furnished it in order to receive in the young Girls, began with such as
were recommended to them by the Committee for the Poor; and this Method
hath been generally observed ever since, both by that Committee, and also
by the Committee since chosen for our other Work-house; not that either
of them depends on the other, but because the first application for
Relief is made to the Committee for the Poor.
But before we took in the Girls, we first considered of proper Officers
to govern them; and these consisted of a Master, whose Business was to
receive in Work, and deliver it out again, and to keep the Account of the
House, &c.
A Mistress, whose Business was to look after the Kitchen and Lodgings, to
provide their Meals at set Times, and other Things which related to the
Government of the House.
Tutresses to teach them to Spin, under each of which we put Five and
Twenty Girls.
A School-Mistress, to teach them to read.
Servants in the Kitchen, and for washing, &c. but these we soon
discharged, and caused our biggest Girls to take their Turns every Week.
We also appointed an old Man to keep the Door, and to carry forth and
fetch in Work, and such kind of Services.
Being thus provided, we received in one hundred Girls, and set them to
work at Spinning of Worsted Yarn; all which we first caused to be stript
by the Mistress, washed, and new Clothed from Head to Foot; which,
together with wholesome Dyet at set Hours, and good Beds to lie on, so
incouraged the Children, that they willingly betook themselves to their
Work.
We likewise provided for them Apparel for _Sundays_; they went to Church
every Lord’s Day; were taught their Catechisms at home, and had Prayers
twice every Day; we appointed them set Hours for working, eating, and
playing; and gave them leave to walk on the Hills with their Tutresses,
when their Work was over, and the Weather fair; by which means we won
them into Civility, and a love to their Labour. But we had a great deal
of Trouble with their Parents, and those who formerly kept them, who
having lost the sweetness of their Pay, did all they could to set both
their Children and others against us; but this was soon over.
Hitherto things answered above our Expectations; our Children grew sober,
and worked willingly, but we very much questioned, whether their Labours
at the Rates we were paid, would answer the charge of their Maintenance;
and if not, our great Doubt was how we might advance it, without
prejudicing the Manufactures.
To clear the first, we supposed ourselves in a fair way, having appointed
their Diets to be made up of such Provisions as were very wholesome,
afforded good nourishment, and were not costly in Price, _viz._ Beef,
Pease, Potatoes, Broath, Pease-porridge, Milk-porridge, Bread and Cheese,
good Beer, (such as we drank at our own Tables) Cabbage, Carrots,
Turnips, &c. in which we took the Advice of our Physician, and bought the
best of every Sort. They had three Meals every Day, and as I remember, it
stood us (with Soap to wash) in about Sixteen-pence _per_ Week for each
of the one hundred Girls. We soon found the effect of their Change of
Living, Nature being well supported, threw out a great deal of Foulness,
so that we had generally twenty down at a Time, in the Measels,
Small-pox, and other Distempers; but by the Care of our Physician, and
the Blessing of God on his Endeavours, we never buried but Two, though we
have had seldom less than one hundred in the House at any Time.
Having thus provided for their Diets, we next appointed their Times of
Working; which in the Summer was ten Hours and a half every Day, and an
Hour less in the Winter; by which means we answered the two Objections
raised against the Poor, _viz._ Thar they will not work, and that they
spend what they get in fine feeding.
But we soon found, that the great Cause of begging did proceed from the
low Wages for Labour; for after about eight Months time, our Children
could not get half so much as we expended in their Provisions. The
Manufacturers, who employed us, were always complaining the Yarn was spun
coarse, but would not advance above Eight-pence _per_ Pound for Spinning,
and we must either take this, or have no Work. On the other side, we were
labouring to understand how we might distinguish, and put a Value on our
Work, according to its Fineness. This we did by the Snap Reel, which when
we were Masters of, the Committee made an Order, That the Master should
buy in a Stock of Wool, and Spin it up for our own Accounts, and then
proceeded to set the Price of Spinning by the Snap Reel, wherein we
endeavoured to discourage coarse Work, and to endeavour fine, because we
saw the latter was likely to bring more Profit, not only to the Poor, but
to the Kingdom in general. We likewise ordered some Things to be made up
of the several Sorts of Yarn, at the Rates we had set them; and on the
whole, we found the Commodities made of fine Yarn, though they were much
better than those made of Coarse, yet stood us in little more; because
what the one exceeded in the Charge of Spinning, was very much made good
in Abatement of the Quantity used. We therefore sent to the
Manufacturers, and shewed them what Experiments we had made; but finding
them still unwilling to advance above the old Rate, the Committee voted,
that they would give Employment to all the Poor of the City, who would
make Application to them, at the Rates we offer’d to work, and pay them
ready Money for their Labour.
We soon found we had taken the right Course, for in a few Weeks we had
Sale for our fine Yarn as fast as we could make it, and they gave us from
Eight-pence to Two Shillings _per_ Pound for Spinning the same Goods, for
which a little before they paid but Eight-pence, and were very well
pleased with it, because they were now able to distinguish between the
fine and the coarse Yarn, and to apply each Sort to the Use for which it
was most proper: Since which, they have given us Two Shillings and
Six-pence _per_ Pound for a great many Pounds, and we spin some worth
Three Shillings and Six-pence _per_ Pound Spinning.
By this Means we had the Pleasure of seeing the Children’s Labour
advanc’d, which a little before I came up, amounted to near Six Pounds
_per_ Week, and would have been much more, but that our biggest Girls, we
either settle forth, or put in the Kitchen; and those we receive in being
generally small, are able to do but little for some Time after.
The Encouragement we had received on this Beginning, put us on proceeding
further: The Court resolved to purchase a great Sugar-House, out of the
Money directed by the Act to be raised for Building of Work-Houses, and
fit it up for the receiving in the Remainder of the Poor, (_viz._)
ancient People, Boys, and young Children; which was accordingly done, and
a Committee was appointed to manage it. This we called the _Mint
Work-House_, because it had been hired by the Lords of the Treasury for
that Use.
The Committee began to take in the Boys in _August_ last; these we
cloathed, dieted, and governed, much after the same Manner as we had done
the Girls, but put them on a different Employment, (_viz._) Spinning of
Cotton Wool, and weaving of Fustians: We have now about one hundred of
them together, who settle well to their Work, and every Day mend their
Hands; they get us already six Pounds _per_ Week; they are likewise
taught to read, and we shall hereafter teach them to write.
We next took in our ancient People; and here we had principally a Regard
to such as were impotent, and had no Friends to help them, and to such as
we could not keep from the lazy Trade of Begging; these we cloath’d as
we saw they needed, and put on such Employments as were fit for their
Ages and Strengths, having our Eyes chiefly on those to which they were
bred; we found it difficult at first to bend them down to good Orders,
but by Degrees we have brought them under Government.
Then we called in all the Children that were on our Poor’s Books, and
put them under Nurses; those who can speak and go, are carried down into
the School, to learn their A, B, C, &c. As they grow up, we shall put
them into the working Rooms.
The Boys are kept at a Distance from the ancient People, who do also
lodge in distinct Apartments, the Men in several Chambers on one Floor,
and the Women on another; all do something, though perhaps some of their
Labours comes to little, yet it keeps them from Idleness: Both the Old
and Young attend Prayers twice a Day, (except the Bedridden, for whom
other Care is taken) and go to Church twice on _Sundays_.
We have now three standing Committees, (_viz._) For the Poor, for the New
Work-House, and for the Mint Work-House: The first gives all Directions,
and makes all Allowance, for the Poor, without whose Order no Guardian
can act any Thing considerable, except in Cases of absolute Necessity,
which at the next Meeting of the Committee he must give an Account of,
and desire their Approbation. The other two Committees have Power to act
in the Affairs of that Work-House for which they are chosen: They receive
in both Old and Young; they bind forth Apprentices, correct, order the
Diet as they please, oversee the Working, sell the Manufactures, when
made, order the Payment of all Moneys, which cannot be done unless the
Note be sign’d by the Chairman; and generally direct every Thing
relating to those Houses.
The Accounts are made up thus: The Treasurer’s Account is audited every
Year, by a Committee chosen for that purpose; at which Time he is
succeeded by another Treasurer, chosen by the Court: The Accounts of the
Guardians who pay the Poor in their several Parishes are audited every
three Months, by a select Committee chosen likewise by the Court, and are
then paid by the Treasurer: The Accounts for each Work-house are audited
by the respective Committee every Month, when the Master adjusts, not
only his Account of Cash, but also of each particular _Specie_ of Goods
he hath under his Care, the Ballance whereof is still carried forward to
the next, which when allowed of is signed by the Chairman: And the
Account for each House is so stated, that it shews at one Sight, what the
House is indebted; what Debts are out-standing, and from whom; what Goods
remain in the House, and the Quantity of each _Specie_.
At the making up these Accounts, nothing (unless very trivial) is
allowed, for which an Order is not produced, or found entered in our
Books, so that ’tis very difficult to wrong the Corporation of any
thing, if the Guardians should endeavour it.
These Committees keep their Journal Books, wherein all they do is fairly
transcribed, and signed by the Chairman.
This is what at present occurs to my Memory touching our Work-houses at
_Bristol_. I have been as brief as the nature of the Thing would admit:
The Success hath answered our Expectation; we are freed from Beggars, our
old People are comfortably provided for; our Boys and Girls are educated
to Sobriety, and brought to delight in Labour; our young Children are
well lookt after, and not spoiled by the neglect of ill Nurses; and the
Face of our City is so changed already, that we have great reason to hope
these young Plants will produce a virtuous and laborious Generation, with
whom Immortality and Prophaness may find little Incouragement; nor does
our hopes appear to be groundless, for among three hundred Persons now
under our Charge within Doors, there is neither Cursing nor Swearing, nor
prophane Language, to be heard, though many of them were bred up in all
manner of Vices, which neither _Bridewell_ nor Whippings could fright
them from, because, returning to their bad Company, for want of
Employment, they were rather made worse, than bettered by these
Corrections; whereas, the Change we have wrought on them, is by fair
means. We have a _Bridewell_, _Stocks_, and _Whipping-Post_, always in
their Sights, but never had occasion to make use of either.
What is done in that City, I humbly hope may be carried on by the same
Steps throughout the Kingdom; the Poor may be set at Work, their Wages
advanced without Danger to our Manufacturers, and they thereby enabled to
live on their own Labours, whereby the Charge of the Poor’s Rates may
be saved, and a great many worthy Benefactors encouraged to give, when
they shall see their Charity so well disposed of. This I have great
reason to hope, because we have had near one Thousand Pounds freely given
to us within the Compass of one Year, and much thereof by Gentlemen who
dwelt at a Distance from us, only were willing to encourage a Work they
saw likely to be carried on, which might be of good Example to the Nation.
I am,
Right Honourable
And Honourable,
Your Honours most
Obedient Servant,
JOHN CARY.
AN
ESSAY
Towards Settling a
NATIONAL CREDIT.
By John Cary, Esq;
The Fifth Edition, Corrected.
LONDON:
Printed in the Year M.DCC.XLV.
To the Right Honourable the LORDS Spiritual and Temporal, and to the
Honourable the Commons of ENGLAND in Parliament Assembled.
HAVING lately presented your Honours with _An Essay on Coin and Credit_,
the chief Design whereof was to shew the Necessity of Settling a
well-grounded Credit in this Nation, for Support of the Government, and
carrying on its Trade; I do now with all Humility lay before you
Proposals to answer that End, which I have not clogg’d with Compulsion
to the Subject, supposing nothing of this Nature can be good, where a
common Consent, grounded upon Interest, doth not make it valuable.
Banks, as I humbly conceive, ought chiefly to be calculated for the Use
of Trade, and modeled so as may best content the Traders. What gives them
Satisfaction, will answer all other Occasions of the Kingdom. Money
passes through the Hands of the Nobility and Gentry, only as Water doth
through Conduit-Pipes into the Cistern, but Centers in the Hands of
Traders, where it circulates, and may be said to be used; and among
these, Ease, Profit, and Security, are Arguments to keep a Bank always
full: Besides, when the Streights of the Government are taken of, greater
Sums will come into Trade, which are now drawn out, in order to make
Advantages, above what the Profits of Trade will bring in.
The Heads whereon I propose to build this National Credit, are these
which follow:
That a Bank be erected on the Credit of Parliament, the Profit or Loss
thereof to redound to the Nation, whose chief Chamber shall be settled in
_London_, but lesser Chambers in other Places of this Kingdom, at such
Distances, as may best answer the Occasions of the Country, which
Chambers to account with that of _London_, and that to Commissioners
appointed by Parliament.
That this Bank shall take in what running Cash shall be offered, and
shall give their Notes for it; and shall also allow Interest after the
Rate of ### _per Cent. per Annum_, after the first ### Days, till those
Notes be paid, and shall also pay it again to the Proprietors, or any
Part thereof, when demanded.
That if any Man put in his Money for a Time certain, not less than ###
Months, he shall receive Interest from the Time of paying it in, to the
Time he is Repaid.
That this Bank shall let out any Sum again on reasonable Security, either
Real, Personal, or Goods, receiving Interest after the Rate of ### _per
Cent. per Annum_, till the Borrower shall think fit to pay it in, which
he shall do, by such Parts as will best suit his Occasions, and be
discharged from the Interest of what he so pays, and only pay after the
Rate aforesaid, for so much as doth remain in his Hands.
That Lombards be erected to attend this Bank, for the Benefit of Traders,
under Regulations, which may Encourage Trade.
That for the Benefit of Returns, the Notes given in any one Chamber of
this Bank, shall be demandable in any other, together with the Interest
due till Payment, the Receiver allowing for such Returns after the Rate
of ### for each Hundred Pounds, in the Chamber where he receives his
Money.
That to prevent Counterfeits, all Notes given out at any Chamber, shall
be made payable to ### or Order, and assigned from one to another, each
Assignee to be Warrantee for the Note, both to the Bank, and also to
every later Assignee.
That these Notes shall be taken by the King in all Payments, which will
make them current among the Subjects.
That this Bank do supply the King with all Loans at _per Cent._ Interest
_per Ann._ from the Time of borrowing, to the Time the Money is paid in
again, and that it hath the Taxes, or Funds settled by Act of Parliament,
for its Security.
That all Debts contracted to this Bank, shall be of the same Nature with
Debts contracted to the King, and be first paid out of the Estates of the
Debtors; and that Extents shall lye accordingly.
That an Account be kept of Profit and Loss in each Chamber, together with
the Charges of the Officers, &c. And that it be return’d up every three
Months, as also Accompt Current, to the Grand Chamber in _London_, where
the whole shall be Examined by the Commissioners, and they be liable to
the inspection of the Parliament.
That Registers for Lands be erected in all Countries, &c. where desired,
by Act of Parliament.
That Bills be past on the Bank by such as are appointed to buy for the
Public Use of the Nation, payable at the Time of their Agreement; by
which means every one will endeavour to furnish the Government cheapest,
when their Payments shall be punctual; the King will save a great deal of
Money, paid now for Procuration, Excessive Interest, &c. and the Fleet
and Army will be well paid.
That the Commissioners do once every Year at least, make up the Accounts
depending between the Public and the Bank, allowing ### _per Cent._
Interest as before; and make Application to the Parliament for its
Reimbursement.
That Bills and Bonds be made Assignable by Law, and the Property be
thereby transfer’d to the Assignee.
That Trustees may put the Money belonging to _Orphans_ into this Bank,
which shall be a Discharge to them for so much of their Trust, the
Interest to be duly issued out for the Maintenance of the said _Orphans_;
and that all Plate and Bullion belonging to the said _Orphans_ be by the
Trustees coined up at the next Mint, and the Money put into the Bank for
the use of the said _Orphans_.
That the Money in this Bank be freed from Taxes.
Concerning which Credit I shall briefly speak to these Four Things.
I. First, _Its Security_.
II. Secondly, _Some of those Advantages the Nation will reap by it_.
III. Thirdly, _I shall make some Comparison between this Credit, and the
present Bank of_ England.
IV. Fourthly, _I shall set forth the necessity of setling the Nations
Credit in this present Sessions_.
I. As to the _First_, It hath the Legislative Power of the Kingdom of
_England_ for its Foundation, a Security strong enough, and nothing else
can be so, to build this Great Superstructure upon, the well modeling
whereof, will keep it from being subject to the Designs of private
Persons: This will last so long as the Peoples Liberties last, for no
Change can weaken it, so long as the People of _England_ have a hand in
making their own Laws, whose Common Interest will be riveted and made up
with the Security of this Bank, that they will in a short time become one
thing, so that nothing less than a Conquest will be able to shake it:
This we cannot fear from any Nation besides the _French_, nor from them
neither, till _Holland_ is first subdued; therefore, as those States must
first truckle, so far will our Bank be more secure than theirs: _France_
cannot erect a Bank on any sort of Security, because the Will of the
Prince being his Law, alters according to his present Occasions: Nor can
_Spain_ do it; where, not only the Government but also the Profits
thereof, are divided amongst its Ministers: As for _Sweden_, _Denmark_,
and _Portugal_, the Princes of _Italy_ and _Germany_, few believe their
Circumstances to be such, as to render them capable of erecting a Bank,
which may draw the Eyes of _Europe_ to look towards it; _England_ only
can do it, for as an easy Government is its own Security, so that
Security encourages Trade, and these two, accompanied with the Profits
offered to a running Cash, will make all _Europe_ desire to settle their
Monies here.
Seeing then, that nothing but the same Power which first constituted this
Bank can destroy it, (a Power with whom we intrust our Lives, Liberties,
and Estates) I cannot see the least Room left for distrust; for what
Advantage can any future Parliament expect by a design of seizing this
Bank, when the Treasure thereof may be drawn out, whilst they are framing
the Law; and the Consequence thereof will be, the Ruining their own
Estates, for which they can promise nothing to themselves, save the being
possest of empty Papers.
What farther Hazard the Nation can run, must proceed from the Neglect of
the Managers, or the Fraud of under Officers, which, Care in the First,
and Security for the Last, will prevent.
II. The next Thing is to shew the Advantages which _England_ will reap by
setling the Credit here proposed; whereof some do immediately attend it,
others are consequential.
Those which immediately attend it, are,
1st, The Rate of Interest will hereby be brought lower, to the Advance of
our Lands, and Encouragement of our Trade, by Methods altogether as
profitable to the Usurer, who will be willing to let his Money Cheaper,
when it shall never lie dead without his Consent, his Security be
unquestionable, and freed from the Charges of litigious Suits, which so
frequently accompany doubtful Mortgages.
2dly, Both Gentlemen and Traders will hereby be supplied with Money to
serve their Occasions, on such reasonable Security as they are able to
give, when that Security shall be strengthned, by having the Preheminence
above all other obligations; they may also have Liberty to pay it in by
such Proportions, as they can best spare it, when it shall be equally the
Interest of the Bank to receive it so, which will never want new
Opportunities to let it out again.
3dly, This Credit will give us an Esteem in Foreign Parts, draw their
Moneys hither, and consequently their Trade, and thereby their People,
all which will be an Advantage to _England_.
4ly, It will supply the Government with Money to carry on the War at
moderate Interest, and make its Credit good; whereby the public Revenues
will reach farther to serve its Occasions, and the Ministers of State be
freed from many anxious Thoughts, which now make them uneasy.
5ly, It will make Returns from place to place in _England_, both cheap
and certain, which will help our Inland Trade, and prevent Robberies, now
too much encouraged by travelling with Money; It will also be profitable
to our Foreign Trade, by bringing Exchanges low in our favour.
6ly, The Frauds put on the County, by Counterfeit Notes will be
prevented; for though the Method of Indentures and stained Paper now used
by the Bank of _England_, may be a Security to it self, yet it is not so
to any one else, seeing Art is able to counterfeit every Thing, at least
so like, as not to be easily discover’d: Now, what Satisfaction will it
be to those who have received their Notes instead of Money, to be told by
the Managers that they are counterfeit, when they know not where, nor
from whom to get Reparation; whereas, being Assigned from Man to Man,
they are taken on the Credit of the Assignor, who runs no other risque
thereby, save his Warrant that they are truly what he pays them for.
7ly, This Bank will be free from Stock-Jobbing, the Bane of all good
Designs, which will find no room here, because it cannot be divided into
private and particular Interests.
The Consequential Advantages will be these,
1st, By this means the Taxes for carrying on the War the ensuing Year,
together with the Twenty-five hundred and Sixty-four Thousand Pounds,
which fell short on the Salt Fund, may be raised, by Methods, wherein the
King’s Revenue, and the Peoples Profits, shall go hand in hand, without
Anticipations.
2ly, The Funds now settled on our Manufactures, which discourage our
Trade, and ruin our Poor, may be sunk and taken off; such as those on the
_Glass-makers_, _Tobaccopipe-makers_, _Distillers_, and others, many
whereof have yielded little to the Government, above the charge of
Collecting, and the best of them have done great Mischief to our Trade;
now seeing these are only so many several Modus’s of raising Money,
those Methods must doubtless do best, which least injure our Trade.