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or　beans。

　　　　　By　the　same　law；　too；　the　exportation　of　wheat　is　prohibited

so　soon　as　the　price　rises　to　forty…four　shillings　the　quarter；

that　of　rye　so　soon　as　it　rises　to　twenty…eight　shillings；　that

of　barley　so　soon　as　it　rises　to　twenty…two　shillings；　and　that

of　oats　so　soon　as　they　rise　to　fourteen　shillings。　Those　several

prices　seem　all　of　them　a　good　deal　too　low；　and　there　seems　to

be　an　impropriety；　besides；　in　prohibiting　exportation　altogether

at　those　precise　prices　at　which　that　bounty；　which　was　given　in

order　to　force　it；　is　withdrawn。　The　bounty　ought　certainly

either　to　have　been　withdrawn　at　a　much　lower　price；　or

exportation　ought　to　have　been　allowed　at　a　much　higher。

　　　　　So　far；　therefore；　this　law　seems　to　be　inferior　to　the

ancient　system。　With　all　its　imperfections；　however；　we　may

perhaps　say　of　it　what　was　said　of　the　laws　of　Solon；　that；

though　not　the　best　in　itself；　it　is　the　best　which　the

interests；　prejudices；　and　temper　of　the　times　would　admit　of。　It

may　perhaps　in　due　time　prepare　the　way　for　a　better。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VI



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Of　Treaties　of　Commerce　



　　　　　WHEN　a　nation　binds　itself　by　treaty　either　to　permit　the

entry　of　certain　goods　from　one　foreign　country　which　it

prohibits　from　all　others；　or　to　exempt　the　goods　of　one　country

from　duties　to　which　it　subjects　those　of　all　others；　the

country；　or　at　least　the　merchants　and　manufacturers　of　the

country；　whose　commerce　is　so　favoured；　must　necessarily　derive

great　advantage　from　the　treaty。　Those　merchants　and

manufacturers　enjoy　a　sort　of　monopoly　in　the　country　which　is　so

indulgent　to　them。　That　country　becomes　a　market　both　more

extensive　and　more　advantageous　for　their　goods：　more　extensive；

because　the　goods　of　other　nations　being　either　excluded　or

subjected　to　heavier　duties；　it　takes　off　a　greater　quantity　of

theirs：　more　advantageous；　because　the　merchants　of　the　favoured

country；　enjoying　a　sort　of　monopoly　there；　will　often　sell　their

goods　for　a　better　price　than　if　exposed　to　the　free　competition

of　all　other　nations。

　　　　　Such　treaties；　however；　though　they　may　be　advantageous　to

the　merchants　and　manufacturers　of　the　favoured；　are　necessarily

disadvantageous　to　those　of　the　favouring　country。　A　monopoly　is

thus　granted　against　them　to　a　foreign　nation；　and　they　must

frequently　buy　the　foreign　goods　they　have　occasion　for　dearer

than　if　the　free　competition　of　other　nations　was　admitted。　That

part　of　its　own　produce　with　which　such　a　nation　purchases

foreign　goods　must　consequently　be　sold　cheaper；　because　when　two

things　are　exchanged　for　one　another；　the　cheapness　of　the　one　is

a　necessary　consequence；　or　rather　the　same　thing　with　the

dearness　of　the　other。　The　exchangeable　value　of　its　annual

produce；　therefore；　is　likely　to　be　diminished　by　every　such

treaty。　This　diminution；　however；　can　scarce　amount　to　any

positive　loss；　but　only　to　a　lessening　of　the　gain　which　it　might

otherwise　make。　Though　it　sells　its　goods　cheaper　than　it

otherwise　might　do；　it　will　not　probably　sell　them　for　less　than

they　cost；　nor；　as　in　the　case　of　bounties；　for　a　price　which

will　not　replace　the　capital　employed　in　bringing　them　to　market；

together　with　the　ordinary　profits　of　stock。　The　trade　could　not

go　on　long　if　it　did。　Even　the　favouring　country；　therefore；　may

still　gain　by　the　trade；　though　less　than　if　there　was　a　free

competition。

　　　　　Some　treaties　of　commerce；　however；　have　been　supposed

advantageous　upon　principles　very　different　from　these；　and　a

commercial　country　has　sometimes　granted　a　monopoly　of　this　kind

against　itself　to　certain　goods　of　a　foreign　nation；　because　it

expected　that　in　the　whole　commerce　between　them；　it　would

annually　sell　more　than　it　would　buy；　and　that　a　balance　in　gold

and　silver　would　be　annually　returned　to　it。　It　is　upon　this

principle　that　the　treaty　of　commerce　between　England　and

Portugal；　concluded　in　1703　by　Mr。　Methuen；　has　been　so　much

commended。　The　following　is　a　literal　translation　of　that　treaty；

which　consists　of　three　articles　only。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ART。　I。　

　　　　　His　sacred　royal　majesty　of　Portugal　promises；　both　in　his

own　name；　and　that　of　his　successors；　to　admit；　for　ever

hereafter；　into　Portugal；　the　woollen　cloths；　and　the　rest　of　the

woollen　manufactures　of　the　British；　as　was　accustomed；　till　they

were　prohibited　by　the　law；　nevertheless　upon　this　condition：　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ART。　II。　

　　　　　That　is　to　say；　that　her　sacred　royal　majesty　of　Great

Britain　shall；　in　her　own　name；　and　that　of　her　successors；　be

obliged；　for　ever　hereafter；　to　admit　the　wines　of　the　growth　of

Portugal　into　Britain；　so　that　at　no　time；　whether　there　shall　be

peace　or　war　between　the　kingdoms　of　Britain　and　France；　anything

more　shall　be　demanded　for　these　wines　by　the　name　of　custom　or

duty；　or　by　whatsoever　other　title；　directly　or　indirectly；

whether　they　shall　be　imported　into　Great　Britain　in　or

hogsheads；　or　other　casks；　than　what　shall　be　demanded　for　the

like　quantity　or　measure　of　French　wine；　deducting　or　abating　a

third　part　of　the　custom　or　duty。　But　if　at　any　time　this

deduction　or　abatement　of　customs；　which　is　to　be　made　as

aforesaid；　shall　in　any　manner　be　attempted　and　prejudiced；　it

shall　be　just　and　lawful　for　his　sacred　royal　majesty　of

Portugal；　again　to　prohibit　the　woollen　cloths；　and　the　rest　of

the　British　woollen　manufactures。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ART。　III。　

　　　　　The　most　excellent　lords　the　plenipotentiaries　promise　and

take　upon　themselves；　that　their　above　named　masters　shall　ratify

this　treaty；　and　within　the　space　of　two　months　the　ratifications

shall　be　exchanged。

　　　　　By　this　treaty　the　crown　of　Portugal　becomes　bound　to　admit

the　English　woollens　upon　the　same　footing　as　before　the

prohibition；　that　is；　not　to　raise　the　duties　which　had　been　paid

before　that　time。　But　it　does　not　become　bound　to　admit　them　upon

any　better　terms　than　those　of　any　other　nation；　of　France　or

Holland　for　example。　The　crown　of　Great　Britain；　on　the　contrary；

becomes　bound　to　admit　the　wines　of　Portugal　upon　paying　only

two…thirds　of　the　duty　which　is　paid　for　those　of　France；　the

wines　most　likely　to　come　into　competition　with　them。　So　far　this

treaty；　therefore；　is　evidently　advantageous　to　Portugal；　and

disadvantageous　to　Great　Britain。

　　　　　It　has　been　celebrated；　however；　as　a　masterpiece　of　the

commercial　policy　of　England。　Portugal　receives　annually　from　the

Brazils　a　greater　quantity　of　gold　than　can　be　employed　in　its

domestic　commerce；　whether　in　the　shape　of　coin　or　of　plate。　The

surplus　is　too　valuable　to　be　allowed　to　lie　idle　and　locked　up

in　coffers；　and　as　it　can　find　no　advantageous　market　at　home；　it

must；　notwithstanding　any　prohibition；　be　sent　abroad；　and

exchanged　for　something　for　which　there　is　a　more　advantageous

market　at　home。　A　large　share　of　it　comes　annually　to　England；　in

return　either　for　English　goods；　or　for　those　of　other　European

nations　that　receive　their　returns　through　England。　Mr。　Baretti

was　informed　that　the　weekly　packet…boat　from　Lisbon　brings；　one

week　with　another；　more　than　fifty　thousand　pounds　in　gold　to

England。　The　sum　had　probably　been　exaggerated。　It　would　amount

to　more　than　two　millions　six　hundred　thousand　pounds　a　year；

which　is　more　than　the　Brazils　are　supposed　to　afford。

　　　　　Our　merchants　were　some　years　ago　out　of　humour　with　the

crown　of　Portugal。　Some　privileges　which　had　been　granted　them；

not　by　treaty；　but　by　the　free　grace　of　that　crown；　at　the

solicitation　indeed；　it　is　probable；　and　in　return　for　much

greater　favours；　defence　and　protection；　from　the　crown　of　Great

Britain　had　been　either　infringed　or　revoked。　The　people；

therefore；　usually　most　interested　in　celebrating　the　Portugal

trade　were　then　rather　disposed　to　represent　it　as　less

advantageous　than　it　had　commonly　been　imagined。　The　far　greater

part；　almost　the　whole；　they　pretended；　of　this　annual

importation　of　gold；　was　not　on　account　of　Great　Britain；　but　of

other　European　nations；　the　fruits　and　wines　of　Portugal　annually

imported　into　Great　Britain　nearly　compensating　the　value　of　the

British　goods　sent　thither。

　　　　　Let　us　suppose；　however；　that　the　whole　was　on　account　of

Great　Britain；　and　that　it　amounted　to　a　still　greater　sum　than

Mr。　Baretti　seems　to　imagine；　this　trade　would　not；　upon　that

account；　be　more　advantageous　than　any　other　in　which；　for　the

same　value　sent　out；　we　received　an　equal　value　of　consumable

goods　in　return。

　　　　　It　is　but　a　very　small　part　of　this　importation　which；　it

can　be　supposed；　is　employed　as　an　annual　addition　either　to　the

plate　or　to　the　coin　of　the　kingdom。　The　rest　must　all　be　sent

abroad　and　exchanged　for　consumable　goods　of　some　kind　or　other。

But　if　those　consumable　goods　were　purchased　directly　with　the

produce　of　English　industry；　it　would　be　more　for　the　advantage

of　England　than　first　to　purchase　with　that　produce　the　gold　of

Portugal；　and　afterwar