太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > wealbk04 >

第30节

wealbk04-第30节

小说: wealbk04 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!



would neither be disabled nor discouraged from cultivating corn

as much as they do at present。 On the contrary; as the rise in

the real value of silver; in consequence of lowering the money

price of corn; lowers somewhat the money price of all other

commodities; it gives the industry of the country; where it takes

place; some advantage in all foreign markets; and thereby tends

to encourage and increase that industry。 But the extent of the

home market for corn must be in proportion to the general

industry of the country where it grows; or to the number of those

who produce something else; and therefore have something else; or

what comes to the same thing; the price of something else; to

give in exchange for corn。 But in every country the home market;

as it is the nearest and most convenient; so is it likewise the

greatest and most important market for corn。 That rise in the

real value of silver; therefore; which is the effect of lowering

the average money price of corn; tends to enlarge the greatest

and most important market for corn; and thereby to encourage;

instead of discouraging; its growth。

     By the 22nd of Charles II; c。 13; the importation of wheat;

whenever the price in the home market did not exceed fifty…three

shillings and fourpence the quarter; was subjected to a duty of

sixteen shillings the quarter; and to a duty of eight shillings

whenever the price did not exceed four pounds。 The former of

these two prices has; for more than a century past; taken place

only in times of very great scarcity; and the latter has; so far

as I know; not taken place at all。 Yet; till wheat had risen

above this latter price; it was by this statute subjected to a

very high duty; and; tin it had risen above the former; to a duty

which amounted to a prohibition。 The importation of other sorts

of grain was restrained at rates; and by duties; in proportion to

the value of the grain; almost equally high。* Subsequent laws

still further increased those duties。    



* Before the 13th of the present king; the following were the duties 

payable upon the importation of the different sorts of grain:… 

    Grain            Duties                     Duties    Duties

Beans to 28s。 per qr。 19s。 10d。 after till 40s。  16s。  8d。  then 12d。   

Barley to 28s。        19s。 10d。            32s。  16s。           12d。

     Malt is prohibited by the annual Malt…tax Bill。   

Oats to  16s。           5s。 10d。 after                       9 1/2d。  

Pease to 40s。          16s。 10d。 after                       9 3/4d。   

Rye to 36s。           19s。 10d。 till       40s。  16s。 8d。  then 12d。   

Wheat to 44s。         21s。 10d。 till   53s。 4d。  17s。      then  8s。

     till 4 l。 and after that about 1s。 4d。

Buckwheat to 32s。 per qr。 to pay 16s。



    These different duties were imposed; partly by the 92nd of Charles 

II; in place of the Old Subsidy; partly by the New Subsidy; by the One…third

and Two…thirds Subsidy; and by the Subsidy; 1747。 





     The distress which; in years of scarcity; the strict

execution of those laws might have brought upon the people; would

probably have been very great。 But; upon such occasions; its

execution was generally suspended by temporary statutes; which

permitted; for a limited time; the importation of foreign corn。

The necessity of these temporary statutes sufficiently

demonstrates the impropriety of this general one。

     These restraints upon importation; though prior to the

establishment of the bounty; were dictated by the same spirit; by

the same principles; which afterwards enacted that regulation。

How hurtful soever in themselves; these or some other restraints

upon importation became necessary in consequence of that

regulation。 If; when wheat was either below forty…eight shillings

the quarter; or not much above it; foreign corn could have been

imported either duty free; or upon paying only a small duty; it

might have been exported again; with the benefit of the bounty;

to the great loss of the public revenue; and to the entire

perversion of the institution; of which the object was to extend

the market for the home growth; not that for the growth of

foreign countries。

     III。 The trade of the merchant exporter of corn for foreign

consumption certainly does not contribute directly to the

plentiful supply of the home market。 It does so; however;

indirectly。 From whatever source this supply may be usually

drawn; whether from home growth or from foreign importation;

unless more corn is either usually grown; or usually imported

into the country; than what is usually consumed in it; the supply

of the home market can never be very plentiful。 But unless the

surplus can in all ordinary cases be exported; the growers will

be careful never to grow more; and the importers never to import

more; than what the bare consumption of the home market requires。

That market will very seldom be overstocked; but it will

generally be understocked; the people whose business it is to

supply it being generally afraid lest their goods should be left

upon their hands。 The prohibition of exportation limits the

improvement and cultivation of the country to what the supply of

its own inhabitants requires。 The freedom of exportation enables

it to extend cultivation for the supply of foreign nations。

     By the 12th of Charles II; c。 4; the exportation of corn was

permitted whenever the price of wheat did not exceed forty

shillings the quarter; and that of other grain in proportion。 By

the 15th of the same prince; this liberty was extended till the

price of wheat exceeded forty…eight shillings the quarter; and by

the 22nd; to all higher prices。 A poundage; indeed; was to be

paid to the king upon such exportation。 But all grain was rated

so low in the book of rates that this poundage amounted only upon

wheat to a shilling; upon oats to fourpence; and upon all other

grain to sixpence the quarter。 By the 1st of William and Mary;

the act which established the bounty; this small duty was

virtually taken off whenever the price of wheat did not exceed;

forty…eight shillings the quarter; and by the 11th and l2th of

William III; c。 20; it was expressly taken off at all higher

prices。

     The trade of the merchant exporter was; in this manner; not

only encouraged by a bounty; but rendered much more free than

that of the inland dealer。 By the last of these statutes; corn

could be engrossed at any price for exportation; but it could not

be engrossed for inland sale except when the price did not exceed

forty…eight shillings the quarter。 The interest of the inland

dealer; however; it has already been shown; can never be opposite

to that of the great body of the people。 That of the merchant

exporter may; and in fact sometimes is。 If; while his own country

labours under a dearth; a neighbouring country should be

afflicted with a famine; it might be his interest to carry corn

to the latter country in such quantities as might very much

aggravate the calamities of the dearth。 The plentiful supply of

the home market was not the direct object of those statutes; but;

under the pretence of encouraging agriculture; to raise the money

price of corn as high as possible; and thereby to occasion; as

much as possible; a constant dearth in the home market。 By the

discouragement of importation; the supply of that market; even in

times of great scarcity; was confined to the home growth; and by

the encouragement of exportation; when the price was so high as

forty…eight shillings the quarter; that market was not; even in

times of considerable scarcity; allowed to enjoy the whole of

that growth。 The temporary laws; prohibiting for a limited time

the exportation of corn; and taking off for a limited time the

duties upon its importation; expedients to which Great Britain

has been obliged so frequently to have recourse; sufficiently

demonstrate the impropriety of her general system。 Had that

system been good; she would not so frequently have been reduced

to the necessity of departing from it。

     Were all nations to follow the liberal system of free

exportation and free importation; the different states into which

a great continent was divided would so far resemble the different

provinces of a great empire。 As among the different provinces of

a great empire the freedom of the inland trade appears; both from

reason and experience; not only the best palliative of a dearth;

but the most effectual preventative of a famine; so would the

freedom of the exportation and importation trade be among the

different states into which a great continent was divided。 The

larger the continent; the easier the communication through all

the different parts of it; both by land and by water; the less

would any one particular part of it ever be exposed to either of

these calamities; the scarcity of any one country being more

likely to be relieved by the plenty of some other。 But very few

countries have entirely adopted this liberal system。 The freedom

of the corn trade is almost everywhere more or less restrained;

and; in many countries; is 

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的