A letter addressed to the treasurer of the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh / [James Russell].

  • James Russell
Date:
1818
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A letter addressed to the treasurer of the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh / [James Russell]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Considerably above Twenty Thousand Pounds a year, may be collected for the Police, upon a charge of Seven per cent. of the rent of houses above a certain value. The one-seventh part of this sum, about Three Thousand Two Hundred Pounds, would be equivalent to One per cent, upon thq rent of houses. Supposing house-rent to consti¬ tute one-tenth of the annual expenditure of a family, then this sum of Three Thousand Two Hundred Pounds would be the one-thousandth part of the expenditure of those who pay Police Money. But as One-Tenth may be too small an allowance for the expence of rent, it may be taken at One-Fifth, which is probably much above the average proportion. The total amount of One per cent. upon the expenditure, would thus be re¬ duced one-half, or from Three Thousand Two Hundred Pounds, to One Thousand Six Hundred Pounds. The One-Fourth of this sum, or Four Hun¬ dred Pounds, would be one four-thousandth part of the annual expenditure of one class of inhabitants, —fully equal to what is contributed at present by the whole population. Another very considerable part of the popu¬ lation, not included in this estimate, still remains to be considered. This part is composed of trades¬ men, domestic servants, and labourers, who, though