Money Answers All Things [12]
641, the Increase gives 104, the Number of Years in which Mankind will double. And if we take this for the Rule, there must be near 300 square Miles of land more taken in and cultivated, every Year in England, or the Increase must fall into the several Professions, Trades, and Manufactures, and over-do, and absolutely spoil them all; which is the necessary and unavoidable Consequence of the Increase of Mankind, if Land, in proportion to the Increase be not every Year added and improved, to employ and support them. Another Thing, which undoubtedly is of the utmost Importance to the Trade of this Kingdom, is the making Timber so plentiful, that we may build our Ships so much cheaper, that no Nation may be able to sail for less Freights than the English. If this be sufficiently done, together with making Labour considerably cheaper, Ships may soon be buildt here than now can be; and this will employ abundance of People of many Trades, besides the still greater Numbers who will be imployed in navigating them. And as the Riches of this Kingdom do undoubtedly very much depend on maritime Affairs, so the Strength of it is chiefly its Navy: Wherefore if Timber be made very plentiful, and Labour cheaper too, which would make a mighty Difference in the Expence the Government are now at for the Navy, beside that they will be mann'd, and fitted to Sea at so much less Expence likewise. This will infallibly be the Consequence of sufficiently executing this Proposal in all its Parts. Thus will much less Money serve all the Affairs of the Government, and soon make a Surplus arise, to reduce the national Debts, and ease the Taxes, without any Inconvenience to the Government or the Nation. It might be expected that Gentlemen, for their own Advantage, and the Benefit of their Families, should plant Timber enough; but we find it so much otherwise, that Laws have been made to oblige this to be done, and yet the End hath not been attained; which I ascribe to these Causes: First, the Rents having been rising of late Years, from the considerable Demand there hath been for Land, hath been one Reason that planting Timber hath not been sufficiently regarded. Secondly, Planting Timber regards Posterity rather than ourselves immediately, and this hath occasioned the Neglect of it; and if we continue to go on thus, an Observation the Spectator No 583 recites, that the Nation if a few Years will be at a Loss to supply itself with Timber sufficient for the Fleets of England, will certainly be verified.(4*) Wherefore, to make Plenty of Timber, I would propose, that a Law be made, which shall effectually provide, and oblige all the Lands throughout the whole Kingdom, at all times, to maintain a Timber Tree in every Hedge and Bank, at 100 Feet Distance or thereabouts, which Distance I suppose sufficient to admit the Sun and Wind, so that the Fruits of the Earth may receive no Prejudice by the Trees that should thus grow in the Hedges and Banks. Further, all Lands that are infertile, or not so fit for Cultivation; and likewise all waste Land, as far as it's possible to effect if, should be well planted with Timber. For it's well known that all Lands, where Woods have been cut and grubb'd up, are always fruitful; for a Wood, by the Fall of the Leaves, etc. and retaining the Rain much longer on the Ground than otherwise it would, always renders the Ground it grows on more fruitful; besides that Woods always produce the finest and best Timber, Whilst the Hedges produce the strongest and crookedest; which therefore would be exceedingly useful for shipping, and especially for small Vessels. Thus Timber may be made plentiful enough, and then, if Labour be made cheaper, Ships may be built so cheap, as to enable us to cope with any Nation in the World in all maritime Affairs. But there is no other Way in Nature to do this; and till 'tis done, we must be content, not only to see the Ships of other Nations the principal Carriers of the World, but to employ many Ships ourselves which are not built in this Kingdom. But it will be objected, This can't be