Proposals For Building, In Every County, A Working-Alms-House or Hospital | Page 6

20 s. for Seed. 20 s. and for Plowing, Sowing, and Harrowing 10 s. In all-- 02.10.00
Which Deducted out of 5 l. there remains clear Profit for one Acre of Land-- 02.10.00
So that eight Acres, at the least value must yield clear Profit, all Charges Deducted-- 20.00.00
To which add 2 l. 10 s. which will be saved out of the Poors Book, and it makes-- 22.10.00
So that a farm which was worth 100 l. _per Ann._ will by this Expedient, be worth Six score and Two pounds and Ten Shillings _per Ann._; and to be Sold, will yield 450 l. more than before.
Which is a plain Demonstration, that the laying out of 5 l. towards the building and furnishing these Hospitals, will purchase above 20l. _per Ann._ or bring in 450 l. And this is the lowest Calculation that may be made of the Profits and Advantages that may arise by Planting of Hemp, and Flax, if well Husbanded.
And most true it is, there's no one Manufactory in England so generally profitable as this may be made, especially to be raised from Land, with so little hurt done to the same, as may be Demonstrated thus;
Suppose the Crop of one Acre, as it stands on the Ground to be worth 7 l. (which is a very moderate supposition.) This Seven Pounds worth being well Drest fit for Spinners, may be worth 14 l. This Fourteen Pounds worth being well Spun and made into good Cloth, may be worth from 40 l. to 60 l. Yea I have been inform'd beyond the Seas, that the Cloth which might be made of one Acre of Flax well Drest and well Spun, might be worth more than a 100 l.
Let us not forget, that we have idle hands enough in our Nation to perfect this most profitable Improvement; and also, that little more than half the Money which in one year goes out of the Nation for Linnen, will pay for accomplishing the same: Nay, if the thing were rightly considered, it might be easily Demonstrated, That the Money which goes out of the Nation for Linnen in one year, will pay for making of all the Cloth that may be made in 20 years; although in every year of that twenty, there be as much made, as now we buy a Year of other Nations: As thus;
Money being kept at home within the Body of the Nation, is (as it hath no less aptly, than frequently been resembled) like the Blood in its Circulation in the Body of Man, which is not the less for its perpetual Motion; but the whole Body thereby the better supplyed, strengthened, and nourished in every Part. So it is with our Money; For, suppose Twelve hundred Thousand pounds goes out of the Nation in one year (which, some say, is much more) This never returns again; But if the same sum be paid for making so much Cloth at home, there's not one Groat the less at the years end; So that the very Money which pays for one years work, may pay for two years, and consequently for 20 years, and yet pass through all necessary Trades, and as well to the land Occupiers, as any.
The _9th_ Obj. _But possibly, your Engins for Expedition may fail, which if so, then notwithstanding, the Spinners,_ &c. _may earn their own Food, yet there will be nothing towards the maintainance of good Government, which is the great thing you aimed at, whereby all persons who are brought into the Hospital, may be well Educated, and effectually Instructed in a Methodical way for expedition and advantage; Administering incouraging Rewards to the Ingenuous and Industrious, and Correction to those that deserve it, without which 'tis almost impossible to perfect your good design._
_Answ._ 'Tis very true: But first, I am confirm'd in my Judgement, that the riddance these Engins will make, cannot be less than what I have already proposed in _pag._ the _5th._
Secondly, Suppose the worst, _viz._ that the Engins fail; What then; If every 100 l. _per Ann._ in each County contribute 3d. per Week, which would undoubtedly be sufficient to maintain good Government amongst them? Nay, what, If for the better Incouragement, and more Comfortable maintainance of all the whole Family, six pence per Week be paid, it would amount but to 26 s. _per Ann._, to be allow'd out of the Profits which each 100 l. _per Ann._ will reap thereby; which according to our lowest Calculation, is not less than 22 l. 10 s. a year; And I hope the great wisdom of the Nation will not think it too much to part with 5 l. for the Building these Hospitals, and after they are built, to allow 26 s. _per Ann._ for the maintainance of