wealbk05-第12章

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instead　of　facilitating　the　inland　commerce　of　the　country　as　at

present；　would　soon　become　a　very　great　incumbrance　upon　it。　The

expense　of　transporting　all　heavy　goods　from　one　part　of　the

country　to　another　would　soon　be　so　much　increased；　the　market

for　all　such　goods；　consequently；　would　soon　be　so　much　narrowed；

that　their　production　would　be　in　a　great　measure　discouraged；

and　the　most　important　branches　of　the　domestic　industry　of　the

country　annihilated　altogether。　　　　*　I　have　now　good　reasons　to

believe　that　all　these　conjectural　sums　are　by　much　too　large。　

　　　　　Secondly；　a　tax　upon　carriages　in　proportion　to　their

weight；　though　a　very　equal　tax　when　applied　to　the　sole　purpose

of　repairing　the　roads；　is　a　very　unequal　one　when　applied　to　any

other　purpose；　or　to　supply　the　common　exigencies　of　the　state。

When　it　is　applied　to　the　sole　purpose　above　mentioned；　each

carriage　is　supposed　to　pay　exactly　for　the　wear　and　tear　which

that　carriage　occasions　of　the　roads。　But　when　it　is　applied　to

any　other　purpose；　each　carriage　is　supposed　to　pay　for　more　than

that　wear　and　tear；　and　contributes　to　the　supply　of　some　other

exigency　of　the　state。　But　as　the　turnpike　toll　raises　the　price

of　goods　in　proportion　to　their　weight；　and　not　to　their　value；

it　is　chiefly　paid　by　the　consumers　of　coarse　and　bulky；　not　by

those　of　precious　and　light；　commodities。　Whatever　exigency　of

the　state　therefore　this　tax　might　be　intended　to　supply；　that

exigency　would　be　chiefly　supplied　at　the　expense　of　the　poor；

not　the　rich；　at　the　expense　of　those　who　are　least　able　to

supply　it；　not　of　those　who　are　most　able。

　　　　　Thirdly；　if　government　should　at　any　time　neglect　the

reparation　of　the　high　roads；　it　would　be　still　more　difficult

than　it　is　at　present　to　compel　the　proper　application　of　any

part　of　the　turnpike　tolls。　A　large　revenue　might　thus　be　levied

upon　the　people　without　any　part　of　it　being　applied　to　the　only

purpose　to　which　a　revenue　levied　in　this　manner　ought　ever　to　be

applied。　If　the　meanness　and　poverty　of　the　trustees　of　turnpike

roads　render　it　sometimes　difficult　at　present　to　oblige　them　to

repair　their　wrong；　their　wealth　and　greatness　would　render　it

ten　times　more　so　in　the　case　which　is　here　supposed。

　　　　　In　France；　the　funds　destined　for　the　reparation　of　high

roads　are　under　the　immediate　direction　of　the　executive　power。

Those　funds　consist　partly　in　a　certain　number　of　days'　labour

which　the　country　people　are　in　most　parts　of　Europe　obliged　to

give　to　the　reparation　of　the　highways；　and　partly　in　such　a

portion　of　the　general　revenue　of　the　state　as　the　king　chooses

to　spare　from　his　other　expenses。

　　　　　By　the　ancient　law　of　France；　as　well　as　by　that　of　most

other　parts　of　Europe；　the　labour　of　the　country　people　was　under

the　direction　of　a　local　or　provincial　magistracy；　which　had　no

immediate　dependency　upon　the　king's　council。　But　by　the　present

practice　both　the　labour　of　the　people；　and　whatever　other　fund

the　king　may　choose　to　assign　for　the　reparation　of　the　high

roads　in　any　particular　province　or　generality；　are　entirely

under　the　management　of　the　intendant；　an　officer　who　is

appointed　and　removed　by　the　king's　council；　and　who　receives　his

orders　from　it；　and　is　in　constant　correspondence　with　it。　In　the

progress　of　despotism　the　authority　of　the　executive　power

gradually　absorbs　that　of　every　other　power　in　the　state；　and

assumes　to　itself　the　management　of　every　branch　of　revenue　which

is　destined　for　any　public　purpose。　In　France；　however；　the　great

post…roads；　the　roads　which　make　the　communication　between　the

principal　towns　of　the　kingdom；　are　in　general　kept　in　good

order；　and　in　some　provinces　are　even　a　good　deal　superior　to　the

greater　part　of　the　turnpike　roads　of　England。　But　what　we　call

the　cross…roads；　that　is；　the　far　greater　part　of　the　roads　in

the　country；　are　entirely　neglected；　and　are　in　many　places

absolutely　impassable　for　any　heavy　carriage。　In　some　places　it

is　even　dangerous　to　travel　on　horseback；　and　mules　are　the　only

conveyances　which　can　safely　be　trusted。　The　proud　minister　of　an

ostentatious　court　may　frequently　take　pleasure　in　executing　a

work　of　splendour　and　magnificence；　such　as　a　great　highway；

which　is　frequently　seen　by　the　principal　nobility；　whose

applauses　not　only　flatter　his　vanity；　but　even　contribute　to

support　his　interest　at　court。　But　to　execute　a　great　number　of

little　works；　in　which　nothing　that　can　be　done　can　make　any

great　appearance；　or　excite　the　smallest　degree　of　admiration　in

any　traveller；　and　which；　in　short；　have　nothing　to　recommend

them　but　their　extreme　utility；　is　a　business　which　appears　in

every　respect　too　mean　and　paltry　to　merit　the　attention　of　so

great　a　magistrate。　Under　such　an　administration；　therefore；　such

works　are　almost　always　entirely　neglected。

　　　　　In　China；　and　in　several　other　governments　of　Asia；　the

executive　power　charges　itself　both　with　the　reparation　of　the

high　roads　and　with　the　maintenance　of　the　navigable　canals。　In

the　instructions　which　are　given　to　the　governor　of　each

province；　those　objects；　it　is　said；　are　constantly　recommended

to　him；　and　the　judgment　which　the　court　forms　of　his　conduct　is

very　much　regulated　by　the　attention　which　he　appears　to　have

paid　to　this　part　of　his　instructions。　This　branch　of　public

police　accordingly　is　said　to　be　very　much　attended　to　in　all

those　countries；　but　particularly　in　China；　where　the　high　roads；

and　still　more　the　navigable　canals；　it　is　pretended；　exceed　very

much　everything　of　the　same　kind　which　is　known　in　Europe。　The

accounts　of　those　works；　however；　which　have　been　transmitted　to

Europe；　have　generally　been　drawn　up　by　weak　and　wondering

travellers；　frequently　by　stupid　and　lying　missionaries。　If　they

had　been　examined　by　more　intelligent　eyes；　and　if　the　accounts

of　them　had　been　reported　by　more　faithful　witnesses；　they　would

not；　perhaps；　appear　to　be　so　wonderful。　The　account　which

Bernier　gives　of　some　works　of　this　kind　in　Indostan　falls　very

much　short　of　what　had　been　reported　of　them　by　other　travellers；

more　disposed　to　the　marvellous　than　he　was。　It　may　too；　perhaps；

be　in　those　countries；　as　in　France；　where　the　great　roads；　the

great　communications　which　are　likely　to　be　the　subjects　of

conversation　at　the　court　and　in　the　capital；　are　attended　to；

and　all　the　rest　neglected。　In　China；　besides；　in　Indostan；　and

in　several　other　governments　of　Asia；　the　revenue　of　the

sovereign　arises　almost　altogether　from　a　land　tax　or　land　rent；

which　rises　or　falls　with　the　rise　and　fall　of　the　annual　produce

of　the　land。　The　great　interest　of　the　sovereign；　therefore；　his

revenue；　is　in　such　countries　necessarily　and　immediately

connected　with　the　cultivation　of　the　land；　with　the　greatness　of

its　produce；　and　with　the　value　of　its　produce。　But　in　order　to

render　that　produce　both　as　great　and　as　valuable　as　possible；　it

is　necessary　to　procure　to　it　as　extensive　a　market　as　possible；

and　consequently　to　establish　the　freest；　the　easiest；　and　the

least　expensive　communication　between　all　the　different　parts　of

the　country；　which　can　be　done　only　by　means　of　the　best　roads

and　the　best　navigable　canals。　But　the　revenue　of　the　sovereign

does　not；　in　any　part　of　Europe；　arise　chiefly　from　a　land　tax　or

land　rent。　In　all　the　great　kingdoms　of　Europe；　perhaps；　the

greater　part　of　it　may　ultimately　depend　upon　the　produce　of　the

land：　but　that　dependency　is　neither　so　immediate；　nor　so

evident。　In　Europe；　therefore；　the　sovereign　does　not　feel

himself　so　directly　called　upon　to　promote　the　increase；　both　in

quantity　and　value；　of　the　produce　of　the　land；　or；　by

maintaining　good　roads　and　canals；　to　provide　the　most　extensive

market　for　that　produce。　Though　it　should　be　true；　therefore；

what　I　apprehend　is　not　a　little　doubtful；　that　in　some　parts　of

Asia　this　department　of　th