wealbk04-第65章

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naturally　grow　there；　but　which　the　savage　policy　has　now；　it　is

said；　almost　completely　extirpated。　Even　in　the　islands　where

they　have　settlements　they　have　very　much　reduced；　it　is　said；

the　number　of　those　trees。　If　the　produce　even　of　their　own

islands　was　much　greater　than　what　suited　their　market；　the

natives；　they　suspect；　might　find　means　to　convey　some　part　of　it

to　other　nations；　and　the　best　way；　they　imagine；　to　secure　their

own　monopoly　is　to　take　care　that　no　more　shall　grow　than　what

they　themselves　carry　to　market。　By　different　arts　of　oppression

they　have　reduced　the　population　of　several　of　the　Moluccas

nearly　to　the　number　which　is　sufficient　to　supply　with　fresh

provisions　and　other　necessaries　of　life　their　own　insignificant

garrisons；　and　such　of　their　ships　as　occasionally　come　there　for

a　cargo　of　spices。　Under　the　government　even　of　the　Portuguese；

however；　those　islands　are　said　to　have　been　tolerably　well

inhabited。　The　English　company　have　not　yet　had　time　to　establish

in　Bengal　so　perfectly　destructive　a　system。　The　plan　of　their

government；　however；　has　had　exactly　the　same　tendency。　It　has

not　been　uncommon；　I　am　well　assured；　for　the　chief；　that　is；　the

first　clerk　of　a　factory；　to　order　a　peasant　to　plough　up　a　rich

field　of　poppies　and　sow　it　with　rice　or　some　other　grain。　The

pretence　was；　to　prevent　a　scarcity　of　provisions；　but　the　real

reason；　to　give　the　chief　an　opportunity　of　selling　at　a　better

price　a　large　quantity　of　opium；　which　he　happened　then　to　have

upon　hand。　Upon　other　occasions　the　order　has　been　reversed；　and

a　rich　field　of　rice　or　other　grain　has　been　ploughed　up；　in

order　to　make　room　for　a　plantation　of　poppies；　when　the　chief

foresaw　that　extraordinary　profit　was　likely　to　be　made　by　opium。

The　servants　of　the　company　have　upon　several　occasions　attempted

to　establish　in　their　own　favour　the　monopoly　of　some　of　the　most

important　branches；　not　only　of　the　foreign；　but　of　the　inland

trade　of　the　country。　Had　they　been　allowed　to　go　on；　it　is

impossible　that　they　should　not　at　some　time　or　another　have

attempted　to　restrain　the　production　of　the　particular　articles

of　which　they　had　thus　usurped　the　monopoly；　not　only　to　the

quantity　which　they　themselves　could　purchase；　but　to　that　which

they　could　expect　to　sell　with　such　a　profit　as　they　might　think

sufficient。　In　the　course　of　the　century　or　two；　the　policy　of

the　English　company　would　in　this　manner　have　probably　proved　as

completely　destructive　as　that　of　the　Dutch。

　　　　　Nothing；　however；　can　be　more　directly　contrary　to　the　real

interest　of　those　companies；　considered　as　the　sovereigns　of　the

countries　which　they　have　conquered；　than　this　destructive　plan。

In　almost　all　countries　the　revenue　of　the　sovereign　is　drawn

from　that　of　the　people。　The　greater　the　revenue　of　the　people；

therefore；　the　greater　the　annual　produce　of　their　land　and

labour；　the　more　they　can　afford　to　the　sovereign。　It　is　his

interest；　therefore；　to　increase　as　much　as　possible　that　annual

produce。　But　if　this　is　the　interest　of　every　sovereign；　it　is

peculiarly　so　of　one　whose　revenue；　like　that　of　the　sovereign　of

Bengal；　arises　chiefly　from　a　land…rent。　That　rent　must

necessarily　be　in　proportion　to　the　quantity　and　value　of　the

produce；　and　both　the　one　and　the　other　must　depend　upon　the

extent　of　the　market。　The　quantity　will　always　be　suited　with

more　or　less　exactness　to　the　consumption　of　those　who　can　afford

to　pay　for　it；　and　the　price　which　they　will　pay　will　always　be

in　proportion　to　the　eagerness　of　their　competition。　It　is　the

interest　of　such　a　sovereign；　therefore；　to　open　the　most

extensive　market　for　the　produce　of　his　country；　to　allow　the

most　perfect　freedom　of　commerce；　in　order　to　increase　as　much　as

possible　the　number　and　the　competition　of　buyers；　and　upon　this

account　to　abolish；　not　only　all　monopolies；　but　all　restraints

upon　the　transportation　of　the　home　produce　from　one　part　of　the

country　to　another；　upon　its　exportation　to　foreign　countries；　or

upon　the　importation　of　goods　of　any　kind　for　which　it　can　be

exchanged。　It　is　in　this　manner　most　likely　to　increase　both　the

quantity　and　value　of　that　produce；　and　consequently　of　his　own

share　of　it；　or　of　his　own　revenue。

　　　　　But　a　company　of　merchants　are；　it　seems；　incapable　of

considering　themselves　as　sovereigns；　even　after　they　have　become

such。　Trade；　or　buying　in　order　to　sell　again；　they　still

consider　as　their　principal　business；　and　by　a　strange　absurdity

regard　the　character　of　the　sovereign　as　but　an　appendix　to　that

of　the　merchant；　as　something　which　ought　to　be　made　subservient

to　it；　or　by　means　of　which　they　may　be　enabled　to　buy　cheaper　in

India；　and　thereby　to　sell　with　a　better　profit　in　Europe。　They

endeavour　for　this　purpose　to　keep　out　as　much　as　possible　all

competitors　from　the　market　of　the　countries　which　are　subject　to

their　government；　and　consequently　to　reduce；　at　least；　some　part

of　the　surplus　produce　of　those　countries　to　what　is　barely

sufficient　for　supplying　their　own　demand；　or　to　what　they　can

expect　to　sell　in　Europe　with　such　a　profit　as　they　may　think

reasonable。　Their　mercantile　habits　draw　them　in　this　manner；

almost　necessarily；　though　perhaps　insensibly；　to　prefer　upon　all

ordinary　occasions　the　little　and　transitory　profit　of　the

monopolist　to　the　great　and　permanent　revenue　of　the　sovereign；

and　would　gradually　lead　them　to　treat　the　countries　subject　to

their　government　nearly　as　the　Dutch　treat　the　Moluceas。　It　is

the　interest　of　the　East　India　Company；　considered　as　sovereigns；

that　the　European　goods　which　are　carried　to　their　Indian

dominions　should　be　sold　there　as　cheap　as　possible；　and　that　the

Indian　goods　which　are　brought　from　thence　should　bring　there　as

good　a　price；　or　should　be　sold　there　as　dear　as　possible。　But

the　reverse　of　this　is　their　interest　as　merchants。　As

sovereigns；　their　interest　is　exactly　the　same　with　that　of　the

country　which　they　govern。　As　merchants　their　interest　is

directly　opposite　to　that　interest。

　　　　　But　if　the　genius　of　such　a　government；　even　as　to　what

concerns　its　direction　in　Europe；　is　in　this　manner　essentially

and　perhaps　incurably　faulty；　that　of　its　administration　in　India

is　still　more　so。　That　administration　is　necessarily　composed　of

a　council　of　merchants；　a　profession　no　doubt　extremely

respectable；　but　which　in　no　country　in　the　world　carries　along

with　it　that　sort　of　authority　which　naturally　overawes　the

people；　and　without　force　commands　their　willing　obedience。　Such

a　council　can　command　obedience　only　by　the　military　force　with

which　they　are　accompanied；　and　their　government　is　therefore

necessarily　military　and　despotical。　Their　proper　business；

however；　is　that　of　merchants。　It　is　to　sell；　upon　their　masters'

account；　the　European　goods　consigned　to　them；　and　to　buy　in

return　Indian　goods　for　the　European　market。　It　is　to　sell　the

one　as　dear　and　to　buy　the　other　as　cheap　as　possible；　and

consequently　to　exclude　as　much　as　possible　all　rivals　from　the

particular　market　where　they　keep　their　shop。　The　genius　of　the

administration　therefore；　so　far　as　concerns　the　trade　of　the

company；　is　the　same　as　that　of　the　direction。　It　tends　to　make

government　subservient　to　the　interest　of　monopoly；　and

consequently　to　stunt　the　natural　growth　of　some　parts　at　least

of　the　surplus　produce　of　the　country　to　what　is　barely

sufficient　for　answering　the　demand　of　the　company。

　　　　　All　the　members　of　the　administration；　besides；　trade　more

or　less　upon　their　own　account；　and　it　is　in　vain　to　prohibit

them　from　doing　so。　Nothing　can　be　more　completely　foolish　than

to　expect　that　the　clerks　of　a　great　counting…house　at　ten

thousand　miles　distance；　and　consequently　almost　quite　out　of

sight；　should；　upon　a　simple　order　from　their　masters；　give　up　at

once　doing　any　sort　of　business　upon　their　own　account；　abandon

for　ever　all　hopes　of　making　a　fortune；　of　which　they　have　the

means　in　their　hands；　and　content　themselves　with