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division of labour among them。 Those who cultivated the ground
were obliged to build their own houses； to make their own
household furniture； their own clothes； shoes； and instruments of
agriculture。 The few artificers among them are said to have been
all maintained by the sovereign； the nobles； and the priests； and
were probably their servants or slaves。 All the ancient arts of
Mexico and Peru have never furnished one single manufacture to
Europe。 The Spanish armies； though they scarce ever exceeded five
hundred men； and frequently did not amount to half that number；
found almost everywhere great difficulty in procuring
subsistence。 The famines which they are said to have occasioned
almost wherever they went； in countries； too； which at the same
time are represented as very populous and well cultivated；
sufficiently demonstrate that the story of this populousness and
high cultivation is in a great measure fabulous。 The Spanish
colonies are under a government in many respects less favourable
to agriculture； improvement； and population than that of the
English colonies。 They seem； however； to be advancing in all
these much more rapidly than any country in Europe。 In a fertile
soil and happy climate； the great abundance and cheapness of
land； a circumstance common to all new colonies； is； it seems； so
great an advantage as to compensate many defects in civil
government。 Frezier； who visited Peru in 1713； represents Lima as
containing between twenty…five and twenty…eight thousand
inhabitants。 Ulloa； who resided in the same country between 1740
and 1746； represents it as containing more than fifty thousand。
The difference in their accounts of the populousness of several
other principal towns in Chili and Peru is nearly the same； and
as there seems to be no reason to doubt of the good information
of either； it marks an increase which is scarce inferior to that
of the English colonies。 America； therefore； is a new market for
the produce of its own silver mines； of which the demand must
increase much more rapidly than that of the most thriving country
in Europe。
Thirdly； the East Indies is another market for the produce
of the silver mines of America； and a market which； from the time
of the first discovery of those mines； has been continually
taking off a greater and a greater quantity of silver。 Since that
time； the direct trade between America and the East Indies； which
is carried on by means of the Acapulco ships； has been
continually augmenting； and the indirect intercourse by the way
of Europe has been augmenting in a still greater proportion。
During the sixteenth century； the Portuguese were the only
European nation who carried on any regular trade to the East
Indies。 In the last years of that century the Dutch begun to
encroach upon this monopoly； and in a few years expelled them
from their principal settlements in India。 During the greater
part of the last century those two nations divided the most
considerable part of the East India trade between them； the trade
of the Dutch continually augmenting in a still greater proportion
than that of the Portuguese declined。 The English and French
carried on some trade with India in the last century； but it has
been greatly augmented in the course of the present。 The East
India trade of the Swedes and Danes began in the course of the
present century。 Even the Muscovites now trade regularly with
China by a sort of caravans which go overland through Siberia and
Tartary to Pekin。 The East India trade of all these nations； if
we except that of the French； which the last war had well nigh
annihilated； had been almost continually augmenting。 The
increasing consumption of East India goods in Europe is； it
seems； so great as to afford a gradual increase of employment to
them all。 Tea； for example； was a drug very little used in Europe
before the middle of the last century。 At present the value of
the tea annually imported by the English East India Company； for
the use of their own countrymen； amounts to more than a million
and a half a year； and even this is not enough； a great deal more
being constantly smuggled into the country from the ports of
Holland； from Gottenburgh in Sweden； and from the coast of France
too； as long as the French East India Company was in prosperity。
The consumption of the porcelain of China； of the spiceries of
the Moluccas； of the piece goods of Bengal； and of innumerable
other articles； has increased very nearly in a like proportion。
The tonnage accordingly of all the European shipping employed in
the East India trade； at any one time during the last century；
was not； perhaps； much greater than that of the English East
India Company before the late reduction of their shipping。
But in the East Indies； particularly in China and Indostan；
the value of the precious metals； when the Europeans first began
to trade to those countries； was much higher than in Europe； and
it still continues to be so。 In rice countries； which generally
yield two； sometimes three crops in the year； each of them more
plentiful than any common crop of corn； the abundance of food
must be much greater than in any corn country of equal extent。
Such countries are accordingly much more populous。 In them； too；
the rich； having a greater superabundance of food to dispose of
beyond what they themselves can consume； have the means of
purchasing a much greater quantity of the labour of other people。
The retinue of a grandee in China or Indostan accordingly is； by
all accounts； much more numerous and splendid than that of the
richest subjects in Europe。 The same superabundance of food； of
which they have the disposal； enables them to give a greater
quantity of it for all those singular and rare productions which
nature furnishes but in very small quantities； such as the
precious metals and the precious stones； the great objects of the
competition of the rich。 Though the mines； therefore； which
supplied the Indian market had been as abundant as those which
supplied the European； such commodities would naturally exchange
for a greater quantity of food in India than in Europe。 But the
mines which supplied the Indian market with the precious metals
seem to have been a good deal less abundant； and those which
supplied it with the precious stones a good deal more so； than
the mines which supplied the European。 The precious metals；
therefore； would naturally exchange in India for somewhat a
greater quantity of the precious stones； and for a much greater
quantity of food than in Europe。 The money price of diamonds； the
greatest of all superfluities； would be somewhat lower； and that
of food； the first of all necessaries； a great deal lower in the
one country than in the other。 But the real price of labour； the
real quantity of the necessaries of life which is given to the
labourer； it has already been observed； is lower both in China
and Indostan； the two great markets of India； t