Proposals for Building, In Every County, A Working-Alms-House or Hospital - as the Best Expedient to Perfect the Trade and Manufactory of Linnen - Cloth by Richard Haines
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page 3 of 28 (10%)
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brought to Industry and Order, as when reduced into to narrow a Compass or
Confinement under fitly qualified Rulers, Officers, and Regular Government. II. These Working-Alm-Houses may raise and supply the Nation yearly with a sufficient Stock of Linnen Cloth (the finest sort excepted) if true measures be taken, and the Design effectually prosecuted; As for example, 1352000 pounds worth of Cloth may yearly be spun in them only, besides what is made in private Families--Thus demonstrated; 1. 'Tis well known by experience, that three quarters of a Pound of Thread worth 12 d. _per_ Pound spinning, will make one Ell of Cloth worth _2 s._ _per_ Ell; which Three quarters of a Pound two Spinners may spin in one day; Hence it follows, 2. That 2000 Spinners will spin Thread enough in one day to make 1000 Ells of Cloth, worth 100 l. And working but 260 days in the year, may spin 26000 Pounds worth of Linnen Cloth in a year. 3. Suppose then there be as many publick Work-houses, as there are Counties, which are 52, and in every Work-house, one with another, 2000 Spinners (though in some more, some less) then according to the reasonable measures, there will be the forementioned Sum of 1352000 l. worth of Cloth spun in one year; which is what we undertook to demonstrate. This or some such prodigious Sum of Money might yearly be raised to the Nation, whereby a Treble Benefit would ensue, First, we might save so much Money now yearly sent out of the Nation for Linnen, which, as computed by very worthy Intelligent persons, has of late cost us more than a Million _per Annum_. Secondly, By employing those hands, which for the greatest part are idle, it being reasonably supposed that there are at least 100000 |
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