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wealbk04-第21章

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c。 15; sect。 12); all the duties; except L3 10s。; were allowed to

be drawn back upon the exportation to the colonies of all wines;

except French wines; to the commerce and consumption of which

national prejudice would allow no sort of encouragement。 The

period between the granting of this indulgence and the revolt of

our North American colonies was probably too short to admit of

any considerable change in the customs of those countries。

     The same act; which; in the drawback upon all wines; except

French wines; thus favoured the colonies so much more than other

countries; in those upon the greater part of other commodities

favoured them much less。 Upon the exportation of the greater part

of commodities to other countries; half the old subsidy was drawn

back。 But this law enacted that no part of that duty should be

drawn back upon the exportation to the colonies of any

commodities; of the growth or manufacture either of Europe or the

East Indies; except wines; white calicoes; and muslins。

     Drawbacks were; perhaps; originally granted for the

encouragement of the carrying trade; which; as the freight of the

ships is frequently paid by foreigners in money; was supposed to

be peculiarly fitted for bringing gold and silver into the

country。 But though the carrying trade certainly deserves no

peculiar encouragement; though the motive of the institution was

perhaps abundantly foolish; the institution itself seems

reasonable enough。 Such drawbacks cannot force into this trade a

greater share of the capital of the country than what would have

gone to it of its own accord had there been no duties upon

importation。 They only prevent its being excluded altogether by

those duties。 The carrying trade; though it deserves no

preference; ought not to be precluded; but to be left free like

all other trades。 It is a necessary resource for those capitals

which cannot find employment either in the agriculture or in the

manufactures of the country; either in its home trade or in its

foreign trade of consumption。

     The revenue of the customs; instead of suffering; profits

from such drawbacks by that part of the duty which is retained。

If the whole duties had been retained; the foreign goods upon

which they are paid could seldom have been exported; nor

consequently imported; for want of a market。 The duties;

therefore; of which a part is retained would never have been

paid。

     These reasons seem sufficiently to justify drawbacks; and

would justify them; though the whole duties; whether upon the

produce of domestic industry; or upon foreign goods; were always

drawn back upon exportation。 The revenue of excise would in this

case; indeed; suffer a little; and that of the customs a good

deal more; but the natural balance of industry; the natural

division and distribution of labour; which is always more or less

disturbed by such duties; would be more nearly re…established by

such a regulation。

     These reasons; however; will justify drawbacks only upon

exporting goods to those countries which are altogether foreign

and independent; not to those in which our merchants and

manufacturers enjoy a monopoly。 A drawback; for example; upon the

exportation of European goods to our American colonies will not

always occasion a greater exportation than what would have taken

place without it。 By means of the monopoly which our merchants

and manufacturers enjoy there; the same quantity might

frequently; perhaps; be sent thither; though the whole duties

were retained。 The drawback; therefore; may frequently be pure

loss to the revenue of excise and customs; without altering the

state of the trade; or rendering it in any respect more

extensive。 How far such drawbacks can be justified; as a proper

encouragement to the industry of our colonies; or how far it is

advantageous to the mother country; that they should be exempted

from taxes which are paid by all the rest of their fellow

subjects; will appear hereafter when I come to treat the

colonies。

     Drawbacks; however; it must always be understood; are useful

only in those cases in which the goods for the exportation of

which they are given are really exported to some foreign country;

and not clandestinely re…imported into our own。 That some

drawbacks; particularly those upon tobacco; have frequently been

abused in this manner; and have given occasion to many frauds

equally hurtful both to the revenue and to the fair trader; is

well known。



                          CHAPTER V



                         Of Bounties 



     BOUNTIES upon exportation are; in Great Britain; frequently

petitioned for; and sometimes granted to the produce of

particular branches of domestic industry。 By means of them our

merchants and manufacturers; it is pretended; will be enabled to

sell their goods as cheap; or cheaper than their rivals in the

foreign market。 A greater quantity; it is said; will thus be

exported; and the balance of trade consequently turned more in

favour of our own country。 We cannot give our workmen a monopoly

in the foreign as we have done in the home market。 We cannot

force foreigners to buy their goods as we have done our own

countrymen。 The next best expedient; it has been thought;

therefore; is to pay them for buying。 It is in this manner that

the mercantile system proposes to enrich the whole country; and

to put money into all our pockets by means of the balance of

trade。

     Bounties; it is allowed; ought to be given to those branches

of trade only which cannot be carried on without them。 But every

branch of trade in which the merchant can sell his goods for a

price which replaces to him; with the ordinary profits of stock;

the whole capital employed in preparing and sending them to

market; can be carried on without a bounty。 Every such branch is

evidently upon a level with all the other branches of trade which

are carried on without bounties; and cannot therefore require one

more than they。 Those trades only require bounties in which the

merchant is obliged to sell his goods for a price which does not

replace to him his capital; together with the ordinary profit; or

in which he is obliged to sell them for less than it really costs

him to send them to market。 The bounty is given in order to make

up this loss; and to encourage him to continue; or perhaps to

begin; a trade of which the expense is supposed to be greater

than the returns; of which every operation eats up a part of the

capital employed in it; and which is of such a nature that; if

all other trades resembled it; there would soon be no capital

left in the country。

     The trades; it is to be observed; which are carried on by

means of bounties; are the only ones which can be carried on

between two nations for any considerable time together; in such a

manner as that one of them shall always and regularly lose; or

sell its goods for less than it really costs to send them to

market。 But if the bounty did not repay to the merchant what he

would otherwise lose upon the price of his goods; his own

interest would soon oblige him to employ his stock in another

way; or to find out a trade in which the price of the goods would

replace to him; with the ordinary profit; the capital employment

in sending them to market。 The effect of bounties; like that of

all the other expedients of the mercantile system; can only be to

force the trade of a country into a channel much less

advantageous than that in which it would naturally run of its own

accord。

     The ingenious and well…informed author of the tracts upon

the corn trade has shown very clearly that; since the bounty upon

the exportation of corn was first established; the price of the

corn exported; valued moderately enough; has exceeded that of the

corn imported; valued very high; by a much greater sum than the

amount of the whole bounties which have been paid during that

period。 This; he imagines; upon the true principles of the

mercantile system; is a clear proof that this forced corn trade

is beneficial to the nation; the value of the exportation

exceeding that of the importation by a much greater sum than the

whole extraordinary expense which the public has been at in order

to get it exported。 He does not consider that this extraordinary

expense; or the bounty; is the smallest part of the expense which

the exportation of corn really costs the society。 The capital

which the farmer employed in raising it must likewise be taken

into the account。 Unless the price of the corn when sold in the

foreign markets replaces; not only the bounty; but this capital;

together with the ordinary profits of stock; the society is a

loser by the difference; or the national stock is so much

diminished。 But the very reason for which it has been thought

necessary to grant a bounty is the supposed insufficiency of the

price to do this。

     The average price of corn; it has been said; has fallen

considerably since the establishment of the bounty。 That the

average price of corn began to fall somewhat towards the end of

the last century
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