按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Whether the advantages which one country has over another be
natural or acquired is in this respect of no consequence。 As long
as the one country has those advantages； and the other wants
them； it will always be more advantageous for the latter rather
to buy of the former than to make。 It is an acquired advantage
only； which one artificer has over his neighbour； who exercises
another trade； and yet they both find it more advantageous to buy
of one another than to make what does not belong to their
particular trades。
Merchants and manufacturers are the people who derive the
greatest advantage from this monopoly of the home market。 The
prohibition of the importation of foreign cattle； and of salt
provisions； together with the high duties upon foreign corn；
which in times of moderate plenty amount to a prohibition； are
not near so advantageous to the graziers and farmers of Great
Britain as other regulations of the same kind are to its
merchants and manufacturers。 Manufactures； those of the finer
kind especially； are more easily transported from one country to
another than corn or cattle。 It is in the fetching and carrying
manufactures； accordingly； that foreign trade is chiefly
employed。 In manufactures； a very small advantage will enable
foreigners to undersell our own workmen； even in the home market。
It will require a very great one to enable them to do so in the
rude produce of the soil。 If the free importation of foreign
manufactures were permitted； several of the home manufactures
would probably suffer； and some of them； perhaps； go to ruin
altogether； and a considerable part of the stock and industry at
present employed in them would be forced to find out some other
employment。 But the freest importation of the rude produce of the
soil could have no such effect upon the agriculture of the
country。
If the importation of foreign cattle； for example； were made
ever so free； so few could be imported that the grazing trade of
Great Britain could be little affected by it。 Live cattle are；
perhaps； the only commodity of which the transportation is more
expensive by sea than by land。 By land they carry themselves to
market。 By sea； not only the cattle； but their food and their
water too； must be carried at no small expense and inconveniency。
The short sea between Ireland and Great Britain； indeed； renders
the importation of Irish cattle more easy。 But though the free
importation of them； which was lately permitted only for a
limited time； were rendered perpetual； it could have no
considerable effect upon the interest of the graziers of Great
Britain。 Those parts of Great Britain which border upon the Irish
Sea are all grazing countries。 Irish cattle could never be
imported for their use； but must be driven through those very
extensive countries； at no small expense and inconveniency；
before they could arrive at their proper market。 Fat cattle could
not be driven so far。 Lean cattle； therefore； only could be
imported； and such importation could interfere； not with the
interest of the feeding or fattening countries； to which； by
reducing the price of lean cattle； it would rather be
advantageous； but with that of the breeding countries only。 The
small number of Irish cattle imported since their importation was
permitted； together with the good price at which lean cattle
still continue to sell； seem to demonstrate that even the
breeding countries of Great Britain are never likely to be much
affected by the free importation of Irish cattle。 The common
people of Ireland； indeed； are said to have sometimes opposed
with violence the exportation of their cattle。 But if the
exporters had found any great advantage in continuing the trade；
they could easily； when the law was on their side； have conquered
this mobbish opposition。
Feeding and fattening countries； besides； must always be
highly improved； whereas breeding countries are generally
uncultivated。 The high price of lean cattle； by augmenting the
value of uncultivated land； is like a bounty against improvement。
To any country which was highly improved throughout； it would be
more advantageous to import its lean cattle than to breed them。
The province of Holland； accordingly； is said to follow this
maxim at present。 The mountains of Scotland； Wales； and
Northumberland； indeed； are countries not capable of much
improvement； and seem destined by nature to be the breeding
countries of Great Britain。 The freest importation of foreign
cattle could have no other effect than to hinder those breeding
countries from taking advantage of the increasing population and
improvement of the rest of the kingdom； from raising their price
to an exorbitant height； and from laying a real tax upon all the
more improved and cultivated parts of the country。
The freest importation of salt provisions； in the same
manner； could have as little effect upon the interest of the
graziers of Great Britain as that of live cattle。 Salt provisions
are not only a very bulky commodity； but when compared with fresh
meat； they are a commodity both of worse quality； and as they
cost more labour and expense； of higher price。 They could never；
therefore； come into competition with the fresh meat； though they
might with the salt provisions of the country。 They might be used
for victualling ships for distant voyages and such like uses； but
could never make any considerable part of the food of the people。
The small quantity of salt provisions imported from Ireland since
their importation was rendered free is an experimental proof that
our graziers have nothing to apprehend from it。 It does not
appear that the price of butcher's meat has ever been sensibly
affected by it。
Even the free importation of foreign corn could very little
affect the interest of the farmers of Great Britain。 Corn is a
much more bulky commodity than butcher's meat。 A pound of wheat
at a penny is as dear as a pound of butcher's meat at fourpence。
The small quantity of foreign corn imported even in times of the
greatest scarcity may satisfy our farmers that they can have
nothing to fear from the freest importation。 The average quantity
imported； one year with another； amounts only； according to the
very well informed author of the tracts upon the corn trade； to
twenty…three thousand seven hundred and twenty…eight quarters of
all sorts of grain； and does not exceed the five hundred and
seventy…first part of the annual consumption。 But as the bounty
upon corn occasions a greater exportation in years of plenty； so
it must of consequence occasion a greater importation in years of
scarcity than in the actual state of tillage would otherwise take
place。 By means of it the plenty of one year does not compensate
the scarcity of another； and as the average quantity exported is
necessarily augmented by it； so must likewise； in the actual
state of tillage； the average quantity imported。 If there were no
bounty； as less corn would be exported； so it is probable that；
one year with another； less would be imported than at present。
The corn…merchants； the fetchers and carriers of corn between
Great Britain and foreign countries would have much less
employment； and might suffer considerably； but the country
gentlemen and farmers could suffer very little。 It is in the corn
merchants accordingly； rather than in the country gentlemen and
farmers； that I have observed the greatest anxiety for the
renewal and continuation of the bounty。
Country gentlemen and farmers are； to their great honour； of
all people； the least subject to the wretched spirit of monopoly。
The undertaker of a great manufactory is sometimes alarmed if
another work of the same kind is established within twenty miles
of him。 The Dutch undertaker of the woollen manufacture at
Abbeville stipulated that no work of the same kind should be
established within thirty leagues of that city。 Farmers and
country gentlemen； on the contrary； are generally disposed rather
to promote than to obstruct the cultivation and improvement of
their neighbours' farms and estates。 They have no secrets such as
those of the greater part of manufacturers； but are generally
rather fond of communicating to their neighbours and of extending
as far as possible any new practice which they have found to be
advantageous。 Pius Questus； says old Cato； stabilissimusque；
minimeque invidiosus； minimeque male cogitantes sunt； qui in eo
studio occupati sunt。 Country gentlemen and farmers； dispersed in
different parts of the country； cannot so easily combine as
merchants and manufacturers； who； being collected into towns； and
accustomed to that exclusive corporation spirit which prevails in
them； naturally endeavour to obtain against all their countrymen
the same exclusive privilege which they generally possess against
the inhabitants of their respective towns。 They accordingly seem
to have been the original inventors of those restraints upon the
importation of foreign goods which secure to them the monopoly of
the home market。 It was probably in imi