贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > list1 >

第10章

list1-第10章

小说: list1 字数: 每页4000字

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!






formed a part) as a foreign land。



    The example of Holland; like that of Belgium; of the Hanseatic



cities; and of the italian republics; teaches us that mere private



industry does not suffice to maintain the commerce; industry; and



wealth of entire states and nations; if the public circumstances



under which it is carried on are unfavourable to it; and further;



that the greater part of the productive powers of individuals are



derived from the political constitution of the government and from



the power of the nation。 The agricultural industry of Belgium



became flourishing again under Austrian rule。 When united to France



her manufacturing industry rose again to its ancient immense



extent。 Holland by herself was never in a position to establish and



maintain an independent commercial system of her own in competition



with great nations。 But when by means of her union with Belgium



after the general peace (in 1815) her internal resources;



population; and national territory were increased to such an extent



that she could rank herself among the great nationalities; and



became possessed in herself of a great mass and variety of



productive powers; we see the protective system established also in



the Netherlands; and under its influence agriculture; manufactures;



and commerce make a remarkable advance。 This union has now been



again dissolved (owing to causes which lie outside the scope and



purpose of our present work); and thus the protective system in



Holland has been deprived of the basis on which it rested; while in



Belgium it is still maintained。



    Holland is now maintained by her colonies and by her transport



trade with Germany。 But the next great naval war may easily deprive



her of the former; and the more the German Zollverein attains to a



clear perception of its interests; and to the exercise of its



powers; the more clearly will it recognize the necessity of



including Holland within the Zollverein。







NOTES:







1。 The construction of good roads; and still more of railways;



which has taken place in quite recent times; has materially



modified this axiom。







2。 It has been recently stated that the excellence of the Dutch



herrings is attributable not only to the superior methods above



named; but also to the casks in which they are 'b鯿kelled' and



exported being constructed of oak。







Chapter 4







The English











    In our account of the Hanseatic League we have shown how in



England agriculture and sheep farming have been promoted by foreign



trade; how at a subsequent period; through the immigration of



foreign artificers; fleeing from persecution in their native land;



and also owing to the fostering measures adopted by the British



Government; the English woollen manufacturing industry had



gradually attained to a flourishing condition; and how; as a direct



consequence of that progress in manufacturing industry; as well as



of the wise and energetic measures adopted by Queen Elizabeth; all



the foreign trade which formerly had been monopolised by foreigners



had been successfully diverted into the hands of the merchants at



home。



    before we continue our exposition of the development of English



national economy from the point where we left off in Chapter 2; we



venture here to make a few remarks as to the origin of British



industry。



    The source and origin of England's industrial and commercial



greatness must be traced mainly to the breeding of sheep and to the



woollen manufacture。



    before the first appearance of the Hansards on British soil the



agriculture of England was unskilful and her sheep farming of



little importance。 There was a scarcity of winter fodder for the



cattle; consequently a large proportion had to be slaughtered in



autumn; and hence both stock and manure were alike deficient。 Just



as in all uncultivated territories  as formerly in Germany; and



in the uncleared districts; of America up to the present time 



hog breeding furnished the principal supply of meat; and that for



obvious reasons。 The pigs needed little care  foraged for



themselves; and found a plentiful supply of food on the waste lands



and in the forests; and by keeping only a moderate number of



breeding sows through the winter; one was sure in the following



spring of possessing considerable herds。



    but with the growth of foreign trade hog breeding diminished;



sheep farming assumed larger proportions; and agriculture and the



breeding of horned cattle rapidly improved。



    Hume; in his 'History of England;'(1*) gives a very interesting



account of the condition of English agriculture at the beginning of



the fourteenth century:



    'In the year 1327 Lord Spencer counted upon 63 estates in his



possession; 28;000 sheep; 1;000 oxen; 1;200 cows; 560 horses; and



2;000 hogs: giving a proportion of 450 sheep; 35 head of cattle; 9



horses; and 22 hogs to each estate。'



    From this statement we may perceive how greatly; even in those



early days; the number of sheep in England exceeded that of all the



other domestic animals put together。 The great advantages derived



by the English aristocracy from the business of sheep farming gave



them an interest in industry and in improved methods of agriculture



even at that early period; when noblemen in most Continental states



knew no better mode of utilising the greater part of their



possessions than by preserving large herds of deer; and when they



knew no more honourable occupation than harassing the neighbouring



cities and their trade by hostilities of various kinds。



    And at this period; as has been the case in Hungary more



recently; the flocks so greatly increased that many estates could



boast of the possession of from 10;000 to 24;000 sheep。 Under these



circumstances it necessarily followed that; under the protection



afforded by the measures introduced by Queen Elizabeth; the woollen



manufacture; which had already progressed very considerably in the



days of former English rulers; should rapidly reach a very high



degree of prosperity。(2*)



    In the petition of the Hansards to the Imperial Diet; mentioned



in Chapter II; which prayed for the enactment of retaliatory



measures; England's export of cloth was estimated at 200;000



pieces; while in the days of James I the total value of English



cloths exported had already reached the prodigious amount of two



million pounds sterling; while in the year 1354 the total money



value of the wool exported had amounted only to 277;000 l。; and



that of all other articles of export to no more than 16;400 l。 Down



to the reign of the last…named monarch the great bulk of the cloth



manufactured in England used to be exported to belgium in the rough



state and was there dyed and dressed; but owing to the measures of



protection and encouragement introduced under James I and Charles



I the art of dressing cloth in England attained so high a pitch of



perfection that thenceforward the importation of the finer



descriptions of cloth nearly ceased; while only dyed and finely



dressed cloths were exported。



    In order fully to appreciate the importance of these results of



the English commercial policy; it must be here observed that; prior



to the great development of the linen; cotton; silk; and iron



manufactures in recent times; the manufacture of cloth constituted



by far the largest proportion of the medium of exchange in the



trade with all European nations; particularly with the northern



kingdoms; as well as in the commerc

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的