Volume 1

The economic writings of Sir William Petty together with the Observations upon the bills of mortality, more probably by Captain John Graunt / edited by Charles Henry Hull.

  • Petty, William, Sir, 1623-1687.
Date:
1899
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The economic writings of Sir William Petty together with the Observations upon the bills of mortality, more probably by Captain John Graunt / edited by Charles Henry Hull. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    their incouragement allowed 2os. per annum for every year [49] they had been at Sea, even when they stay at home, not exceeding 61. for those, who have served six years or upward; it follows, that about 72000/. at the medium of 3/. per Man, would Salariate the whole number of twenty four thousand1; and so, forasmuch as half the Seamen, which mannage the Merchants Trade, are supposed to be always in Harbour, and are about twenty four thousand'2 Men, together with the said half of the Auxiliaries last mentioned, would upon all3 emergencies, Man out the whole Royal Navy with thirty six thousand4, and leaving to the Merchants twelve thousand of the abler Auxiliaries, to perform their business in Harbour, ✓ till others come home from Sea; and thus thirty six thousand, twenty four thousand, and twelve thousand, make the seventy two thousand above mentioned5: I say that more than this sum of 72000/. is fruitlesly spent, and over paid by the Merchants, whensoever a great Fleet is to be fitted out. Now these whom I call Auxiliary Seamen, are such as have another Trade besides, wherewith || to maintain themselves, [50] when they are not employed at Sea; and the charge of maintaining them, though 720001. per annum, I take to be little or nothing, for the reasons above mentioned, and consequently an easie Tax to the people, because Leavyed by, and paid to themselves. As we propounded that Ireland should be Taxed with A Herring Flax, and England by Linnen, and other Manufacture of the same ; I conceive that Scotland also might be Taxed as much, to be paid in Herrings, as Ireland in Flax: Now the three Taxes (viz.) of Flax, Linnen, and Herrings, and the 1 S, ‘of 24000’ inserted by Petty, not in R. 2 S, ‘men, the said halfe, together with halfe the Auxiliaryes,’ R, ‘men, together with the said [Italicized words inserted] halfe the Auxiliaries last mentioned, would upon emergencies man out the whole Royall Navy, leaving to the Merchants 12 Thousand of the abler auxiliaries to performe their business in harbour, till others come back from the Sea. I say that.’ 3 S, ‘all’ inserted by Petty. 4 S, ‘ with 36000’ inserted by Petty. 5 S, ‘And thus 36000, 24000 and twelve make up ye 72000 above mentioned’ inserted by Petty, not in R.