9 Decr 1801

Maximum

2

a quantity of the old stock upon their hands, But /though/ even in this case it

would not be the interest to let the commodity go out of their hands at a lower

price and consequently at a quicker rate, unless in consequence of the final

glut produced by the intervening diminution of /in the/ consumption the ultimate

fall of price were to become so great as to do more than take back again from

them the intermediate profit derived from the intermediate artificial

scarcity.

But in the case of an extraordinary scarcity – a decided and known deficiency

this check no longer holds: the whole or a part scarce distinguishable from the

whole is necessary to keep the inhabitants alive: the whole must therefore be

bought at whatever price. By the poor themselves it could not have been bought

at a price anything near so high as that at which we have seen it bought: but by

the poor assisted by the rich it might be bought and has been bought at that

price and might have been bought at a price still greater /higher/: how much

higher it is /seems/ difficult to say. The quantity of money in the country

might in former times when money was gold and silver and the quantity of it

unlimited, have set a limit to this encrease – but now that money is paper – and

the quantity of paper without limit, the limits of the quantity capable of being

raised for the purchase of necessaries in the several hands through which they

have to pass are at any rate very ill defined.
Similar Items
  • Title: [9 Decr 1801 Maximum 1]
    Description: 9 Decr 1801

    Maximum

    1

    It has been observed – and with great appearance of truth that the interest of

    the Vendor {and Grower} of corn is always the same as that of the public in all

    conjunctures /at all times/.

    It certainly is so at a time of moderate plenty: it may be so at the time of a

    slight degree of scarcity. It as certainly is not /But It seems by no means

    equally clear that it is/ so in a time of extraordinary scarcity. In a time of

    extraordinary scarcity it is the interest of the public that the price should

    rise to {the degree sufficient to produce the utmost degree of economy

    consistent with the preservation of the lives and healths of the inhabitants of

    the inhabitants. /such a degree of economy as shall if possible be sufficient to

    keep the supply from being exhausted in any superior degree before the time when

    the first crop assisted by such intermediate supplies as shall have been

    obtained from abroad shall have come to its relief./ That the price should rise

    thus high is also the interest of the grower and vendor of the articles of

    subsistence. But at that point the union of interests stops /interests

    separate/. It is not the interest of the public /consumer/ that the price should

    rise a single step beyond this mark. It is the interest of the grower and dealer

    that it should keep on rising above this mark as high as possible.

    In the case of a moderate stock what makes it the interest of the Grower and the

    vendor that the price should not rise beyond /above/ a certain mark is that if

    it were to rise above the mark the diminution might be so great that by the

    commencement of the next harvest they might find a
  • Title: [20 Decr 1801 Maximum Ulteriora]
    Description: 20 Decr 1801

    Maximum

    Ulteriora

    Bounty &c […?]

    Magazines

    1

    11

    I have heard of a plan for ordering /an intention so to order/ matters that /an

    arrangement by which/ the price of wheat shall be made or at least permitted to

    rise as high as 10s a bushel, I suppose by restraint on importation till it has

    arrived at that mark: and I have heard that price admitted to be sufficient,

    though not more than sufficient, but the means insufficient, unless a bounty on

    export be of the number.

    If what is above observed respecting the want of land be just, that or any still

    higher price with or without the /a/ bounty will be inadequate, and if a bounty

    be given, the amount of it will be so much thrown away. The quantity of

    cultivated land not being augmented, or at least not being augmented in

    proportion to the existing deficiency of corn /agricultural produce/, added to

    the growing superflux of population, whatever quantity is added to corn will be

    so much taken from other produce. As to the bounty so much as it amounts

    /amounted/ to , by so much would the scarcity and price of the aggregate of all

    agricultural produce taken together be enhanced. So much more corn as was

    produced in consequence so much less of other agricultural produce would be

    producible by the same land: and of the extra quantity of corn produced, a part

    at least is proposed to be and by the supposition must be, exported /sent/ out

    of the country. What part and what proportion it may bear to the whole

    extra
  • Title: [[Rudiments sheet] 12 Novr 1799]
    Description: [Rudiments sheet]

    12 Novr 1799

    Annuity Notes

    Brouillon I

    * { 1* To the actually existing Petty Hoarders may be added those who would be

    Petty Hoarders, had they the means and […?] in question. See the Author’s

    Public[?] of a plan relative to the Poor as printed

    Nomenclature in Young’s Annal.

    Holders of small sums hoarded - not large enough to buy Stock with.

    Holders of temporary sums seeking employment not permanent enough to buy stock

    with

    Holders of temporary sums not seeking employment - or running cash.

    1. Petty Hoarders - or on a small scale

    2. Temporary Sum-Holders not under engagement

    3. Temporary Sum Holders under engagement.

    2*. Hoarders in attendant on a small to a large scale.

    4. Mean expenders without hoarding.

    1 Possessors of Petty Hoards - Permanent Hoards Permanent sums on a small scale

    seeking employment

    2. Possessors of Temporary Sums on a large scale not under engagement but seeking

    employment

    3. Possessors of do on do under engagement.

    4. Possessors of Income or Sums for current expences. }

    Extent

    { 1 2

    The amount of Debt bought in will be equal to the amount of Annuity Notes sold

    plus the profit of the quantum: i:e: the discount upon Stock at the different

    periods

    2 3

    The addition made to the currency will be the amount of Annuity Notes sold minus

    the amount of Annuity Notes hoarded - minus the amount of Bank and Bankers’

    paper expelled.

    3 1

    The amount of Annuity Notes issued will be

    1. The amount of Bank & Bankers’ paper existing - plus

    2. The amount of Gold coin now existing

    3. Minus the quantity necessary for circulation - which will be equal to the

    quantity requisite for paying dividends viz. £9,000,000: - plus the claimed

    dividends on Note Annuities.}

    Extent

    3 1

    { 4. plus - the difference between the amount of Annuity Notes that will be

    hoarded, and that of cash that now is hoarded. }

    Gold coin existing - £44,000,000

    Deduct Half Years Dividend on Stock} 9,000,000

    Remains addition to the currency and to the National Wealth £35,000,000

    From which is only to be subtracted the claimed interest upon the amount of

    Annuity-Note Paper issued.

    Advantages

    Security.

    The danger of failure is continually encreasing by the encreasing extent of the

    connection of the Country Bankers with one another, and with the London Bankers.

    {Bankers debarred

    Extent.

    The expulsion of Bank and Bankers’ paper would effected without producing

    failure, inasmuch as before the establishment of the {new} paper they would have

    ample warning to withdraw. }

    Say

    Addition to the currency £35,000,000

    Bank Paper large 10,000,000

    Do Small 3,000,000

    Banker’s Paper 7,000,000

    55,000,000

    Profit on the above at 33.6.8 per Cent }

    Total Debt paid off being = } 2

    66.13:4

    which is to 100::40

    40 to 60

    Effects

    { The effect of the influx of this wealth will be just the same as if so much

    specie were imported from abroad and paid to government by some foreign power on

    account of tribute, subsidy, marriage portion &c. }

    Government making the […?] applicable of it.

    It would no more drive out specie than Bank & Bankers’ notes have driven

    out specie(a)+

    - But if it did? - where would be the harm? &c

    What a rejoicing upon the capture of a few hundred thousand pounds in specie!

    which because the property not of Government, but of the individual captors -

    +(a) Smith speaks of Bankers paper driving out specie - but this is only in a

    particular part of the Country That the whole quantity of specie has not been

    lessened appears from those.

    Extent Effects

    So long as any gold exists, it can not be scarce - bear a premium as exchange

    against Annuity Notes, because Annuity Notes being by the supposition preferred

    to it, every body will rather part with gold than with an Annuity Note.

    Neither can it lose its value since every body is compelled to take gold for a

    debt, and can not be compelled to take Annuity Notes.

    Gold can not be inconveniently scarce without bearing a premium: nor can a

    premium be given for it for the purpose of purchasing Annuity Notes with it:

    since there is nothing on which the purchase of it could be made but Annuity

    Notes.

    Therefore the proportion as between Cash & Paper would adjust itself to

    general convenience without any scarcity on either side. As neither could be

    driven out (by the other) both would stay.

    1 Assurance

    1

    { The first {to} take it will be the Petty Hoarders who take it with a aim[?] of

    keeping it. To answer their purpose it is not necessary /induce them to take it

    no persuasion is necessary on their part/ that any body should /will/ be in

    readiness to take it off their hands unless it be with a view of holding[?] it

    as they do, as in case of sink[?]

    2

    In the first instance a man who can keep his money by him but a limited time, and

    must then buy it will not be disposed to take it, for fear of his not being able

    to get it off his hands in that time. }

    3

    But a man who has the money for his own - can keep it thus invested as long as he

    pleases, {and who is prevented from investing it in a private loan for want of

    knowing where that premium can be placed out with perfect certainty of its being

    repaid to a day and}

    1 Assurance

    { and also fears buying into the funds for fear of a fall to a greater amount

    than the interest, will be disposed to venture on the purchase of a few Annuity

    Notes - on confident of being able to pass them off at par on the following

    considerations.

    1. That there is a class of people that will be always wanting these Notes that

    they were afraid[?] of not being able to circulate them.

    2. That these Petty Hoarders can never get an Annuity Note in the way of issue

    without paying par price, with the fuss and trouble to boot

    3. That this expence and trouble will be saved by taking them in the way of

    circulation - taking them of him[?] }

    4. That it is impossible that even in the way of office before many months

    weeks[?] or even days are elapsed there must be a demand for such a mass of

    Annuity Notes as he meant to take out

    - A fortune that there must be in

    1. Assurance

    { in the way of circulation

    5. That the market for this paper will not; can not however be confined to the

    Petty Hoarders, because those being […?] in the same situation with himself the

    inducement that operates on him to take out his paper in the way of issue will

    operate in the encreased force upon others so as to engage them to take it in

    the way of circulation.

    When once it becomes a fact a well known matter of fact, that this paper is

    received in circulation and received at par the bulk of men will not be

    scrutinizing out the reason. }

    Ex. gr. the South Sea Scheme) They will acquire and presume the presumption that

    it will continue to be so received.

    For a short time this paper will not be taken out by any but those who can afford

    to keep it.

    { But while by experience it is forced to be as current[?] as cash, it will not

    enter into a man’s head to consider whether or no he can afford to keep it. }

    { The demand for it in the case of Petty Hoarders will be the basis of the demand

    on the part of the other classes. }

    { 1. Assurance

    The demand in the way of issue & in the way of circulation would regulate

    each other - A man could not be deterred from taking it in the way of

    circulation by a dread of a glut in the way of issue - since iss[?] circulation

    will always be preferable to issue.

    Fees highest at first

    The fees on issue might be higher at first than afterward

    1. To favour the circulation in its infancy.

    2. That the rate of payment may be higher when the dealing is less extensive. }

    { Progress of Issue

    It can not be that Notes should continue to be refused in circulation, when it is

    known that they are taken out in the way of issue. Therefore the progress of the

    issue should be regularly published. }

    Unless (what is not improbable) the currency of it should be preconfided[?] in by

    moneyd men to such a degree as to induce them to take it out in the first

    instance.