wealbk04-第70章

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provisions。〃　According　to　this　reasoning；　therefore；　this

degradation　in　the　price　of　wool　is　not　likely；　in　an　improved

and　cultivated　country；　to　occasion　any　diminution　in　the　annual

produce　of　that　commodity；　except　so　far　as；　by　raising　the　price

of　mutton；　it　may　somewhat　diminish　the　demand　for；　and

consequently　the　production　of；　that　particular　species　of

butcher's　meat。　Its　effect；　however；　even　in　this　way；　it　is

probable；　is　not　very　considerable。

　　　　　But　though　its　effect　upon　the　quantity　of　the　annual

produce　may　not　have　been　very　considerable；　its　effect　upon　the

quality；　it　may　perhaps　be　thought；　must　necessarily　have　been

very　great。　The　degradation　in　the　quality　of　English　wool；　if

not　below　what　it　was　in　former　times；　yet　below　what　it

naturally　would　have　been　in　the　present　state　of　improvement　and

cultivation；　must　have　been；　it　may　perhaps　be　supposed；　very

nearly　in　proportion　to　the　degradation　of　price。　As　the　quality

depends　upon　the　breed；　upon　the　pasture；　and　upon　the　management

and　cleanliness　of　the　sheep；　during　the　whole　progress　of　the

growth　of　the　fleece；　the　attention　to　these　circumstances；　it

may　naturally　enough　be　imagined；　can　never　be　greater　than　in

proportion　to　the　recompense　which　the　price　of　the　fleece　is

likely　to　make　for　the　labour　and　expense　which　that　attention

requires。　It　happens；　however；　that　the　goodness　of　the　fleece

depends；　in　a　great　measure；　upon　the　health；　growth；　and　bulk　of

the　animal；　the　same　attention　which　is　necessary　for　the

improvement　of　the　carcase　is；　in　some　respects；　sufficient　for

that　of　the　fleece。　Notwithstanding　the　degradation　of　price；

English　wool　is　said　to　have　been　improved　considerably　during

the　course　even　of　the　present　century。　The　improvement　might

perhaps　have　been　greater　if　the　price　had　been　better；　but　the

lowness　of　price；　though　it　may　have　obstructed；　yet　certainly　it

has　not　altogether　prevented　that　improvement。

　　　　　The　violence　of　these　regulations；　therefore；　seems　to　have

affected　neither　the　quantity　nor　the　quality　of　the　annual

produce　of　wool　so　much　as　it　might　have　been　expected　to　do

（though　I　think　it　probable　that　it　may　have　affected　the　latter

a　good　deal　more　than　the　former）；　and　the　interest　of　the

growers　of　wool；　though　it　must　have　been　hurt　in　some　degree；

seems；　upon　the　whole；　to　have　been　much　less　hurt　than　could

well　have　been　imagined。

　　　　　These　considerations；　however；　will　not　justify　the　absolute

prohibition　of　the　exportation　of　wool。　But　they　will　fully

justify　the　imposition　of　a　considerable　tax　upon　that

exportation。

　　　　　To　hurt　in　any　degree　the　interest　of　any　one　order　of

citizens；　for　no　other　purpose　but　to　promote　that　of　some　other；

is　evidently　contrary　to　that　justice　and　equality　of　treatment

which　the　sovereign　owes　to　all　the　different　orders　of　his

subjects。　But　the　prohibition　certainly　hurts；　in　some　degree；

the　interest　of　the　growers　of　wool；　for　no　other　purpose　but　to

promote　that　of　the　manufacturers。

　　　　　Every　different　order　of　citizens　is　bound　to　contribute　to

the　support　of　the　sovereign　or　commonwealth。　A　tax　of　five；　or

even　of　ten　shillings　upon　the　exportation　of　every　ton　of　wool

would　produce　a　very　considerable　revenue　to　the　sovereign。　It

would　hurt　the　interest　of　the　growers　somewhat　less　than　the

prohibition；　because　it　would　not　probably　lower　the　price　of

wool　quite　so　much。　It　would　afford　a　sufficient　advantage　to　the

manufacturer；　because；　though　he　might　not　buy　his　wool

altogether　so　cheap　as　under　the　prohibition；　he　would　still　buy

it；　at　least；　five　or　ten　shillings　cheaper　than　any　foreign

manufacturer　could　buy　it；　besides　saving　the　freight　and

insurance；　which　the　other　would　be　obliged　to　pay。　It　is　scarce

possible　to　devise　a　tax　which　could　produce　any　considerable

revenue　to　the　sovereign；　and　at　the　same　time　occasion　so　little

inconveniency　to　anybody。

　　　　　The　prohibition；　notwithstanding　all　the　penalties　which

guard　it；　does　not　prevent　the　exportation　of　wool。　It　is

exported；　it　is　well　known；　in　great　quantities。　The　great

difference　between　the　price　in　the　home　and　that　in　the　foreign

market　presents　such　a　temptation　to　smuggling　that　all　the

rigour　of　the　law　cannot　prevent　it。　This　illegal　exportation　is

advantageous　to　nobody　but　the　smuggler。　A　legal　exportation

subject　to　a　tax；　by　affording　a　revenue　to　the　sovereign；　and

thereby　saving　the　imposition　of　some　other；　perhaps；　more

burdensome　and　inconvenient　taxes　might　prove　advantageous　to　all

the　different　subjects　of　the　state。

　　　　　The　exportation　of　fuller's　earth　or　fuller's　clay；　supposed

to　be　necessary　for　preparing　and　cleansing　the　woolen

manufactures；　has　been　subjected　to　nearly　the　same　penalties　as

the　exportation　of　wool。　Even　tobacco…pipe　clay；　though

acknowledged　to　be　different　from　fuller's　clay；　yet；　on　account

of　their　resemblance；　and　because　fuller's　clay　might　sometimes

be　exported　as　tobacco…pipe　clay；　has　been　laid　under　the　same

prohibitions　and　penalties。

　　　　　By　the　13th　and　14th　of　Charles　II；　c。　7；　the　exportation；

not　only　of　raw　hides；　but　of　tanned　leather；　except　in　the　shape

of　boots；　shoes；　or　slippers；　was　prohibited；　and　the　law　gave　a

monopoly　to　our　bootmakers　and　shoemakers；　not　only　against　our

graziers；　but　against　our　tanners。　By　subsequent　statutes　our

tanners　have　got　themselves　exempted　from　this　monopoly　upon

paying　a　small　tax　of　only　one　shilling　on　the　hundred…weight　of

tanned　leather；　weighing　one　hundred　and　twelve　pounds。　They　have

obtained　likewise　the　drawback　of　two…thirds　of　the　excise　duties

imposed　upon　their　commodity　even　when　exported　without　further

manufacture。　All　manufactures　of　leather　may　be　exported　duty

free；　and　the　exporter　is　besides　entitled　to　the　drawback　of　the

whole　duties　of　excise。　Our　graziers　still　continue　subject　to

the　old　monopoly。　Graziers　separated　from　one　another；　and

dispersed　through　all　the　different　corners　of　the　country；

cannot；　without　great　difficulty；　combine　together　for　the

purpose　either　of　imposing　monopolies　upon　their　fellow　citizens；

or　of　exempting　themselves　from　such　as　may　have　been　imposed

upon　them　by　other　people。　Manufacturers　of　all　kinds；　collected

together　in　numerous　bodies　in　all　great　cities；　easily　can。　Even

the　horns　of　cattle　are　prohibited　to　be　exported；　and　the　two

insignificant　trades　of　the　horner　and　combmaker　enjoy；　in　this

respect；　a　monopoly　against　the　graziers。

　　　　　Restraints；　either　by　prohibitions　or　by　taxes；　upon　the

exportation　of　goods　which　are　partially；　but　not　completely

manufactured；　are　not　peculiar　to　the　manufacture　of　leather。　As

long　as　anything　remains　to　be　done；　in　order　to　fit　any

commodity　for　immediate　use　and　consumption；　our　manufacturers

think　that　they　themselves　ought　to　have　the　doing　of　it。　Woolen

yarn　and　worsted　are　prohibited　to　be　exported　under　the　same

penalties　as　wool。　Even　white　cloths　are　subject　to　a　duty　upon

exportation；　and　our　dyers　have　so　far　obtained　a　monopoly

against　our　clothiers。　Our　clothiers　would　probably　have　been

able　to　defend　themselves　against　it；　but　it　happens　that　the

greater　part　of　our　principal　clothiers　are　themselves　likewise

dyers。　Watch…cases；　clockcases；　and　dial…plates　for　clocks　and

watches　have　been　prohibited　to　be　exported。　Our　clock…makers　and

watch…makers　are；　it　seems；　unwilling　that　the　price　of　this　sort

of　workmanship　should　be　raised　upon　them　by　the　competition　of

foreigners。

　　　　　By　some　old　statutes　of　Edward　M；　Henry　VIII；　and　Edward　VI；

the　exportation　of　all　metals　was　prohibited。　Lead　and　tin　were

alone　excepted　probably　on　account　of　the　great　abundance　of

those　metals；　in　the　exportation　of　which　a　considerable　part　of

the　trade　of　the　kingdom　in　those　days　consisted。　For　the

encouragement　of　the　mining　trade；　the　5th　of　William　and　Mary；

c。　17；　exempted　from　the　prohibition　iron；　copper；　and　mundic

metal　made　from　British　ore。　The　exportation　of　all　sorts　of

copper　bars；　foreign