memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v9-第16部分

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continent　but　bought　scarcely　anything。　　The　speculation　in　licences　was
carried　to　a　scandalous　extent　only　to　enrich　a　few；　and　to　satisfy　the
short…sighted　views　of　the　contrivers　of　the　system。

This　system　proves　what　is　written　in　the　annals　of　the　human　heart　and
mind；　that　the　cupidity　of　the　one　is　insatiable；　and　the　errors　of　the
other　incorrigible。　　Of　this　I　will　cite　an　example；　though　it　refers　to
a　period　posterior　to　the　origin　of　the　Continental　system。　　In　Hamburg；
in　1811；　under　Davoust's　government；　a　poor　man　had　well…nigh　been　shot
for　having　introduced　into　the　department　of　the　Elbe　a　small　loaf　of
sugar　for　the　use　of　his　family；　while　at　the　same　moment　Napoleon　was
perhaps　signing　a　licence　for　the　importation　of　a　million　of　sugar…
loaves。

　　　　　＇In　this　same　year　（1811）　Murat；　as　King　of　Naples；　not　only
　　　　　winked　at　the　infringement　of　the　Continental　system；　but　almost
　　　　　openly　broke　the　law　himself。　　His　troops　in　Calabria　and　all　round
　　　　　his　immense　line　sea　coast；　carried　on　an　active　trade　with　Sicilian
　　　　　and　English　smugglers。　　This　was　so　much　the　case　that　an　officer
　　　　　never　set　out　from　Naples　to　join；　without；　being；　requested　by　his
　　　　　wife；　his　relations　or　friends；　to　bring　them　some　English　muslins；
　　　　　some　sugar　and　coffee；　together　with　a　few　needles；　pen…knives；　and
　　　　　razors。　　Some　of　the　Neapolitan　officers　embarked　in　really　large
　　　　　commercial　operations；　going　shares　with　the　custom　house　people　who
　　　　　were　there　to　enforce　the　law；　and　making　their　soldiers　load　and
　　　　　unload　the　contraband　vessels。　　The　Comte　de　…；　a　French　officer
　　　　　on　Murat's　staff；　was　very　noble；　but　very　poor；　and　excessively
　　　　　extravagant。　　After　making　several　vain　efforts　to　set　him　up　in　the
　　　　　world；　the　King　told　him　one　day　he　would　give　him　the　command　of
　　　　　the　troops　round　the　Gulf　of　Salerno；　adding　that　the　devil　was　in
　　　　　it　if　he　could　not　make　a　fortune　in　such　a　capital　smuggling
　　　　　district；　in　a　couple　of　years。　The　Count　took　the　hint；　and　did
　　　　　make　a　fortune。Editor　1836　edition。

Smuggling　on　a　small　scale　was　punished　with　death；　whilst　the　Government
themselves　carried　it　on　extensively。　　The　same　cause　filled　the　Treasury
with　money；　and　the　prisons　with　victims：

The　custom…house　laws　of　this　period；　which　waged　open　war　against
rhubarb；　and　armed　the　coasts　of　the　Continent　against　the　introduction
of　senna；　did　not　save　the　Continental　system　from　destruction。　　Ridicule
attended　the　installation　of　the　odious　prevotal　courts。　　The　president
of　the　Prevotal　Court　at　Hamburg；　who　was　a　Frenchman；　delivered　an
address；　in　which　he　endeavoured　to　prove　that　in　the　time　of　the
Ptolemies　there　had　existed　extraordinary　fiscal　tribunals；　and　that　it
was　to　those　Egypt　owed　her　prosperity。　　Terror　was　thus　introduced　by
the　most　absurd　folly。　　The　ordinary　customhouse　officers；　formerly　so
much　abhorred　in　Hamburg；　declared　with　reason　that　they　would　soon　be
regretted；　and　than　the　difference　between　them　and　the　prevotal　courts
would　soon　be　felt。　　Bonaparte's　counsellors　led　him　to　commit　the　folly
of　requiring　that　a　ship　which　had　obtained　a　licence　should　export
merchandise　equivalent　to　that　of　the　colonial　produce　to　be　imported
under　the　authority　of　the　licence。　　What　was　the　consequence？　　The
speculators　bought　at　a　low　price　old　stores　of　silk…which　change　of
fashion　had　made　completely　unsaleable；　and　as　those　articles　were
prohibited　in　England　they　were　thrown　into　the　sea　without　their　loss
being　felt。　　The　profits　of　the　speculation　made　ample　amends　for　the
sacrifice。　　The　Continental　system　was　worthy　only　of　the　ages　of
ignorance　and　barbarism；　and　had　it　been　admissible　in　theory；　was
impracticable　in　application。

　　　　　＇Sydney　Smith　was　struck　with　the；　ridiculous　side　of　the　war　of
　　　　　tariffs：　〃We　are　told　that　the　Continent　is　to　be　reconquered　by　the
　　　　　want　of　rhubarb　and　plums。〃　（Essays　of　Sydney　Smith；　p。　533；　edition
　　　　　of　1861）。＇

It　cannot　be　sufficiently　stigmatised。　　They　were　not　the　friends　of　the
Emperor　who　recommended　a　system　calculated　to　rouse　the　indignation　of
Europe；　and　which　could　not　fail　to　create　reaction。　　To　tyrannize　over
the　human　species；　and　to　exact　uniform　admiration　and　submission；　is　to
require　an　impossibility。　　It　would　seem　that　fate；　which　had　still　some
splendid　triumphs　in　store　for　Bonaparte；　intended　to　prepare　beforehand
the　causes　which　were　to　deprive　him　of　all　his　triumphs　at　once；　and
plunge　him　into　reverses　even　greater　than　the　good　fortune　which　had
favoured　his　elevation。

The　prohibition　of　trade；　the　habitual　severity　in　the　execution　of　this
odious　system；　made　it　operate　like　a　Continental　impost。　　I　will　give　a
proof　of　this；　and　I　state　nothing　but　what　came　under　my　own
observation。　　The　fiscal　regulations　were　very　rigidly　enforced　at
Hamburg；　and　along　the　two　lines　of　Cuxhaven　and　Travemunde。　　M。　Eudel；
the　director　of　that　department；　performed　his　duty　with　zeal　and
disinterestedness。　　I　feel　gratified　in　rendering　him　this　tribute。
Enormous　quantities　of　English　merchandise　and　colonial　produce　were
accumulated　at　Holstein；　where　they　almost　all　arrived　by　way　of　Kiel　and
Hudsum；　and　were　smuggled　over　the　line　at　the　expense　of　a　premium　of　33
and　40　per　cent。　　Convinced　of　this　fact　by　a　thousand　proofs；　and　weary
of　the　vexations　of　the　preventive　system；　I　took　upon　myself　to　lay　my
opinions　on　the　subject　before　the　Emperor。　　He　had　given　me　permission
to　write　to　him　personally；　without　any　intermediate　agency；　upon
everything　that　I　might　consider　essential　to　his　service。　　I　sent　an
extraordinary　courier　to　Fontainebleau；　where　he　then　was；　and　in　my
despatch　I　informed　him　that；　notwithstanding　his　preventive　guard；　every
prohibited　article　was　smuggled　in　because　the　profits　on　the　sale　in
Germany；　Poland；　Italy；　and　even　France；　into　which　the　contrabrand　goods
found　their　way；　were　too　considerable　not　to　induce　persons　to　incur　all
risks　to　obtain　them。　　I　advised　him；　at　the　very　time　he　was　about　to
unite　the　Hanse　Towns　to　the　French　Empire；　to　permit　merchandise　to　be
imported　subject　to　a　duty　of　33　per　cent。；　which　was　about　equal　to　the
amount　of　the　premium　for　insurance。　　The　Emperor　adopted　my　advice
without　hesitation；　and　in　1811　the　regulation　produced　a　revenue　of
upwards　of　60；000；000　francs　in　Hamburg　alone。

This　system；　however；　embroiled　us　with　Sweden　and　Russia；　who　could　not
endure　that　Napoleon　should　enact　a　strict　blockade　from　them；　whilst　he
was　himself　distributing　licences　in　abundance。　　Bernadotte；　on　his　way
to　Sweden；　passed　through　Hamburg　in　October　1810。　　He　stayed　with　me
three　days；　during　which　time　he　scarcely　saw　any　person　but　myself。　　He
asked　my　opinion　as　to　what　he　should　do　in　regard　to　the　Continental
system。　　I　did　not　hesitate　to　declare　to　him；　not　as　a　French　Minister；
but　as　a　private　individual　to　his　friend；　that　in　his　place；　at　the　head
of　a　poor　nation；　which　could　only　subsist　by　the　exchange　of　its
territorial　productions　with　England；　I　would　open　my　ports；　and　give　the
Swedes　gratuitously　that　general　licence　which　Bonaparte　sold　in　detail
to　intrigue　and　cupidity。

The　Berlin　decree　could　not　fail　to　cause　a　reaction　against　the
Emperor's　fortune　by　raising　up　whole　nations　against　him。　　The　hurling
of　twenty　kings　from　their　thrones　would　have　excited　less　hatred　than
this　contempt　for　the　wants　of　nations。　　This　profound　ignorance　of　the
maxims　of　political　economy　caused　general　privation　and　misery；　which　in
their　turn　occasioned　general　hostility。　　The　system　could　only　succeed
in　the　impossible　event　of　all　the　powers　of　Europe　honestly　endeavouring
to　carry　it　into　effect。　　A　single　free　port　would　have　destroyed　it。
In　order　to　ensure　its　complete　success　it　was　necessary　to　conquer　and
occupy　all　countries；　and　never　to　evacuate　them。　　As　a　means　of　ruining
England　it　was　contemptible。　　It　was　necessary　that　all　Europe　should　be
compelled　by　force　of　arms　to　join　this　absurd　coalition；　and　that　the
same　force　should　be　constantly　employed　to　maintain　it。　　Was　this
possible？　　The　captain　〃rapporteur〃　of　a　court…martial　allowed　a　poor
peasant　to　escape　the　punishment　due　to　the　offence　of　having　bought　a
loaf　of　sugar　beyond　the　custom…house　barrier。　　This　officer　was　some
time　afterwards　at　a　dinner　given　by　Marshal　Davoust；　the　latter　said　to
him；　〃You　have　a　very　scrupulous　conscience；　sir；　go　to　headquarters　and
you　will　find　an　order　there　for　you。〃　　This　order　sent　him　eighty
leagues　from　Hamburg。　　It　is　necessary　to　have　witnessed；　as　I　have；　the
numberless　vexations　and　miseries　occasioned　by　the　unfortunate
Continental　system　to　understand　the　mischief　its　authors　did　in　Europe；
and　how　much　that　mischief　contributed　to　Napoleon's　fall。

　　　　　＇The　so…called　Continental　system　was　framed　by　Napoleon　in
　　　　　revenge　for　the　English　very…　extended　system　of　blockades；　after
　　　　　Trafalgar　had　put　it　out　of　his　power　to　attempt　to　keep　the　seas。
　　　　　By　these　decrees　all　ports　occupied　by　the　French　were　closed　to　the
　　　　　English；　and　all　English　goods　were　to　be　destroyed　wherever　found
　　　　　in　any　country　occupied　by　the　French。　　All　States　under　French
　　　　　influence　had　to　adopt　this　system。　　It　must　be　remembered　that
　　　　　Napoleon　eventually　held　or　enforced　his　system　on　all　the
　　　　　coastlines　of　Europe；　except　that　of　Spain　and　Turkey；　but　as
　　　　　Bourrienne　shows　the　plan　of　giving　licences　to　break　his　own　system
　　　　　was　too　lucrative　to　be　resisted　by　him；　or；　still　more；　by　his
　　　　　officers。　　For　the　working　of　the　system　in　the　occupied　lands；
　　　　　Laffite　the　banker　told　Savary　it　was　a　grand　idea；　but
　　　　　impracticable　（Savary；　tome　v。　　p。　　110）。　　The　Emperor　Alexander　is
　　　　　reported　to　have　said；　after　visiting　England　in　1814；　that　he
　　　　　believed　the　system　would　have　reduced　England　if　it　had　lasted
　　　　　another　year。　　The　English；　who　claimed　the　right　of　blockading　any
　　　　　coast　with　but　little　regard　to　the　effectiveness　of　the　blockade；
　　　　　retaliated　by　orders　in　Council；　the　chief　of　wh