wealbk02-第31章

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proportion　to　the　extent　of　the　land　and　the　number　of　its

inhabitants；　by　far　the　richest　country　in　Europe；　has；

accordingly；　the　greatest　share　of　the　carrying　trade　of　Europe。

England；　perhaps　the　second　richest　country　of　Europe；　is

likewise　supposed　to　have　a　considerable　share　of　it；　though　what

commonly　passes　for　the　carrying　trade　of　England　will

frequently；　perhaps；　be　found　to　be　no　more　than　a　round…about

foreign　trade　of　consumption。　Such　are；　in　a　great　measure；　the

trades　which　carry　the　goods　of　the　East　and　West　Indies；　and　of

America；　to　different　European　markets。　Those　goods　are　generally

purchased　either　immediately　with　the　produce　of　British

industry；　or　with　something　else　which　had　been　purchased　with

that　produce；　and　the　final　returns　of　those　trades　are　generally

used　or　consumed　in　Great　Britain。　The　trade　which　is　carried　on

in　British　bottoms　between　the　different　ports　of　the

Mediterranean；　and　some　trade　of　the　same　kind　carried　on　by

British　merchants　between　the　different　ports　of　India；　make；

perhaps；　the　principal　branches　of　what　is　properly　the　carrying

trade　of　Great　Britain。

　　　　　The　extent　of　the　home　trade　and　of　the　capital　which　can　be

employed　in　it；　is　necessarily　limited　by　the　value　of　the

surplus　produce　of　all　those　distant　places　within　the　country

which　have　occasion　to　exchange　their　respective　productions　with

another：　that　of　the　foreign　trade　of　consumption；　by　the　value

of　the　surplus　produce　of　the　whole　country　and　of　what　can　be

purchased　with　it：　that　of　the　carrying　trade　by　the　value　of　the

surplus　produce　of　all　the　different　countries　in　the　world。　Its

possible　extent；　therefore；　is　in　a　manner　infinite　in　comparison

of　that　of　the　other　two；　and　is　capable　of　absorbing　the

greatest　capitals。

　　　　　The　consideration　of　his　own　private　profit　is　the　sole

motive　which　determines　the　owner　of　any　capital　to　employ　it

either　in　agriculture；　in　manufactures；　or　in　some　particular

branch　of　the　wholesale　or　retail　trade。　The　different　quantities

of　productive　labour　which　it　may　put　into　motion；　and　the

different　values　which　it　may　add　to　the　annual；　produce　of　the

land　and　labour　of　the　society；　according　as　it　is　employed　in

one　or　other　of　those　different　ways；　never　enter　into　his

thoughts。　In　countries；　therefore；　where　agriculture　is　the　most

profitable　of　all　employments；　and　farming　and　improving　the　most

direct　roads　to　a　splendid　fortune；　the　capitals　of　individuals

will　naturally　be　employed　in　the　manner　most　advantageous　to　the

whole　society。　The　profits　of　agriculture；　however；　seem　to　have

no　superiority　over　those　of　other　employments　in　any　part　of

Europe。　Projectors；　indeed；　in　every　corner　of　it；　have　within

these　few　years　amused　the　public　with　most　magnificent　accounts

of　the　profits　to　be　made　by　the　cultivation　and　improvement　of

land。　Without　entering　into　any　particular　discussion　of　their

calculations；　a　very　simple　observation　may　satisfy　us　that　the

result　of　them　must　be　false。　We　see　every　day　the　most　splendid

fortunes　that　have　been　acquired　in　the　course　of　a　single　life

by　trade　and　manufacturers；　frequently　from　a　very　small　capital；

sometimes　from　no　capital。　A　single　instance　of　such　a　fortune

acquired　by　agriculture　in　the　same　time；　and　from　such　a

capital；　has　not；　perhaps；　occurred　in　Europe　during　the　course

of　the　present　century。　In　all　the　great　countries　of　Europe；

however；　much　good　land　still　remains　uncultivated；　and　the

greater　part　of　what　is　cultivated　is　far　from　being　improved　to

the　degree　of　which　it　is　capable。　Agriculture；　therefore；　is

almost　everywhere　capable　of　absorbing　a　much　greater　capital

than　has　ever　yet　been　employed　in　it。　What　circumstances　in　the

policy　of　Europe　have　given　the　trades　which　are　carried　on　in

towns　so　great　an　advantage　over　that　which　is　carried　on　in　the

country　that　private　persons　frequently　find　it　more　for　their

advantage　to　employ　their　capitals　in　the　most　distant　carrying

trades　of　Asia　and　America　than　in　the　improvement　and

cultivation　of　the　most　fertile　fields　in　their　own

neighbourhood；　I　shall　endeavour　to　explain　at　full　length　in　the

two　following　books。