wealbk04-第47章

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that　they　are　all　carried　on　by　the　capital　of　one　private

merchant。　If　a　nation；　therefore；　is　ripe　for　the　East　India

trade；　a　certain　portion　of　its　capital　will　naturally　divide

itself　among　all　the　different　branches　of　that　trade。　Some　of

its　merchants　will　find　it　for　their　interest　to　reside　in　the

East　Indies；　and　to　employ　their　capitals　there　in　providing

goods　for　the　ships　which　are　to　be　sent　out　by　other　merchants

who　reside　in　Europe。　The　settlements　which　different　European

nations　have　obtained　in　the　East　Indies；　if　they　were　taken　from

the　exclusive　companies　to　which　they　at　present　belong　and　put

under　the　immediate　protection　of　the　sovereign；　would　render

this　residence　both　safe　and　easy；　at　least　to　the　merchants　of

the　particular　nations　to　whom　those　settlements　belong。　If　at

any　particular　time　that　part　of　the　capital　of　any　country　which

of　its　own　accord　tended　and　inclined；　if　I　may　say　so；　towards

the　East　India　trade；　was　not　sufficient　for　carrying　on　all

those　different　branches　of　it；　it　would　be　a　proof　that；　at　that

particular　time；　that　country　was　not　ripe　for　that　trade；　and

that　it　would　do　better　to　buy　for　some　time；　even　at　a　higher

price；　from　other　European　nations；　the　East　India　goods　it　had

occasion　for；　than　to　import　them　itself　directly　from　the　East

Indies。　What　it　might　lose　by　the　high　price　of　those　goods　could

seldom　be　equal　to　the　loss　which　it　would　sustain　by　the

distraction　of　a　large　portion　of　its　capital　from　other

employments　more　necessary；　or　more　useful；　or　more　suitable　to

its　circumstances　and　situation；　than　a　direct　trade　to　the　East

Indies。

　　　　　Though　the　Europeans　possess　many　considerable　settlements

both　upon　the　coast　of　Africa　and　in　the　East　Indies；　they　have

not　yet　established　in　either　of　those　countries　such　numerous

and　thriving　colonies　as　those　in　the　islands　and　continent　of

America。　Africa；　however；　as　well　as　several　of　the　countries

comprehended　under　the　general　name　of　the　East　Indies；　are

inhabited　by　barbarous　nations。　But　those　nations　were　by　no

means　so　weak　and　defenceless　as　the　miserable　and　helpless

Americans；　and　in　proportion　to　the　natural　fertility　of　the

countries　which　they　inhabited；　they　were　besides　much　more

populous。　The　most　barbarous　nations　either　of　Africa　or　of　the

East　Indies　were　shepherds；　even　the　Hottentots　were　so。　But　the

natives　of　every　part　of　America；　except　Mexico　and　Peru；　were

only　hunters；　and　the　difference　is　very　great　between　the　number

of　shepherds　and　that　of　hunters　whom　the　same　extent　of　equally

fertile　territory　can　maintain。　In　Africa　and　the　East　Indies；

therefore；　it　was　more　difficult　to　displace　the　natives；　and　to

extend　the　European　plantations　over　the　greater　part　of　the

lands　of　the　original　inhabitants。　The　genius　of　exclusive

companies；　besides；　is　unfavourable；　it　has　already　been

observed；　to　the　growth　of　new　colonies；　and　has　probably　been

the　principal　cause　of　the　little　progress　which　they　have　made

in　the　East　Indies。　The　Portuguese　carried　on　the　trade　both　to

Africa　and　the　East　Indies　without　any　exclusive　companies；　and

their　settlements　at　Congo；　Angola；　and　Benguela　on　the　coast　of

Africa；　and　at　Goa　in　the　East　Indies；　though　much　depressed　by

superstition　and　every　sort　of　bad　government；　yet　bear　some

faint　resemblance　to　the　colonies　of　America；　and　are　partly

inhabited　by　Portuguese　who　have　been　established　there　for

several　generations。　The　Dutch　settlements　at　the　Cape　of　Good

Hope　and　at　Batavia　are　at　present　the　most　considerable　colonies

which　the　Europeans　have　established　either　in　Africa　or　in　the

East　Indies；　and　both　these　settlements　are　peculiarly　fortunate

in　their　situation。　The　Cape　of　Good　Hope　was　inhabited　by　a　race

of　people　almost　as　barbarous　and　quite　as　incapable　of　defending

themselves　as　the　natives　of　America。　It　is　besides　the　halfway

house；　if　one　may　say　so；　between　Europe　and　the　East　Indies；　at

which　almost　every　European　ship　makes　some　stay；　both　in　going

and　returning。　The　supplying　of　those　ships　with　every　sort　of

fresh　provisions；　with　fruit　and　sometimes　with　wine；　affords

alone　a　very　extensive　market　for　the　surplus　produce　of　the

colonists。　What　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope　is　between　Europe　and　every

part　of　the　East　Indies；　Batavia　is　between　the　principal

countries　of　the　East　Indies。　It　lies　upon　the　most　frequented

road　from　Indostan　to　China　and　Japan；　and　is　nearly　about　midway

upon　that　road。　Almost　all　the　ships；　too；　that　sail　between

Europe　and　China　touch　at　Batavia；　and　it　is；　over　and　above　all

this；　the　centre　and　principal　mart　of　what　is　called　the　country

trade　of　the　East　Indies；　not　only　of　that　part　of　it　which　is

carried　on　by　Europeans；　but　of　that　which　is　carried　on　by　the

native　Indians；　and　vessels　navigated　by　the　inhabitants　of　China

and　Japan；　of　Tonquin；　Malacca；　Cochin　China；　and　the　island　of

Celebes；　are　frequently　to　be　seen　in　its　port。　Such　advantageous

situations　have　enabled　those　two　colonies　to　surmount　all　the

obstacles　which　the　oppressive　genius　of　an　exclusive　company　may

have　occasionally　opposed　to　their　growth。　They　have　enabled

Batavia　to　surmount　the　additional　disadvantage　of　perhaps　the

most　unwholesome　climate　in　the　world。

　　　　　The　English　and　Dutch　companies；　though　they　have

established　no　considerable　colonies；　except　the　two　above

mentioned；　have　both　made　considerable　conquests　in　the　East

Indies。　But　in　the　manner　in　which　they　both　govern　their　new

subjects；　the　natural　genius　of　an　exclusive　company　has　shown

itself　most　distinctly。　In　the　spice　islands　the　Dutch　are　said

to　burn　all　the　spiceries　which　a　fertile　season　produces　beyond

what　they　expect　to　dispose　of　in　Europe　with　such　a　profit　as

they　think　sufficient。　In　the　islands　where　they　have　no

settlements；　they　give　a　premium　to　those　who　collect　the　young

blossoms　and　green　leaves　of　the　clove　and　nutmeg　trees　which

naturally　grow　there；　but　which　the　savage　policy　has　now；　it　is

said；　almost　completely　extirpated。　Even　in　the　islands　where

they　have　settlements　they　have　very　much　reduced；　it　is　said；

the　number　of　those　trees。　If　the　produce　even　of　their　own

islands　was　much　greater　than　what　suited　their　market；　the

natives；　they　suspect；　might　find　means　to　convey　some　part　of　it

to　other　nations；　and　the　best　way；　they　imagine；　to　secure　their

own　monopoly　is　to　take　care　that　no　more　shall　grow　than　what

they　themselves　carry　to　market。　By　different　arts　of　oppression

they　have　reduced　the　population　of　several　of　the　Moluccas

nearly　to　the　number　which　is　sufficient　to　supply　with　fresh

provisions　and　other　necessaries　of　life　their　own　insignificant

garrisons；　and　such　of　their　ships　as　occasionally　come　there　for

a　cargo　of　spices。　Under　the　government　even　of　the　Portuguese；

however；　those　islands　are　said　to　have　been　tolerably　well

inhabited。　The　English　company　have　not　yet　had　time　to　establish

in　Bengal　so　perfectly　destructive　a　system。　The　plan　of　their

government；　however；　has　had　exactly　the　same　tendency。　It　has

not　been　uncommon；　I　am　well　assured；　for　the　chief；　that　is；　the

first　clerk　of　a　factory；　to　order　a　peasant　to　plough　up　a　rich

field　of　poppies　and　sow　it　with　rice　or　some　other　grain。　The

pretence　was；　to　prevent　a　scarcity　of　provisions；　but　the　real

reason；　to　give　the　chief　an　opportunity　of　selling　at　a　better

price　a　large　quantity　of　opium；　which　he　happened　then　to　have

upon　hand。　Upon　other　occasions　the　order　has　been　reversed；　and

a　rich　field　of　rice　or　other　grain　has　been　ploughed　up；　in

order　to　make　room　for　a　plantation　of　poppies；　when　the　chief

foresaw　that　extraordinary　profit　was　likely　to　be　made　by　opium。

The　servants　of　the　company　have　upon　several　occasions　attempted

to　establish　in　their　own　favour　the　monopoly　of　some　of　the　most

important　branches；　not　only　of　the　foreign；　but　of　the　inland

trade　of　the　country。　Had　they　been　allowed　to　go　on；　it　is

impossible　that　they　should　not　at　some　time　or　another　have

attempted　to　restrain　the　production　of　the　particular　articles

of　which　they　had　thus　usurped　the　monopoly；　not　only　to　the

quantity　which　they　themselves　could　purchase；　but　to　that　which

they　could　expect　to　sell　with　such　a　profit　as　they　might　think

sufficient。　In　the　course　of　the　century　or　two；　the　policy　of

the　English　company　would　in　this　manner　have　probably　proved　as

completely　destructive　as　that　of　the　Dutch。

　　　　　Nothing；　however；　can　be　more　directly　contrary　to　the　real

interest　of　those　companies；　considered　as　the　sovereigns　of　the

countries　which　they　have　conquered；　than　this　destructive　plan。

In　almost　all　countries　the　revenue　of　the　sovereign　is　drawn

from　that　of　the　people。　The　greater　the　revenue　of　the　people；

therefore；　the　greater　the　annual　produce　of　their　land　and

labour；　the　more　they　can　afford　to　the　sovereign。　It　is　his

interest；　therefore；　to　increase　as　much　as　possible　that　annual

produce。　But　if　this　is　the　interest　of　every　sovereign；　it　is

peculiarly　so　of　one　whose　revenue；　like　that　of　the　sovereign　of

Bengal；　arises　chiefly　from　a　land…rent。　That　rent　must

necessarily　be　in　proportion　to　the　quantity　and　value　of　the

produce；　and　both　the　one　and　the　other　must　depend　upon　the

extent　of　the　market。　The　quantity　will　always　be　suited　with

more　or　less　exactness　to　the　consumption　of　those　who　can　afford

to　pay　for　it；　and　the　price　which　they　will　pay　will　always　be

in　proportion　to　the　eagerness　of　their　competition。　It　is　the

interest　of　such　a　sovereign；　therefore；　to　open　the　most

extensive　market　for　the　produce　of　his　country；　to　allow　the

most　perfect　freedom　of　commerce；　in　order　to　increase　as　much　as

possible　the　number　and　the　competition　of　buyers；　and　upon　this

account　to　abolish；　not　only　all　monopolies；　but　all　restraints

upon　the　transportation　of　the　home　produce　from　one　part　of　the

country　to　another；　upon　its　exportation　to　foreign　countries；　or

upon　the　importation　of　goods　of　any　kind　for　which　it　can　be

exchanged。　It　is　in　this　manner　most　likely　to　increase　both　the

quantity　and　value　of　that　produce；　and　consequently　of　his　own

share　of　it；　or　of　his　own　revenue。

　　　　　But　a　company　of　merchants　are；　it　seems；　incapable　of

considering　themselves　as　sovereigns；　even　after　they　have　become

such。　Trade；　or　buying　in　order　to　sell　again；　they　still

consider　as　their　principal　business；　and　by　a　strange　absurdity

regard　the　character　of　the　sovereign　as　but　an　appendix　to　that

of　the　merchant；　as　something　which　ought　to　be　made　subservient

to　it；　or　by　means　of　which　they　may　be　enabled　to　buy　cheaper　in

India；　and　thereby　to　sell　with　a　better　profit　in　Europe。　They

endeavour　for　this　purpose　to　keep　out　as　much　as　possible　all

competitors　from　the　market　of　the　countries　which　are　subject　to

their　government；　and　consequently　to　reduce；　at　least；　some　part

of　the　surplus　produce　of　those　countries　to　what　is　barely

sufficient　for　supply