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wealbk04-第45章

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America; consist; first; in the increase of its enjoyments; and;

secondly; in the augmentation of its industry。

     The surplus produce of America; imported into Europe;

furnishes the inhabitants of this great continent with a variety

of commodities which they could not otherwise have possessed;

some for conveniency and use; some for pleasure; and some for

ornament; and thereby contributes to increase their enjoyments。

     The discovery and colonization of America; it will readily

be allowed; have contributed to augment the industry; first; of

all the countries which trade to it directly; such as Spain;

Portugal; France; and England; and; secondly; of all those which;

without trading to it directly; send; through the medium of other

countries; goods to it of their own produce; such as Austrian

Flanders; and some provinces of Germany; which; through the

medium of the countries before mentioned; send to it a

considerable quantity of linen and other goods。 All such

countries have evidently gained a more extensive market for their

surplus produce; and must consequently have been encouraged to

increase its quantity。

     But that those great events should likewise have contributed

to encourage the industry of countries; such as Hungary and

Poland; which may never; perhaps; have sent a single commodity of

their own produce to America; is not; perhaps; altogether so

evident。 That those events have done so; however; cannot be

doubted。 Some part of the produce of America is consumed in

Hungary and Poland; and there is some demand there for the sugar;

chocolate; and tobacco of that new quarter of the world。 But

those commodities must be purchased with something which is

either the produce of the industry of Hungary and Poland; or with

something which had been purchased with some part of that

produce。 Those commodities of America are new values; new

equivalents; introduced into Hungary and Poland to be exchanged

there for the surplus produce of those countries。 By being

carried thither they create a new and more extensive market for

that surplus produce。 They raise its value; and thereby

contribute to encourage its increase。 Though no part of it may

ever be carried to America; it may be carried to other countries

which purchase it with a part of their share of the surplus

produce of America; and it may find a market by means of the

circulation of that trade which was originally put into motion by

the surplus produce of America。

     Those great events may even have contributed to increase the

enjoyments; and to augment the industry of countries which not

only never sent any commodities to America; but never received

any from it。 Even such countries may have received a greater

abundance of other commodities from countries of which the

surplus produce had been augmented by means of the American

trade。 This greater abundance; as it must necessarily have

increased their enjoyments; so it must likewise have augmented

their industry。 A greater number of new equivalents of some kind

or other must have been presented to them to be exchanged for the

surplus produce of that industry。 A more extensive market must

have been created for that surplus produce so as to raise its

value; and thereby encourage its increase。 The mass of

commodities annually thrown into the great circle of European

commerce; and by its various revolutions annually distributed

among all the different nations comprehended within it; must have

been augmented by the whole surplus produce of America。 A greater

share of this greater mass; therefore; is likely to have fallen

to each of those nations; to have increased their enjoyments; and

augmented their industry。

     The exclusive trade of the mother countries tends to

diminish; or; at least; to keep down below what they would

otherwise rise to; both the enjoyments and industry of all those

nations in general; and of the American colonies in particular。

It is a dead weight upon the action of one of the great springs

which puts into motion a great part of the business of mankind。

By rendering the colony produce dearer in all other countries; it

lessens its consumption; and thereby cramps the industry of the

colonies; and both the enjoyments and the industry of all other

countries; which both enjoy less when they pay more for what they

enjoy; and produce less when they get less for what they produce。

By rendering the produce of all other countries dearer in the

colonies; it cramps; in the same manner the industry of all other

countries; and both the enjoyments and the industry of the

colonies。 It is a clog which; for the supposed benefit of some

particular countries; embarrasses the pleasures and encumbers the

industry of all other countries; but of the colonies more than of

any other。 It not only excludes; as much as possible; all other

countries from one particular market; but it confines; as much as

Possible; the colonies to one particular market; and the

difference is very great between being excluded from one

particular market; when all others are open; and being confined

to one particular market; when all others are shut up。 The

surplus produce of the colonies; however; is the original source

of all that increase of enjoyments and industry which Europe

derives from the discovery and colonization of America; and the

exclusive trade of the mother countries tends to render this

source much less abundant than it otherwise would be。

     The particular advantages which each colonizing country

derives from the colonies which particularly belong to it are of

two different kinds; first; those common advantages which every

empire derives from the provinces subject to its dominion; and;

secondly; those peculiar advantages which are supposed to result

from provinces of so very peculiar a nature as the European

colonies of America。

     The common advantages which every empire derives from the

provinces subject to its dominion consist; first; in the military

force which they furnish for its defence; and; secondly; in the

revenue which they furnish for the support of its civil

government。 The Roman colones furnished occasionally both the one

and the other。 The Greek colonies; sometimes; furnished a

military force; but seldom any revenue。 They seldom acknowledged

themselves subject to the dominion of the mother city。 They were

generally her allies in war; but very seldom her subjects in

peace。

     The European colonies of America have never yet furnished

any military force for the defence of the mother country。 Their

military force has never yet been sufficient for their own

defence; and in the different wars in which the mother countries

have been engaged; the defence of their colonies has generally

occasioned a very considerable distraction of the military force

of those countries。 In this respect; therefore; all the European

colonies have; without exception; been a cause rather of weakness

than of strength to their respective mother countries。

     The colonies of Spain and Portugal only have contributed any

revenue towards the defence of the mother country; or the support

of her civil government。 The taxes which have been levied upon

those of other European nations; upon those of England in

particular; have seldom been equal to the expense laid out upon

them in time of peace; and never sufficient to defray that which

they occasioned in time of war。 Such colonies; therefore; have

been a source of expense and not of revenue to their respective

mother countries。

     The advantages of such colonies to their respective mother

countries consist altogether in those peculiar advantages which

are supposed to result from provinces of so very peculiar a

nature as the European colonies of America; and the exclusive

trade; it is acknowledged; is the sole source of all those

peculiar advantages。

     In consequence of this exclusive trade; all that part of the

surplus produce of the English colonies; for example; which

consists in what are called enumerated commodities; can be sent

to no other country but England。 Other countries must afterwards

buy it of her。 It must be cheaper therefore in England than it

can be in any other country; and must contribute more to increase

the enjoyments of England than those of any other country。 It

must likewise contribute more to encourage her industry。 For all

those parts of her own surplus produce which England exchanges

for those enumerated commodities; she must get a better price

than any other countries can get for the like parts of theirs;

when they exchange them for the same commodities。 The

manufacturers of England; for example; will purchase a greater

quantity of the sugar and tobacco of her own colonies than the

like manufactures of other countries can purchase of that sugar

and tobacco。 So far; therefore; as the manufactures of England

and those of other countries are both to be exchanged for the

sugar and tobacco of the English colonies; this superiority of

price gives an encouragement to the former beyond what the lat
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