wealbk04-第52章

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litharge　of　lead。　If　you　expect　horses；　all　these　are　either

materials　of　manufacture；　or　incomplete　manufactures　（which　may

be　considered　as　materials　for　still　further　manufacture）；　or

instruments　of　trade。　This　statute　leaves　them　subject　to　all　the

old　duties　which　had　ever　been　imposed　upon　them；　the　old　subsidy

and　one　per　cent　outwards。

　　　　　By　the　same　statute　a　great　number　of　foreign　drugs　for

dyers'　use　are　exempted　from　all　duties　upon　importation。　Each　of

them；　however；　is　afterwards　subjected　to　a　certain　duty；　not

indeed　a　very　heavy　one；　upon　exportation。　Our　dyers；　it　seems；

while　they　thought　it　for　their　interest　to　encourage　the

importation　of　those　drugs；　by　an　exemption　from　all　duties；

thought　it　likewise　for　their　interest　to　throw　some　small

discouragement　upon　their　exportation。　The　avidity；　however；

which　suggested　this　notable　piece　of　mercantile　ingenuity；　most

probably　disappointed　itself　of　its　object。　It　necessarily　taught

the　importers　to　be　more　careful　than　they　might　otherwise　have

been　that　their　importation　should　not　exceed　what　was　necessary

for　the　supply　of　the　home　market。　The　home　market　was　at　all

times　likely　to　be　more　scantily　supplied；　the　commodities　were

at　all　times　likely　to　be　somewhat　dearer　there　than　they　would

have　been　had　the　exportation　been　rendered　as　free　as　the

importation。

　　　　　By　the　above…mentioned　statute；　gum　senega；　or　gum　arabic；

being　among　the　enumerated　dyeing　drugs；　might　be　imported　duty

free。　They　were　subjected；　indeed；　to　a　small　poundage　duty；

amounting　only　to　threepence　in　the　hundredweight　upon　their

re…exportation。　France　enjoyed；　at　that　time；　an　exclusive　trade

to　the　country　most　productive　of　those　drugs；　that　which　lies　in

the　neighbourhood　of　the　Senegal；　and　the　British　market　could

not　easily　be　supplied　by　the　immediate　importation　of　them　from

the　place　of　growth。　By　the　25th　George　II；　therefore；　gum　senega

was　allowed　to　be　imported　（contrary　to　the　general　dispositions

of　the　Act　of　Navigation）　from　any　part　of　Europe。　As　the　law；

however；　did　not　mean　to　encourage　this　species　of　trade；　so

contrary　to　the　general　principles　of　the　mercantile　policy　of

England；　it　imposed　a　duty　of　ten　shillings　the　hundredweight

upon　such　importation；　and　no　part　of　this　duty　was　to　be

afterwards　drawn　back　upon　its　exportation。　The　successful　war

which　began　in　1755　gave　Great　Britain　the　same　exclusive　trade

to　those　countries　which　France　had　enjoyed　before。　Our

manufacturers；　as　soon　as　the　peace　was　made；　endeavoured　to

avail　themselves　of　this　advantage；　and　to　establish　a　monopoly

in　their　own　favour　both　against　the　growers　and　against　the

importers　of　this　commodity。　By　the　5th　George　III；　therefore；　c。

37；　the　exportation　of　gum　senega　from　his　Majesty's　dominions　in

Africa　was　confined　to　Great　Britain；　and　was　subjected　to　all

the　same　restrictions；　regulations；　forfeitures；　and　penalties　as

that　of　the　enumerated　commodities　of　the　British　colonies　in

America　and　the　West　Indies。　Its　importation；　indeed；　was

subjected　to　a　small　duty　of　sixpence　the　hundredweight；　but　its

re…exportation　was　subjected　to　the　enormous　duty　of　one　pound

ten　shillings　the　hundredweight。　It　was　the　intention　of　our

manufacturers　that　the　whole　produce　of　those　countries　should　be

imported　into　Great　Britain；　and；　in　order　that　they　themselves

might　be　enabled　to　buy　it　at　their　own　price；　that　no　part　of　it

should　be　exported　again　but　at　such　an　expense　as　would

sufficiently　discourage　that　exportation。　Their　avidity；　however；

upon　this；　as　well　as　upon　many　other　occasions；　disappointed

itself　of　its　object。　This　enormous　duty　presented　such　a

temptation　to　smuggling　that　great　quantities　of　this　commodity

were　clandestinely　exported；　probably　to　all　the　manufacturing

countries　of　Europe；　put　particularly　to　Holland；　not　only　from

Great　Britain　but　from　Africa。　Upon　this　account；　by　the　14th

George　III；　c。　10；　this　duty　upon　exportation　was　reduced　to　five

shillings　the　hundredweight。

　　　　　In　the　book　of　rates；　according　to　which　the　Old　Subsidy　was

levied；　beaver　skins　were　estimated　at　six　shillings　and

eightpence　a　piece；　and　the　different　subsidies　and　imposts；

which　before　the　year　1722　had　been　laid　upon　their　importation；

amounted　to　one…fifth　part　of　the　rate；　or　to　sixteenpence　upon

each　skin；　all　of　which；　except　half　the　Old　Subsidy；　amounting

only　to　twopence；　was　drawn　back　upon　exportation。　This　duty　upon

the　importation　of　so　important　a　material　of　manufacture　had

been　thought　too　high；　and　in　the　year　1722　the　rate　was　reduced

to　two　shillings　and　sixpence；　which　reduced　the　duty　upon

importation　to　sixpence；　and　of　this　only　one　half　was　to　be

drawn　back　upon　exportation。　The　same　successful　war　put　the

country　most　productive　of　beaver　under　the　dominion　of　Great

Britain；　and　beaver　skins　being　among　the　enumerated　commodities；

their　exportation　from　America　was　consequently　confined　to　the

market　of　Great　Britain。　Our　manufacturers　soon　bethought

themselves　of　the　advantage　which　they　might　make　of　this

circumstance；　and　in　the　year　1764　the　duty　upon　the　importation

of　beaver…skin　was　reduced　to　one　penny；　but　the　duty　upon

exportation　was　raised　to　sevenpence　each　skin；　without　any

drawback　of　the　duty　upon　importation。　By　the　same　law；　a　duty　of

eighteenpence　the　pound　was　imposed　upon　the　exportation　of

beaverwool　or　wombs；　without　making　any　alteration　in　the　duty

upon　the　importation　of　that　commodity；　which；　when　imported　by

Britain　and　in　British　shipping；　amounted　at　that　time　to　between

fourpence　and　fivepence　the　piece。

　　　　　Coals　may　be　considered　both　as　a　material　of　manufacture

and　as　an　instrument　of　trade。　Heavy　duties；　accordingly；　have

been　imposed　upon　their　exportation；　amounting　at　present　（1783）

to　more　than　five　shillings　the　ton；　or　to　more　than　fifteen

shillings　the　chaldron；　Newcastle　measures；　which　is　in　most

cases　more　than　the　original　value　of　the　commodity　at　the　coal

pit；　or　even　at　the　shipping　port　for　exportation。

　　　　　The　exportation；　however；　of　the　instruments　of　trade；

properly　so　called；　is　commonly　restrained；　not　by　high　duties；

but　by　absolute　prohibitions。　Thus　by　the　7th　and　8th　of　William

III；　c。　20；　sect。　8；　the　exportation　of　frames　or　engines　for

knitting　gloves　or　stockings　is　prohibited　under　the　penalty；　not

only　of　the　forfeiture　of　such　frames　or　engines　so　exported；　or

attempted　to　be　exported；　but　of　forty　pounds；　one　half　to　the

king；　the　other　to　the　person　who　shall　inform　or　sue　for　the

same。　In　the　same　manner；　by　the　14th　George　III；　c。　71；　the

exportation　to　foreign　parts　of　any　utensils　made　use　of　in　the

cotton；　linen；　woollen；　and　silk　manufactures　is　prohibited　under

the　penalty；　not　only　of　the　forfeiture　of　such　utensils；　but　of

two　hundred　pounds；　to　be　paid　by　the　person　who　shall　offend　in

this　manner；　and　likewise　of　two　hundred　pounds　to　be　paid　by　the

master　of　the　ship　who　shall　knowingly　suffer　such　utensils　to　be

loaded　on　board　his　ship。

　　　　　When　such　heavy　penalties　were　imposed　upon　the　exportation

of　the　dead　instruments　of　trade；　it　could　not　well　be　expected

that　the　living　instrument；　the　artificer；　should　be　allowed　to

go　free。　Accordingly；　by　the　5th　George　I；　c。　27；　the　person　who

shall　be　convicted　of　enticing　any　artificer　of；　or　in　any　of　the

manufactures　of　Great　Britain；　to　go　into　any　foreign　parts　in

order　to　practise　or　teach　his　trade；　is　liable　for　the　first

offence　to　be　fined　in　any　sum　not　exceeding　one　hundred　pounds；

and　to　three　months'　imprisonment；　and　until　the　fine　shall　be

paid；　and　for　the　second　offence；　to　be　fined　in　any　sum　at　the

discretion　of　the　court；　and　to　imprisonment　for　twelve　months；

and　until　the　fine　shall　be　paid。　By　the　23rd　George　II；　c。　13；

this　penalty　is　increased　for　the　first　offence　to　five　hundred

pounds　for　every　artificer　so　enticed；　and　to　twelve　months'

imprisonment；　and　until　the　fine　shall　be　paid；　and　for　the

second　offence；　to　one　thousand　pounds；　and　to　two　years'

imprisonment；　and　until　the　fine　shall　be　paid。

　　　　　By　the　former　of　those　two　statutes；　upon　proof　that　any

person　has　been　enticing　any　artificer；　or　that　any　artificer　has

promised　or　contracted　to　go　into　foreign　parts　for　the　purposes

aforesaid；　such　artificer　may　be　obliged　to　give　security　at　the

discretion　of　the　court　that　he　shall　not　go　beyond　the　seas；　and

may　be　committed　to　prison　until　he　give　such　security。

　　　　　If　any　artificer　has　gone　beyond　the　seas；　and　is　exercising

or　teaching　his　trade　in　any　foreign　country；　upon　warning　being

given　to　him　by　any　of　his　Majesty's　ministers　or　consuls　abroad；

or　by　one　of　his　Majesty's　Secretaries　of　State　for　the　time

being；　if　he　does　not；　within　six　months　after　such　warning；

return　into　this　realm；　and　from　thenceforth　abide　and　inhabit

continually　within　the　same；　he　is　from　thenceforth　declared

incapable　of　taking　any　legacy　devised　to　him　within　this

kingdom；　or　of　being　executor　or　administrator　to　any　person；　or

of　taking　any　lands　within　this　kingdom　by　descent；　device；　or

purchase。　He　likewise　forfeits　to　the　king　all　his　lands；　goods；

and　chattels；　is　declared　an　alien　in　every　respect；　and　is　put

out　of　the　king's　protection。

　　　　　It　is　unnecessary；　I　imagine；　to　observe　how　contrary　such

regulations　are　to　the　boasted　liberty　of　the　subject；　of　which

we　affect　to　be　so　very　jealous；　but　which；　in　this　case；　is　so

plainly　sacrificed　to　the　futile　interests　of　our　merchants　and

manufacturers。

　　　　　The　laudable　motive　of　all　these　regulations　is　to　extend

our　own　manufactures；　not　by　their　own　improvement；　but　by　the

depression　of　those　of　all　our　neighbours；　and　by　putting　an　end；

as　much　as　possible；　to　the　troublesome　competition　of　such

odious　and　disagreeable　rivals。　Our　master　manufacturers　think　it

reasonable　that　they　themselves　should　have　the　monopoly　of　the

ingenuity　of　all　their　countrymen。　Though　by　restraining；　in　some

trades；　the　number　of　apprentices　which　can　be　employed　at　one

time；　and　by　imposing　the　necessity　of　a　long　apprenticeship　in

all　trades；　they　endeavour；　all　of　them；　to　confine　the　knowledge

of　their　respective　employments　to　as　small　a　number　as　possible；

they　are　unwilling；　however；　that　any　part　of　this　small　number

should　go　abroad　to　instruct　foreigners。

　　　　　Consumption　is　the　sole　end　and　purpose　of　all　production；

and　the　interest　of　the　producer　ought　to　be　attended　to　only　so

far　as　it　may　be　necessary　for　promoting　that　of　the　consumer。

The　maxim　is　so　perfectly　self　evident　that　it　would　be　absurd　to

attempt　to　prove　it。　But　in　the　mercantile　system　the　interest　of

the　consumer　is　almost　constantly　sacrificed　to　that　of　the

producer；　and　it　seems　to　consider　production；　and　not

consumption；　as　the　ultimate　end　and　object　of　all　industry　and

commerce。

　　　　　In　the　restraints　upon　the　importation　of　all　foreign

commodities　which　can　come　into　competition　with　those　of　our　own

growth　or　m