　of　that　country　in

wealth；　population；　and　improvement；　that　in　the　course　of　little

more　than　a　century；　perhaps；　the　produce　of　American　might

exceed　that　of　British　taxation。　The　seat　of　the　empire　would

then　naturally　remove　itself　to　that　part　of　the　empire　which

contributed　most　to　the　general　defence　and　support　of　the　whole。

　　　　　The　discovery　of　America；　and　that　of　a　passage　to　the　East

Indies　by　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope；　are　the　two　greatest　and　most

important　events　recorded　in　the　history　of　mankind。　Their

consequences　have　already　been　very　great；　but；　in　the　short

period　of　between　two　and　three　centuries　which　has　elapsed　since

these　discoveries　were　made；　it　is　impossible　that　the　whole

extent　of　their　consequences　can　have　been　seen。　What　benefits　or

what　misfortunes　to　mankind　may　hereafter　result　from　those　great

events；　no　human　wisdom　can　foresee。　By　uniting；　in　some　measure；

the　most　distant　parts　of　the　world；　by　enabling　them　to　relieve

one　another's　wants；　to　increase　one　another's　enjoyments；　and　to

encourage　one　another's　industry；　their　general　tendency　would

seem　to　be　beneficial。　To　the　natives　however；　both　of　the　East

and　West　Indies；　all　the　commercial　benefits　which　can　have

resulted　from　those　events　have　been　sunk　and　lost　in　the

dreadful　misfortunes　which　they　have　occasioned。　These

misfortunes；　however；　seem　to　have　arisen　rather　from　accident

than　from　anything　in　the　nature　of　those　events　themselves。　At

the　particular　time　when　these　discoveries　were　made；　the

superiority　of　force　happened　to　be　so　great　on　the　side　of　the

Europeans　that　they　were　enabled　to　commit　with　impunity　every

sort　of　injustice　in　those　remote　countries。　Hereafter；　perhaps；

the　natives　of　those　countries　may　grow　stronger；　or　those　of

Europe　may　grow　weaker；　and　the　inhabitants　of　all　the　different

quarters　of　the　world　may　arrive　at　that　equality　of　courage　and

force　which；　by　inspiring　mutual　fear；　can　alone　overawe　the

injustice　of　independent　nations　into　some　sort　of　respect　for

the　rights　of　one　another。　But　nothing　seems　more　likely　to

establish　this　equality　of　force　than　that　mutual　communication

of　knowledge　and　of　all　sorts　of　improvements　which　an　extensive

commerce　from　all　countries　to　all　countries　naturally；　or　rather

necessarily；　carries　along　with　it。

　　　　　In　the　meantime　one　of　the　principal　effects　of　those

discoveries　has　been　to　raise　the　mercantile　system　to　a　degree

of　splendour　and　glory　which　it　could　never　otherwise　have

attained　to。　It　is　the　object　of　that　system　to　enrich　a　great

nation　rather　by　trade　and　manufactures　than　by　the　improvement

and　cultivation　of　land；　rather　by　the　industry　of　the　towns　than

by　that　of　the　country。　But；　in　consequence　of　those　discoveries；

the　commercial　towns　of　Europe；　instead　of　being　the

manufacturers　and　carriers　for　but　a　very　small　part　of　the　world

（that　part　of　Europe　which　is　washed　by　the　Atlantic　Ocean；　and

the　countries　which　lie　round　the　Baltic　and　Mediterranean　seas）；

have　now　become　the　manufacturers　for　the　numerous　and　thriving

cultivators　of　America；　and　the　carriers；　and　in　some　respects

the　manufacturers　too；　for　almost　all　the　different　nations　of

Asia；　Africa；　and　America。　Two　new　worlds　have　been　opened　to

their　industry；　each　of　them　much　greater　and　more　extensive　than

the　old　one；　and　the　market　of　one　of　them　growing　still　greater

and　greater　every　day。

　　　　　The　countries　which　possess　the　colonies　of　America；　and

which　trade　directly　to　the　East　Indies；　enjoy；　indeed；　the　whole

show　and　splendour　of　this　great　commerce。　Other　countries；

however；　notwithstanding　all　the　invidious　restraints　by　which　it

is　meant　to　exclude　them；　frequently　enjoy　a　greater　share　of　the

real　benefit　of　it。　The　colonies　of　Spain　and　Portugal；　for

example；　give　more　real　encouragement　to　the　industry　of　other

countries　than　to　that　of　Spain　and　Portugal。　In　the　single

article　of　linen　alone　the　consumption　of　those　colonies　amounts；

it　is　said；　but　I　do　not　pretend　to　warrant　the　quantity；　to　more

than　three　millions　sterling　a　year。　But　this　great　consumption

is　almost　entirely　supplied　by　France；　Flanders；　Holland；　and

Germany。　Spain　and　Portugal　furnish　but　a　small　part　of　it。　The

capital　which　supplies　the　colonies　with　this　great　quantity　of

linen　is　annually　distributed　among；　and　furnishes　a　revenue　to

the　inhabitants　of；　those　other　countries。　The　profits　of　it　only

are　spent　in　Spain　and　Portugal；　where　they　help　to　support　the

sumptuous　profusion　of　the　merchants　of　Cadiz　and　Lisbon。

　　　　　Even　the　regulations　by　which　each　nation　endeavours　to

secure　to　itself　the　exclusive　trade　of　its　own　colonies　are

frequently　more　hurtful　to　the　countries　in　favour　of　which　they

are　established　than　to　those　against　which　they　are　established。

The　unjust　oppression　of　the　industry　of　other　countries　falls

back；　if　I　may　say　so；　upon　the　heads　of　the　oppressors；　and

crushes　their　industry　more　than　it　does　that　of　those　other

countries。　By　those　regulations　for　example；　the　merchant　of

Hamburg　must　send　the　linen　which　he　destines　for　the　American

market　to　London；　and　he　must　bring　back　from　thence　the　tobacco

which　he　destines　for　the　German　market；　because　he　can　neither

send　the　one　directly　to　America　nor　bring　back　the　other

directly　from　thence。　By　this　restraint　he　is　probably　obliged　to

sell　the　one　somewhat　cheaper；　and　to　sell　the　one　somewhat

cheaper；　and　to　buy　the　other　somewhat　dearer　than　he　otherwise

might　have　done；　and　his　profits　are　probably　somewhat　abridged

by　means　of　it。　In　this　trade；　however；　between　Hamburg　and

London；　he　certainly　receives　the　returns　of　his　capital　much

more　quickly　than　he　could　possibly　have　done　in　the　direct　trade

to　America；　even　though　we　should　suppose；　what　is　by　no　means

the　case；　that　the　payments　of　America　were　as　punctual　as　those

of　London。　In　the　trade；　therefore；　to　which　those　regulations

confine　the　merchant　of　Hamburg；　his　capital　can　keep　in　constant

employment　a　much　greater　quantity　of　German　industry　than　it

possibly　could　have　done　in　the　trade　from　which　he　is　excluded。

Though　the　one　employment；　therefore；　may　to　him　perhaps　be　less

profitable　than　the　other；　it　cannot　be　less　advantageous　to　his

country。　It　is　quite　otherwise　with　the　employment　into　which　the

monopoly　naturally　attracts；　if　I　may　say　so；　the　capital　of　the

London　merchant。　That　employment　may；　perhaps；　be　more　profitable

to　him　than　the　greater　part　of　other　employments；　but；　on

account　of　the　slowness　of　the　returns；　it　cannot　be　more

advantageous　to　his　country。

　　　　　After　all　the　unjust　attempts；　therefore；　of　every　country

in　Europe　to　engross　to　itself　the　whole　advantage　of　the　trade

of　its　own　colonies；　no　country　has　yet　been　able　to　engross

itself　anything　but　the　expense　of　supporting　in　time　of　peace

and　of　defending　in　time　of　war　the　oppressive　authority　which　it

assumes　over　them。　The　inconveniencies　resulting　from　the

possession　of　its　colonies；　every　country　has　engrossed　to　itself

completely。　The　advantages　resulting　from　their　trade　it　has　been

obliged　to　share　with　many　other　countries。

　　　　　At　first　sight；　no　doubt；　the　monopoly　of　the　great　commerce

of　America　naturally　seems　to　be　an　acquisition　of　the　highest

value。　To　the　undiscerning　eye　of　giddy　ambition；　it　naturally

presents　itself　amidst　the　confused　scramble　of　politics　and　war

as　a　very　dazzling　object　to　fight　for。　The　dazzling　splendour　of

the　object；　however；　the　immense　greatness　of　the　commerce；　is

the　very　quality　which　renders　the　monopoly　of　it　hurtful；　or

which　makes　one　employment；　in　its　own　nature　necessarily　less

advantageous　to　the　country　than　the　greater　part　of　other

employments；　absorb　a　much　greater　proportion　of　the　capital　of

the　country　than　what　would　otherwise　have　gone　to　it。

　　　　　The　mercantile　stock　of　every　country；　it　has　been　shown　in

the　second　book；　naturally　seeks；　if　one　may　say　so；　the

employment　most　advantageous　to　that　country。　If　it　is　employed

in　the　carrying　trade；　the　country　to　which　it　belongs　becomes

the　emporium　of　the　goods　of　all　the　countries　whose　trade　that

stock　carries　on。　But　the　owner　of　that　stock　necessarily　wishes

to　dispose　of　as　great　a　part　of　those　goods　as　he　can　at　home。

He　thereby　saves　himself　the　trouble；　risk；　and　expense　of

exportation；　and　he　will　upon　that　account　be　glad　to　sell　them

at　home；　not　only　for　a　much　smaller　price；　but　with　somewhat　a

smaller　profit　than　he　might　expect　to　make　by　sending　them

abroad。　He　naturally；　therefore；　endeavours　as　much　as　he　can　to

turn　his　carrying　trade　into　a　foreign　trade　of　consumption。　If

his　stock；　again；　is　employed　in　a　foreign　trade　of　consumption；

he　will；　for　the　same　reason；　be　glad　to　dispose　of　at　home　as

great　a　part　as　he　can　of　the　home　goods；　which　he　collects　in

order　to　export　to　some　foreign　market；　and　he　will　thus

endeavour；　as　much　as　he　can；　to　turn　his　foreign　trade　of

consumption　into　a　home　trade。　The　mercantile　stock　of　every

country　naturally　courts　in　this　manner　the　near；　and　shuns　the

distant　employment；　naturally　courts　the　employment　in　which　the

returns　are　frequent；　and　shuns　that　in　which　they　are　distant

and　slow；　naturally　courts　the　employment　in　which　it　can

maintain　the　greatest　quantity　of　productive　labour　in　the

country　to　which　it　belongs；　or　in　which　its　owner　resides；　and

shuns　that　in　which　it　can　maintain　there　the　smallest　quantity。

It　naturally　courts　the　employment　which　in　ordinary　cases　is

most　advantageous；　and　shuns　that　which　in　ordinary　cases　is

least　advantageous　to　that　country。

　　　　　But　if　in　any　of　those　distant　employments；　which　in

ordinary　cases　are　less　advantageous　to　the　country；　the　profit

should　happen　to　rise　somewhat　higher　than　what　is　sufficient　to

balance　the　natural　preference　which　is　given　to　nearer

employments；　this　superiority　of　profit　will　draw　stock　from

those　nearer　employments；　till　the　profits　of　all　return　to　their

proper　level。　This　superiority　of　profit；　however；　is　a　proof

that；　in　the　actual　circumstances　of　the　society；　those　distant

employments　are　somewhat　understocked　in　proportion　to　other

employments；　and　that　the　stock　of　the　society　is　not　distributed

in　the　properest　manner　among　all　the　different　employments

carried　on　in　it。　It　is　a　proof　that　something　is　either　bought

cheaper　or　sold　dearer　than　it　ought　to　be；　and　that　some

particular　class　of　citizens　is　more　or　less　oppressed　either　by

paying　more　or　by　getting　less　than　what　is　suitable　to　that

equality　which　ought　to　take　place；　and　which　naturally　does　take

place　among　all　the　different　classes　of　them。　Though　the　same

capital　never　will　maintain　the　same　quantity　of　productive

labour　in　a　distant　as　in　a　near　employment；　yet　a　distant

employment　may　be　as　necessary　for　the　welfare　of　the　society　as

a　near　one；　the　goods　which