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structure of their national prosperity upon the most solid
foundations; the Spaniards and the Portuguese made a fortune
rapidly by means of their discoveries and attained to great wealth
in a very short space of time。 But it was only the wealth of a
spendthrift who had won the first prize in a lottery; whereas the
wealth of the English may be likened to the fortune accumulated by
the diligent and saving head of a family。 The former may for a time
appear more to be envied than the latter on account of his lavish
expenditure and luxury; but wealth in his case is only a means for
prodigality and momentary enjoyment; whereas the latter will regard
wealth chiefly as a means of laying a foundation for the moral and
material well…being of his latest posterity。
The Spaniards possessed flocks of well…bred sheep at so early
a period that Henry I of England was moved to prohibit the
importation of Spanish wool in 1172; and that as far back as the
tenth and eleventh centuries Italian woollen manufacturers used to
import the greater portion of their wool supplies from Spain。 Two
hundred years before that time the dwellers on the shores of the
Bay of Biscay had already distinguished themselves in the
manufacture of iron; in navigation; and in fisheries。 They were the
first to carry on the whale fishery; and even in the year 1619 they
still so far excelled the English in that business that they were
asked to send fishermen to England to instruct the English in this
particular branch of the fishing trade。(1*)
Already in the tenth century; under Abdulrahman III (912 to
950); the Moors had established in the fertile plains around
Valencia extensive plantations of cotton; sugar; and rice; and
carried on silk cultivation。 Cordova; Seville; and Granada
contained at the time of the Moors important cotton and silk
manufactories。(2*) Valencia; Segovia; Toledo; and several other
cities in Castile were celebrated for their woollen manufactures。
Seville alone at an early period of history contained as many as
16;000 looms; while the woollen manufactories of Segovia in the
year 1552 were employing 13;000 operatives。 Other branches of
industry; notably the manufacture of arms and of paper; had become
developed on a similar scale。 In Colbert's day the French were
still in the habit of procuring supplies of cloth from Spain。(3*)
The Spanish seaport towns were the seat of an extensive trade and
of important fisheries; and up to the time of Philip II Spain
possessed a most powerful navy。 In a word; Spain possessed all the
elements of greatness and prosperity; when bigotry; in alliance
with despotism; set to work to stifle the high spirit of the
nation。 The first commencement of this work of darkness was the
expulsion of the Jews; and its crowning act the expulsion of the
Moors; whereby two millions of the most industrious and well…to…do
inhabitants were driven out of Spain with their capital。
While the Inquisition was thus occupied in driving native
industry into exile; it at the same time effectually prevented
foreign manufacturers from settling down in the country。 The
discovery of America and of the route round the Cape only increased
the wealth of both kingdoms after a specious and ephemeral fashion
indeed; by these events a death…blow was first given to their
national industry and to their power。 For then; instead of
exchanging the produce of the East and West Indies against home
manufactures; as the Dutch and the English subsequently did; the
Spaniards and Portuguese purchased manufactured goods from foreign
nations with the gold and the silver which they had wrung from
their colonies。(4*) They transformed their useful and industrious
citizens into slave…dealers and colonial tyrants: thus they
promoted the industry; the trade; and the maritime power of the
Dutch and English; in whom they raised up rivals who soon grew
strong enough to destroy their fleets and rob them of the sources
of their wealth。 In vain the kings of Spain enacted laws against
the exportation of specie and the importation of manufactured
goods。 The spirit of enterprise; industry; and commerce can only
strike root in the soil of religious and political liberty; gold
and silver will only abide where industry knows how to attract and
employ them。
Portugal; however; under the auspices of an enlightened and
powerful minister; did make an attempt to develop her manufacturing
industry; the first results of which strike us with astonishment。
That country like Spain; had possessed from time immemorial fine
flocks of sheep。 Strabo tells us that a fine breed of sheep had
been introduced into Portugal from Asia; the cost of which amounted
to one talent per head。 When the Count of Ereceira became minister
in 1681; he conceived the design of establishing cloth
manufactories; and of thus working up the native raw material in
order to supply the mother country and the colonies with
home…manufactured goods。 With that view cloth workers were invited
from England; and so speedily did the native cloth manufactories
flourish in consequence of the protection secured to them; that
three years later (in 1684) it became practicable to prohibit the
importation of foreign cloths。 From that period Portugal supplied
herself and her colonies with native goods manufactured of
home…grown raw material; and prospered exceedingly in so doing for
a period of nineteen years; as attested by the evidence of English
writers themselves。(5*)
It is true that even in those days the English gave proof of
that ability which at subsequent times they have managed to bring
to perfection。 In order to evade the tariff restrictions of
Portugal; they manufactured woollen fabrics; which slightly
differed from cloth though serving the same purpose; and imported
these into Portugal under the designation of woollen serges and
woollen druggets。 This trick of trade was; however; soon detected
and rendered innocuous by a decree prohibiting the importation of
such goods。(6*) The success of these measures is all the more
remarkable because the country; not a very great while before; had
been drained of a large amount of capital; which had found its way
abroad owing to the expulsion of the Jews; and was suffering
especially from all the evils of bigotry; of bad government; and of
a feudal aristocracy; which ground down popular liberties and
agriculture。(7*)
In the year 1703; after the death of Count Ereceira; however;
the famous British ambassador Paul Methuen succeeded in persuading
the Portuguese Government that Portugal would be immensely
benefited if England were to permit the importation of Portuguese
wines at a duty one…third less than the duty levied upon wines of
other countries; in consideration of Portugal admitting English
cloths at the same rate of import duty (viz。 twenty…three per
cent。) which had been charged upon such goods prior to the year
1684。 It seems as though on the part of the King the hope of an
increase in his customs revenue; and on the part of the nobility
the hope of an increased income from rents; supplied the chief
motives for the conclusion of that commercial treaty in which the
Queen of England (Anne) styles the King of Portugal 'her oldest
friend and ally' on much the same principle as the Roman Senate
was formerly wont to apply such designations to those rulers who
had the misfortune to be brought into closer relations with that
assembly。
Directly after the conclusion of this treaty; Portugal was
deluged with English manufactures; and the first result of this
inundation was the sudden and complete ruin of the Portuguese
manufactories a result which had its perfect counterparts in the
subsequent so…called Eden treaty with France and in the abrogation
of the Continental system in Germany。
According to Anderson's testimony; the English; even in those
days; had become such adepts in the art of understating the value
of their goods in their custom…house bills of entry; that in effect
they paid no more than half the duty chargeable on them by the
tariff。(8*)
'After the repeal of the prohibition;' says 'The British
Merchant;' 'we managed to carry away so much of their silver
currency that there remained but very little for their necessary
occasions; thereupon we attacked their gold。'(9*) This trade the
English continued down to very recent times。 They exported all t