登陆注册
19554800000155

第155章

On the other hand, he gives a hint how the object might moreeasily be attained in respect of 'less important articles.' Theseless important articles are certainly not enumerated in theinstruction, but the subsequent experience of France has completelybrought to light what Mr Thompson meant by it, for at the time ofthe writing of this instruction the exports of linen yarn and linenfabrics of England to France were included in the term 'lessimportant.'

The French Government, moved by the representations andexplanations of the English Government and its agents, and with theintention of making to England a comparatively unimportantconcession, which would ultimately prove advantageous to Franceherself, lowered the duty on linen yarn and linen fabrics to suchan extent that they no longer gave any protection to Frenchindustry in face of the great improvements which the English hadmade in these branches of manufacture, so that even in the next fewyears the export of these articles from England to France increasedenormously (1838, 32,000,000 francs); and that France stood indanger, owing to the start which England had thus obtained, oflosing its entire linen industry, amounting to many hundredmillions in value, which was of the greatest importance for heragriculture and for the welfare of her entire rural population,unless means could be found to put a check on the Englishcompetition by increasing the duties.

That France was duped by Mr Poulett Thompson was clear enough.

He had already clearly seen in the year 1834 what an impulse thelinen manufacture of England would receive in the next few years inconsequence of the new inventions which had been made there, and inthis negotiation he had calculated on the ignorance of the FrenchGovernment respecting these inventions and their necessaryconsequences.The advocates of this lowering of duties now indeedendeavoured to make the world believe that by it they only desiredto make a concession to the belgian linen manufactures.But didthat make amends for their lack of acquaintance with the advancesmade by the English, and their lack of foresight as to thenecessary consequences?

Be that as it may, this much is clearly demonstrated, that itwas necessary for France to protect herself still more, underpenalty of losing the greater part of her linen manufacturing forthe benefit of England; and that the first and most recentexperiment of the increase of freedom of trade between England andFrance remains as an indelible memorial of English craft and ofFrench inexperience, as a new Methuen Treaty, as a second EdenTreaty.But what did Mr Poulett Thompson do when he perceived thecomplaints of the French linen manufacturers and the inclination ofthe French Government to repair the mistake which had been made? Hedid what Mr Huskisson had done before him, he indulged in threats,he threatened to exclude French wines and silk fabrics.This isEnglish cosmopolitanism.France must give up a manufacturingindustry of a thousand years' standing, bound up in the closestmanner with the entire economy of her lower classes and especiallywith her agriculture, the products of which must be reckoned aschief necessaries of life for all classes, and of the entire amountof between three and four hundred millions, in order thereby topurchase the privilege of exporting to England some few millionsmore in value of wines and silk manufactures.Quite apart from thisdisproportion in value, it must be considered in what a positionFrance would be placed if the commercial relations between bothnations became interrupted in consequence of a war; in case viz.

that France could no more export to England her surplus products ofsilk manufactures and wines, but at the same time suffered from thewant of such an important necessary of life as linen.

If anyone reflects on this he will see that the linen questionis not simply a question of economical well-being, but, aseverything is which concerns the national manufacturing power, isstill more a question of the independence and power of the nation.

It seems indeed as if the spirit of invention had set itselfthe task, in this perfecting of the linen manufacture, to make thenations comprehend the nature of the manufacturing interest, itsrelations with agriculture, and its influence on the independenceand power of the State, and to expose the erroneous arguments ofthe popular theory.The school maintains, as is well known, thatevery nation possesses special advantages in various branches ofproduction, which she has either derived from nature, or which shehas partly acquired in the course of her career, and which underfree trade compensate one another.We have in a previous chapteradduced proof that this argument is only true in reference toagriculture, in which production depends for the most part onclimate and on the fertility of the soil, but that it is not truein respect to manufacturing industry, for which all nationsinhabiting temperate climates have equal capability provided thatthey possess the necessary material, mental, social, and politicalqualifications.England at the present day offers the most strikingproof of this.If any nations whatever are specially adapted bytheir past experience and exertions, and through their naturalqualifications, for the manufacture of linen, those are theGermans, the belgians, the Dutch, and the inhabitants of the Northof France for a thousand years past.The English, on the otherhand, up to the middle of the last century, had notoriously madesuch small progress in that industry, that they imported a greatproportion of the linen which they required, from abroad.It wouldnever have been possible for them, without the duties by which theycontinuously protected this manufacturing industry, even to supplytheir own markets and colonies with linen of their own manufacture.

同类推荐
  • 滋溪文稿

    滋溪文稿

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 圣佛母小字般若波罗蜜多经

    圣佛母小字般若波罗蜜多经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 庄渠遗书

    庄渠遗书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 纯备德禅师语录

    纯备德禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 青楼梦

    青楼梦

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 校园怪谈之麻雀教室

    校园怪谈之麻雀教室

    深刻的现实意义,呼吁人们重新审视和关注青少年正在逐步形成的世界观、价值观、善恶观。再加上擅长细腻的笔触描绘少女敏感脆弱的内心世界,不由得怀念起自己的青春年少时,满怀秘密的心情以及幻想被击碎时的痛苦和伤心。然而,即使是在伸手不见五指的黑暗中,黎明也仍旧会到来。勇敢和正义的心灵仿佛是刺破黑暗的那束阳光,指引着迷失的灵魂找到正确的方向。让人大感意外的结局值得反复咀嚼回忆,刻骨铭心的爱是拯救的唯一方式。
  • 重生之掌家弃妇

    重生之掌家弃妇

    前世因为第三者成为弃妇并身死,重生后却是因神主牌倒了被扫地出门,不管前世今生,弃妇的命运,她誓要改写,动动脑子,发家致福,啥?日子稍有起色,渣男前夫一家又来缠?滚!华丽转身拐个秀才爷,创下良田千亩,奴仆成群,旺铺数个!
  • TFBOYS青春在上爱情在下

    TFBOYS青春在上爱情在下

    (改文,可先删除此书后再添加)萌物遇上萌物,高冷遇上高冷,暖男遇见女汉子,会发生怎样的奇事呢?无爱情,不青春。
  • 久伴治愈谁的青春

    久伴治愈谁的青春

    有的时候,我觉得是不是从一开始不和你相熟,我们之间就不会有那么多我意想不到的以后。“花姐,我报名报完了,你在哪里啊?快来带老乡一起参观学校”“麻痹,老子在上课,参观你大爷。”“能不能有点素质!!在哪里上课,我刚好在这个什么电气大楼参观,你在哪里上课啊?”“电气大楼旁边有个教学楼,看到没,我在二楼上课,还有群猪和一个学长。我们还在上课,你可以等会,要不就去参观参观。”“没事没事,我和七七来参观参观教学大楼,顺便等你们下课.......
  • 村姑奔小康

    村姑奔小康

    现代高材生穿越成为古代农村女,邻里互助有,极品亲戚也有,生活习惯,风俗不同,且看女主如何一步一步带领家人发财致富奔小康。注:本书无金手指,也不涉及宫廷,纯纯粹粹的种田文
  • 阴阳剑帝

    阴阳剑帝

    一对与众不同的经脉造就一个绝世剑帝的传奇。昔日惨遭灭国的王子死而复生,执三尺青锋,横扫天下,踩绝顶天才,灭绝世强者,从此天下无敌!“不是我的人,你就不用再做人了!”——林雷格言
  • 看那白雪飘落的从容

    看那白雪飘落的从容

    鲁迅先生说得好:“一部红楼梦,经学家看见《易》,道学家看见淫,才子看见缠绵,革命家看见排满,流言家看见宫闱秘事。”莎士比亚说:“一千个人心中,就有一千个哈姆雷特。”我只是个被文字的魅力深深吸引的凡尘俗子,我怀着无比的虔诚,把这些充满灵性的可爱的文字,精心打磨成一面闪光的镜子,或者幻化成一池清澈的湖水,倒影我们正在上演的精彩人生,您,看到了什么?
  • 剑气狂澜

    剑气狂澜

    满门被灭,为此走上了一条复仇的不归路,几经磨难,大仇得报,却愕然发现,当初的惨案背后,有着更大的一场阴谋!迷局诡谲如暗潮涌,人在其中身不由己,他能否以手中利剑,力挽狂澜?——暗涌云风起,狂澜剑气生。
  • 造化仙王

    造化仙王

    窃取天机,功参造化,诸天万界,唯我称雄。一个受尽欺凌的孤儿,偶然一次奇遇,走上了修仙之路。从此无敌的命运开始,横行诸天,无人能当,敌人统统杀死,美女统统收入囊中。仙人算什么?给老子提鞋都不配。神人怎么样?得罪了老子,打得连你爸妈都不认识。
  • 一生要学会的社交与口才

    一生要学会的社交与口才

    本书教会你在人际交往过程中应具有的100种社交能力和100种口才。