But the present view shall be confined to the one description named.
Seven millions of livres, are nine millions of days' work, of those who
raise, spin, and weave the wool and flax; and, at three hundred working
days to the year, would maintain thirty thousand people. To introduce
these simple manufactures, suppose government to give five per cent, on
the value of what should be exported of them, for ten years to come: if
none should be exported, nothing would be to be paid: but on the other
hand, if the manufactures, with this encouragement, should rise to
the full demand, it will be a sacrifice of three hundred and fifty-one
thousand livres a year, for ten years only, to produce a perpetual
subsistence for more than thirty thousand people (for the demand will
grow with our population); while she must expend perpetually one million
two hundred and eighty-five thousand livres a year, to maintain the
three thousand five hundred and seventy seamen, who would supply her
with whale-oil. That is to say, for each seaman, as much as for thirty
laborers and manufacturers.
But to return to our subject, and to conclude.
Pages:
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860
861
862
863
864
865
866
867
868
869
870
871
872
873
874
875