THE NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE. No. 19.] AUGUST, 1815. [VOL. IV. MONTHLY MAGAZINES have opened a way for every kind of inquiry and information. The intelligence and discussion contained in them are very extensive and various; and they have been the means of diffusing a general habit of reading through the nation, which in a certain degree hath enlarged the public understanding. HERE, too, are preserved a multitude of useful hints, observations, and facts, which otherwise might have never appeared.-Dr. Kippis. Every Art is improved by the emulation of Competitors.--Dr. Johnson. An Attempt to Estimate the Public and Private Property of Great Britain and Ireland. PRODUCTIVE PRIVATE PROPERTY. ... Lands cultivated in grain of all sorts, grass, hops, nurseries, gardens, &c. (See Note a.) Tithes belonging to the laity, exclusive of those in the possession of the clergy (b) Mines and Minerals (c) Canals, Tolls, and Timber (d) Dwelling-houses, not included in the rent of lands, including warehouses and manufactories (e). Manufactured Goods in progress to maturity and in a finished state, deposited in manufacteries, warehouses, and shops for sale (ƒ).. Foreign Merchandize, deposited in warehouses, shops, &c. either paid for, or virtually paid by debts owing to this country by foreigners (g) British Shipping of every description, employed in trade, including vessels on the stocks (h) Agricultural Property, consist ing of grain, hay, straw, cheese, butter, and other pro ductions of farms, including implements of husbandry (1) 80,000,000 Animals, viz. horses, horned cattle, sheep, hogs, goats, asses, deer, wild animals, and poultry (k) Fisheries round the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, including Inland Fisheries (1) 113,000,000} 2,000,000 Estimate of the Property of Great Britain and Ireland. [Aug. 1, UNPRODUCTIVE PRIVATE England and SUMMARY RECAPITULATION. 1815.] Estimate of the Property of Great Britain and Ireland. 3 Explanatory Notes to the preceding Table. (Note a) It appears from the returns to the Tax-Office for the year ending the 5th of April, 1804, that the rental of real property in England and Wales, including mines, canals, &c. calculated on 37,334,400 statute acres, amounted to 38,000,000l.: it is, however, known to have much increased since that period. The cultivated lands may be distributed as follows: 20,000 acres, at an average of 70l. per acre, £1,400,000 500,000 100,000 12,000,000 Lands cultivated of an inferior quality 18,000,000 Total of cultivated lands in England and Wales The lands cultivated, including tythes, in Scotland, may be taken at one- Making a total for Great Britain and Ireland of (b) Dr. Beeke, in his "Observations on the Income Tax," p. 36, estimated the net income derived from tythes in South Britain at 2,500,000l. a-year, and their value, taken at 30 years purchase, at 75,000,000l. As this appears to be a very moderate estimate, and as their value, from the improvement in lands, is much enhanced since he wrote, it is conceived they may now be fairly taken at 80,000,000l. The tythes in Scotland and Ireland, as has been already observed, are included in the value of the lands. (c) In England, the coal, tin, and iron mines, are not only numerous, but very valuable. The lead mines of Alston, on the eastern boundary of Cumberland, are said to employ about 1,100 men. There are immense mines of rock salt at Northwich, in Cheshire, and some in other parts of the kingdom, also mines of minor metals-and Copper in great abundance at Anglesea, in Wales. The mines of coal, lead, iron, and other metals in Scotland, being of a good quality, cannot be valued at less than 3,000,000l. The chief mines in Ireland are iron and copper; besides these, there are mines of other metals, (not however produced in any great quantities,) abundance of slate, and some coals. (d) As the canals in England are so well known from their number and great extent, uniting by their inland navigation the greatest ports and towns in the kingdom, it were needless to enumerate them here; there are also several navigations of considerable extent in the south of Wales. The tolls, from the increased number of new roads and travelling, yield no inconsiderable sum yearly. The timber annually cut down for building £750,400,000 150,080,000 300,160,000 L. 1,200,640,000 ships and houses is of immense value: Dr. Beeke takes it at 40,000,000l. for Great Britain. A magnificent canal, seven feet deep, connects the Forth and the Clyde. The Caledonian Canal is of some extent; besides which are the Monckland, and several others, in Scotland. In Ireland a grand canal joins Dublin by inland navigation with Limerick and Waterford; another extends from the town of Newry to Lough-Neagh, and the collieries of Drumglass and Dungannon. (e) The dwelling-houses not included in the rent of lands, are-in England and Wales, 1,726,871; in Scotland, 309,741; total, 2,036,612; which may be distributed as follows: By a late survey, Ireland contains 12,001,200 acres, or about 19,430,000 acres English measure, which Mr. Newenham, in p. 326 of his Statistical and Historical Inquiry into the Progress and Magnitude of the Population of Ireland, thus distributes : English Acres. Lakes, rivers, roads, and decid edly irreclaimable land, about Waste, but reclaimable land, about 1,000,000 2,500,000 1,000,000 In furnishing different sorts of 1,500,000 4 1,000 Estimate of the Property of Great Britain and Ireland. [Aug. 1, Houses in Towns. Averaged Net Rental per Ann. 500 L.200* - L.100,000 Porcelain and Soap Salt Candles 1,500,000 20 - 2,000,000 - 10 - 2,000,000 5 - 2,894,470 Houses in Country. 500 · 100 50,000 1,000 5,000 20,000 100,000 40 There are some houses which may rent for three, four, five, and even six hundred pounds a-year; but as the number is comparatively very small, being confined chiefly to the largest class of houses in the metropolis, and the seats of the nobility and gentry in the country, and as the houses of the next two or three classes are also not numerous, they are all thrown together, and here constitute the first class, and are taken at an average much below their real value: it being a principle throughout these tables to steer clear of exaggeration. (g) Sir F. Eden has 39,000,000l. as the amount of foreign merchandize insurable throughout the year. The amount appears to have been formed from the then value of the imports, which may perhaps be considered a fair criterion. The stock of foreign productions imported has, however, since greatly increased, particularly the produce of the West Indies. (h) The shipping belonging to Great Britain, including those on the stocks, were estimated by Sir F. Eden at 19,000,0001. This valuation is chiefly founded on the tonnage of ships belonging to Great Britain in 1801, amounting to 1,725,340 tons; in 1811 we find them increased to 2,163,094 tons; and having also increased in value, they may now be fairly estimated at 24,000,000l.; and the shipping of Ireland at perhaps one-cighth of this value; making a total of 27,000,000l. for Great Britain and Ireland. This is exclusive of shipping belonging to the British colonies, 252,525 tons. (i) Sir F. Eden, in pages 3, 4, and 5, of his "Observations, &c. on Insurance," estimated the total agricultural stock in Great Britain, insurable for a year, at 32,500,000l. namely, for the stock on hand of wheat, barley, rye, oats, beans, and straw. When to these are added pease, rape, hops, butter, cheese, and agricultural utensils, the estimate may at the present day be fairly taken at 35,000,000l.; of which, perhaps, 5,000,000l. is not too much for Scotland. The agricultural stock in Ireland, which, from the great number of farms and the export of an immense surplus of provisions, is of considerable value, cannot be taken at |