[PDF]The landlord's companion; or, Ways and means to raise the value of land ..

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y77,e ■
Robert E. Gross
Colleftioii

A Memorial to the Founder
of the


Business Administration Library
Los Angeles


THE ^f'^'

Landlord's Companion:

O R,

WAYS and MEANS

To RAISE the

Value of LAND.

CONTAINING,


I. Confiderations on the
Reafonablenefs and Ne-
ceflity of advancing the
Farming Intereft j parti-
cularly the Corn Trade.

II. Confiderations on the


Cattle Trade, and the
Methods of raifing the
Bri/i/& Rents.
III. Confiderations on other
Methods of relieving our
Landholders.


WITH

Political DISCOURSES

O N T H E

Land-Tax, War, and other Subjects,.
Occafionally intermixed.

Homines autem homimim caufd generati funt^ ut
ipfi inter fe aliis alii prodejfe pojfint.

M. T. Cicero de Officiis, I. i.

By WILLIAM ALLEN,

Of Fohjion in Pembroke/hire, Efq;

LONDON:

Printed for T. Astley, at the Rofe in St. PauPs Church-
Tard. MDCCXLII. Price One Shilling.


T O H I S

GRACE the Duke
of Nerpcajlle^

One of His Majesty's
Principal Secretaries of
State.

My LORD,^

THE Subjeds of the
following Sheets
being of the higheft Im-
portance to this Nation,

I hope


DEDICATION.

I hope Tour Grace will
take them under Your
Patronage : Herein Your
candid and generous Spi-
rit will have great Room
to difplay itfelf.

As there is not ^nyEng-
lip Nobleman, who has
contributed more to the
prefent Eftablilhment of
the State, than Your
Grace, I doubt not but
the Landed Intereft ,
(which we have treated
of in the beft Manner
we could,) fome of the
chief Supports of it, will
meet with Your Favour.

I flat-


DEDICATION.

I flatter myfelf that
Your knovon Influence and
Abilities in the Briti/h
Senate will be exerted
in ferving the Engliflj
Landholders : Such an
Exercife of Your Power
will be an agreeable Con-
tinuance of Your Kind-
nefs to the Publick.

From Foljloj7, in J y^yn

^cmhrokepire ' .

1735.

Tour GraceV mofi obedient^
and mofi humble Ser^anty


iLLiAM Allen.


THE

PREFACE.

WHEN any Branch of Trade
has been dechning, fome
generous Spirited Man or other,
or fome Hireling Writer^ has com-
monly endeavoured to reftore it
to its former Profperity.

When the Intereft of our Land-
ed Men is under Diftrefs, it fel-
dom meets with the fame good
Fortune. What to impute it to
/may, perhaps, be too tender a
Point tor (^) fome Sort of pru-


{a) Thofc who arc afraid of menrionin<; a Publick:
I'ault, through a Fear of orfcnding the Publick.

dent


The Preface.

dent Men to difcover -, however,
I will venture to fay, (as Truth
cannot give any jujl Offence,) it
is to an Ignorance of our Con-
ftitution and Landed Intereft,
or to Gentlemen of Judgment
fuff^ering Fadion, or Abftrule and
Curious, more than (^) Prac-
tical Parts of Science to ingrofs
their Time. The firft Sort of
Knowledge capacitates the Mind
to judge of Things with more
Depth and Accuracy, than it could
otherwife. But what Seneca faid
of the Syftems in The Art of
Reafoning^ That they ought to
be looked into, but not conftant-
ly followed, is properly applica-
ble to fuch Purfuits. I wilh that
thofe, who have a Capacity to
ferve their Country, may pafs


(<») All the Hints and Difcourfes I have feen con-
cerning the Landed Intereft, are falfc Lights.


jud


The Preface.

juft Refledions on luch Diflte-
rences. Our young Gentlemen,
who delight in Readins; and
Meditation, commonly employ
themfelves in Matiiematicks and
Philofophy , when they arrive at
Manhood, the Pleafure, which
Cuftom has caufed, hood- winks
them from obfervins^ thoie Me-
thods and Studies, which would
enable them to do Jocial A6ls of
Kindnefs to their Countrymen.
Searching after, and laying down
PradHcal Tlans for the Good of
their Brethren, would be a happier
Way of giving an Account of
thole Talents and Leifure Provi-
dence blelTes them with. It would
rejoice me more to benefic tne
Community I am a Member of,
than to know all the Propoiirions
and Problems of Lock and New-
ton,

a In


The Preface.

In this Book I have endeavoui>
ed to advance the Interefl ot our
Landholders , and have fhewn
the NecefTity of adminiftring Re-
lief to them. I have not avoid-
ed Labour in weighing and re-
volving the (everal Pofitions there-
in ; the Benefit of Converjeition.,
Ohfervation and Readings accor-
ding to my Capacity, has not
been wantin^;. It havini^ been
my Opinion, tnat a general Know-
ledge of Trade is conducive to
a ridit Underllandins; of their
InterelT, I have endeavoured to
be tolerably well verfed in it, at
leaft fo fur as was proper for the
prefent Occafion.

The Knowledge of National
Interefts and Trade is not ac-
quired eafily, even by Men of
good Judgments. It is not fuf-

fceuc


The Preface.

ficient to draw lound Confe-
quences from a fevr Preinifles,
(which is only neceilary in moll
fpeculative Things). There muft
be an extenfive Acquaintance Pro
and Con. with a Multitude of
Particulars, an accurate h:.ipedd-
on of Conveniences and Incon-
veniences ; otherwife imprudent
Rejolnttons will be often formed.

An over great Regard for Men
of Learning , and (if we believe
fome,) a natural Precipitancy of
Judgment, (whicli is owing to
the fame Sort of Spirits winch
give Englifhmen the Advantage
of uncommon Courage) -, I fay
thefe tw^o Things make us think
often too weii of wiiac fome
Men of Learning have wrote on
Trade.

a z Men


The Preface.

Men of this Compledlion da
not often deceive us, for deceiv-
ing fake, but becaufe they are
deceived. A certain Prelate faid,
that fome Men are thought to
write well on any Subjed they un-
dertake, becaufe they are able to
write well on fome other Things
All Perfons write and talk befl
about thoie Afiairs they have the
greateft Intimacy Vv^ith: And, in
my Judgment , the compleat
Knowledge ot Trade, (fc- re-
quires as much Labour and At-
tention as cmj of the Arts and
Sciences.

The Profundity of Philofophy
may be bewildred in the Cun-
ning and By-Paths of Bufinefs.
As there is certanily fo much
Difficulty in Tilings of this Kind,
pardon me, (my ileader) in fay-
ing


The Preface.

ing, you ought to have fome of
the like Skill before you con-
demn what is herein advanced ;
if not, \nfome of your Cenfures,
you will judge no better than a
blind Man can of Colours. I
frankly own feveral of my firft
and fecond Thoughts have been
wrongly grounded, till reite-
rated Reflec5tion has fet them
right.

If there are yet Errors in this
Performance, I wifh they may
meet with the fame happy Fate.
Oh glorious Truth, thou oaghc'ft
always to prevail ! But here is the
Misfortune; a Philofopher fays
Truth (efpecially in Political and
National Affairs,) lies in a deep
Well, and is hard to be come at.
The various Degrees of Plaufibi-
lity, and Shews of Truth on
both Sides, m Paiiiamenrary Af-


The Preface.

fairs, encoura2;e a crreat Diffidence
in judging ot Things or a Na-
tional Concern. Des Cartes in
his Treatife De Methodo^ (joined
to his other Works,) is very Fond
of Diftruft in Judgment, as an
extraordinary Qiialification to-
wards true Reafoning. I think it
is an excellent Book for fuch an
Art ; but I cannot fay I approve
of that Rule fo eminently as he
does.

The Corn Affair being the Sub-
je(5t oi the moft hiiportance to the
Generality ot Landlords and Te-
nants , 1 have ftudied it with
the urmofl: Alliduity and Exad:-
nefs I could, and hope it will not
be liable to many well grounded
Objections : There being no Pro-
bability of advancing the Cattle
Trade mucli, for Reafons here-
after affigned. I have thrown to-
4 get her


The Preface.



tions concerning it.


The Reflections herein on War,
Treaties, Money, Taxes, ^c, are,
I hope, confonant to Reafon ; I
trufl: all impartial Men will think
them fo.

It is not poflible but fome of
our Pofitions will give Offence to
fome, who feek their particular
Interefl:, preferably to the gene-
ral Good of the Nation. If (a)
Objed:ions are raifed by fuch, they
will have but little Weight with
thofe who examine Things with
Penetration and Accuracy.
\

All that I have to obferve far-
ther is, that if the Grecians did


(a) In all Political Dcbato'j it is eafy to talk mucli
C3 ATi^ Side.


not


The Preface.

not adl wrongly in favouring Au-
thors, who (a) endeavoured to
contribute to the Profperity of
their Country, I flatter myfelf,
that thefe Sheets will meet with
the Indulgence of my Country-
men.


(<*) This was Candour and Greatnefs of Nature,
worthy of the Imitation of all Nations.


WAYS


in


WAYS and MEANS

To P.AISE the

Value of LAND. Sco


CHAP. I.

Confiderations on the Reajonable-
nefs and Necejjity of Ad^van-
cing the Farming Interejl ', far-
tictilarly the Corn Tirade,

TH E Intereft of our Britijlj Land-
holdefs has been declining feveral
Years laft paft. It has been a ge-
neral Obfervation, that Rents have
been finking, and Tenants unable to make
as good Payments as formerly, even in Coun-
ties where there is the greateft Circulation
of Money, the Maritime ones, and thofc
near the capital Cities of the Kingdom.

B k%


As this is too well known to be their Cafe,
they deferve the Attention and Favour of
our Legifiature : It is proper they (hould
make a tolerable Intcreft of their Money, as
well as Adventurers in other Bufinefles j
which few of them do, who have not en-
joyed their Bargains {a) Twenty Years, or
a longer Time.

Though Grain has born a good Price late-
ly, it has not been bzgb enough for fuch Pur-
pofes, nor for making them Satisfaction for
their Lofs in the Years preceding this Year
and the lafl. On the Suppofition that Bar-
ley, Peafe and Oats had fold as dear as
Wheat (I mean in Proportion) they would
have been now in a tolerable Condition ; but
the Cafe has been otherwife ; the Price of
thofe Grains this Year and laft has been too
low : Before they can pay their Kents^ &c.
(which are generally high) Wheat of mid-
ling Goodnefs ought, I think, to fell for
about Four Shillings and Three-pence per
JVinchejic)\ not in a few Places, but through-
out the Kingdom. Barley for Half a Crown,
Peafe Two Shillings and Three-pence, and
Oars Eighteen-pence per Wincheficr. I know
in former Times lefs Prices were fufficient 3
but as Circumftances alter, the fame Thing
is altered. Let it not be thought there is no
NeccfHty to fupport and add to the prefent


(^.t) Lands nrc much dearer now.

Prices


[3]

Prices of Grain, becaufe Wheat has been fo
high, and higher in fome of the principal
Cities of the Kingdom ^ for the other Grains
have generally been fold for much lower
Prices than the above, (for much of them
has not been exported). And Wheat this
Year and laft never mounted (^) yet, in
fome of the (h^ extreme Parts of the King-
dom, to above Three Shillings and Eight-
pence per IVinchcJicr j Barley is now fold in
the Weft of England for Two Shillings per
IVmcheJler [Bufhel]. It has been Icfs there
this Year, and very low in other Places,
Prices are often much higher fifty Miles
round London than elfewhere ; which in-
duces feveral great Men to think the Coun-
trymen live better than they really do.
Country Meafures (which are frequently
larger than the tVinchefier^ or legal Bufhels)
contribute farther to fuch Miftakes. Corn
Farms (Timber, Iron, Harveft People, and
Servants [weighty Articles of Expencc] be-
ing jniicb dearer than in former Times) wilJ
not yield Rifficient Profit to the Occupiers of
them, unlefs they can have fuch Prices ^
particularly as Cattle, Pigs, Sheep, Butter
and Cheefe, are now near one Third Part
cheaper than formerly, and what is called a
Living Price. If what is faid about the Ex-


(a) fanuary I. 7 ■'^4-5.
- {b) In Per/zbyokcjlore, a County which produces v^ft
Q^iantirics of VViiear, (and otlier Grain") wliich is
very good ; for tiic farmers commonly low Evglljl)
Seed yearly.

B 2 pence


[4]

pence of Farming, being greater then for-,
merly, is confidercd, it muft be allowed (by
thofe who undcrftand Country Affairs) that
a Tenant in a Corn Farm muft make near
three Rents and an Half of his Tenement
(befides 4 Refervation of Seed-Corn for the
following Year, to enable him to live as he
(a) oifght^ and that one of thofe Rents fhould
arife from the Stock and Dairy Profit [there
are fome fmall Variations in Etigland^ Wales.
and Scotland j but my Calculation is in the
general] ; a duo Weighing of the Additional
Expsncesprevent the Prices , I mentioned , Icing
thought very unreafonable. It may not be
much amifs to obferve here, (becaufe feve-r
ral eminent Perfons have another Way ot
Thinking) that Counties remote from Lou-
don^ and other great Cities, fhould not at
any Time be {ubje6t to a new Valuation of
their Lands, to make them bear more Taxes 5
for they cannot have the advanced Prices
always for their Goods (reconfider the In-
ftances already quoted) as the other Coun-
ties have J the Price of Carriage and dri-
ving muft be deduced. High Prices aye not
as foon knoivn in remote Places , Merchants
and Drovers buy commonly near thofe Ci-
ties, if there is a fufficient Plenty. There
are fcvcral Exhortations of great Value often


{it) To pay his Landlord's Rent, Tithe, Manurc-
mcnr, ncccllary out-goina; Expcnccs of various Kinds,
and a rea/omble Frovijion for his Family.

for


[5]


for tivo or three Months, or lefs, on Wars,
and Alarms of War only^ at other Times ^
alfo iuucb Buying of Meat^ &c. to Vidual
our own Men of War on the like Alarms ;
and in a War, Counties near London fell
more by felling firft , and afterwards with
the reft j and if they do not go on, have
in a Manner the whole Advantage thereof.
If Things are very plentiful and cheap near
thofe Cities, Merchants will not deal far
abroad, without much Abatement on the
Part of the Sellers. As the above cafual
Advantages happen often, it is eafy to fee
it is more Profitable to have Lands near thofe
Cities, than elfcwhere. As the remote Parts,
except a fe-iv ^oiiuns, have very little Trade
or Money -, and as there is annually a great
Deal of Money brought up to London, by
Reafon that their chief Gentry refide moft-
ly there, by the Return of the Excife-Money
and Land-Tax-i (vaft Sums, confidering their
Poverty,) it would be a ready Way in a Ihort
Courfe of Time to bring thofe Countries to a
Paper-Coin only, which would End in their
Ruin, and the Abolifhing of all Commerce
among them. Do thofe Perfons argue rea-
fonably, who fay they ought to Pay in Pro-
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