But if we would really effect this, we must undoubtedly, as fast as possible, improve such large Tracts of waste Land, as will employ all the Hands, Trade, and Manufactures will possibly suffer to be employed this Way; for a Nation is a great Body of People, and if we would do things they may all feel the good Effects of, we must do great things indeed; and a very great Thing it will be to reduce the Price of necessaries half, which, I think, I have shewn to be absolutely needful to reduce the present Rates of Labour, and at the same time supply the labouring People with the Things needful to that Station of Life, and thereby make so much more Business amongst others, without which, Trade in general cannot flourish, because all Trade depends solely on the Consumption; and yet, I think it appears, by what I have said, that Trade will flourish, before the Poor will find in their Power to attain the Supplies I wish them, since the Labour of the Poor is the Wealth of the Rich; and if it was unreasonable to muzzle the Ox that trod the corn, what Name shall I give the Measures that render it so difficult for the Bulk of Mankind,(17*) to answer the great End of Life, that of raising Families to stand in their Room when they are removed, as all soon must be to give Place to succeeding Generations?
But there is another Thing, which would mightily contribute to the Reduction of Labour, which is, the bringing Fish out of the Sea at such cheap Rates, as that the Poor might be induced, by its being cheaper than Meat, to make it a good Part of their common Food; and as we are inviron'd by the Sea, which will furnish never the less, how much soever we fetch thence; beside, that this Food requires no Land, except to grow the Timber, etc.
to build the Vessels with; and this Food is no sooner caught, but it is fit for Use, and therefore requires neither the Time nor Labour, that all other Food Mankind use requires, to raise, and fit it for Use; I say, since we are inviron'd with the Sea, we might certainly bring Fish so cheap to a Multitude of inland Places, if the Charge of catching them, and carriage could be very much lessened, as would make it a much larger Part of the Food of the common People than it is.
But though this will, in the first Place, somewhat depend on the Reduction of Labour, yet I apprehend it to depend as much at least on making Timber so plentiful, that, if possible, the Charge of the Vessels they fish with, may be lessened about half in building, and fitting them to Sea; for the greatest Part of the Price of Fish, is constituted of the Charge of building and maintaining the fishing Vessels and Tackle, together with the Interest of the Sums such Vessels, etc. cost, which are employed in the Fishery. Wherefore could these Charges be considerably lessened, which a great Plenty of Timber, etc. with somewhat cheaper Rate of Labour would certainly effect, we might make Sea Fish so much cheaper Food than Meat, as would contribute very much to lowering the Price of Provisions in general, and might hereby support a much greater Number of People on less Land than we can otherwise do; and it's certain the Dutch, who have about two Millions and an half of People, upon about a Million of Acres of Land, do by this Means, besides others, very much contribute to the supporting such a vastly greater Number of People in respect of their small Territory, than we, who have but about eight Million of People, and hardly less than Twenty Millions of Acres now in Use to support them;(18*) besides, that such an Encouragement to our Fishery would be a most useful Nursery for able Seamen, and a Benefit in respect of our Exportation of Fish, greater than I shall attempt to represent.
But this Estimate further shews, that the fit Rule to judge and determine when the Necessaries of Life should be denominated cheap or dear, is solely that of the general Earnings or Wages of the labouring People,which undoubtedly ought to be such as will procure so many of those Things as are needful to support such Families, as is the Lot of many of the labouring People to have.
From hence therefore we may also see, when Money is, or is not sufficiently plentiful amongst the People in general, or which is equivalent thereto, when there is, or is not Land enough in Use to support them, for hence only can these Things be brought and kept near together, as is absolutely needful to put the Affairs of the World, and Condition of Mankind in the best and happiest Situation they can possibly be in.
For whilst a Mechanick, or labouring Man can't possibly earn so much, as will provide decently for a middling Family, suitably to that low Rank of Life; it's plain, Money, which is the sole Medium of procuring any Thing in Effect, that they is not Land enough in Use to support them, and consequently, there is in this Case, so much less Business and Employment amongst the People in general, than there ought to be; whence the Distress of great Numbers is unavoidable: And Gentlemen should consider, if 7/8 of the People must labour under the Penury this Estimate holds forth to them, what a Probability here is, that many of their own Offspring, in a Generation or two, if not much sooner, will find themselves in no better Circumstances.