Page:Life of Sir William Petty 1623 – 1687.djvu/232

 would be much dearer to the consumer than coal.' But this story does not prove much. Taken for what it is worth, it does not go beyond an approval of the limitation by law of the coasting trade between England and Ireland to vessels of native origin, a limitation which has not been held inconsistent with the application of free trade doctrines even in modern times, long after the repeal of the Acts of Navigation.

Passing to the consideration of the question of the practical means of raising the revenue, Sir William discusses in the 'Treatise on Taxes' the whole question of the customs duties, which at the beginning of the reign of Charles II. consisted of a uniform 2 per cent. duty on the value of all exports and imports. He points out that a tax on exports may at any moment raise the price of commodities above the limit which foreign commerce may be able to afford to pay, and that the smuggler will then have his opportunity for evading the law. He then urges that export duties, if any, should be levied on articles which cannot easily evade the law, such as horses, for they 'cannot be disguised, put up in bags nor casks, nor shipped without noise and the help of many hands.' He next dwells on the inconvenience of customs duties on imports, for analogous reasons. They are a payment before consumption, and raise prices altogether beyond the amount which they yield to the State. He also dwells on the expense of collection, and the evasions of duty by the bribery and corruption of the customs officers. He finally suggests the abolition of customs duties, calling them 'unseasonable and preposterous,' and the levy in their place of a tonnage duty; and that these duties should be treated as a maritime insurance on the part of the State, which would be a return to their true original function, like those of the Dutch, which were intended merely to keep an account of their foreign trade. Nevertheless, he admits that 'all things ready and ripe for consumption may be made somewhat dearer than the same