Money Answers All Things [32]
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. And hence I can't help reflecting how good human Nature is, that can support under the Hardships, we, by the Estimate, see the Bulk of Mankind lies under; which Hardships, I think, I have now sufficiently shewn, cannot be any Way justly attributed to the all-wise and infinitely gracious Creator, but solely to those, who for want of thus looking thro' the Nature of Things, and from a mistaken judgment, that the more Money they receive for their Estates, the richer they are (the contrary of which I have proved) do prevent the People from thus continually proceeding in the Business of Cultivation and Tillage, whence alone every thing they have is derived, and whence only whatsoever they want can be supplied, and whence all the Employment and Trade of the World do proceed; and to which End it was, that Man