THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 33 



Sale of the royal forefts, crown lands, and other 

 unproductive claims, which would alfo open a new 

 field to agriculture, population, and the confump- 

 tion of home manufactures. 



Some of thefe favings are now in actual pro- 

 grefiion, and the accumulated amount of the whole 

 will ultimately exceed 2,000,000!. annually. 



In the mean time, however, additional taxes muft 

 be levied to raife the public revenue to a par, or 

 level, with the unavoidable difburfements as before 

 ftated ; and, as perfons of all denominations have 

 fomething to fay on thefe fubjects, the following ob- 

 fervations are fubmitted, among other fchemes of 

 the day, to the confideration of the reader. 



The objects of revenue may be claffed under three 

 general heads ; 



1. 'The landed property ; on which, owing to late 

 improvements, and the rapid growth of towns, the 

 tax is levied at prefent very unequally. 



2. Trade and commerce -, or duties and excifes on 

 exports and imports, manufactures, and the necef- 

 faries of life. Objects, that ought to be the lad in 

 confideration, and always touched with the greateft 

 delicacy ; but, which, on the contrary, have been 

 taxed, and re-taxed, to an alarming degree ; tending 

 to fap the foundations of commerce > the great prop 

 on which all other fources of revenue chiefly depend. 



3. Luxuries , Jufer flint ies^ and amufements y feem 

 therefore, the moft eligible objects of taxation, and 

 which will be more or lefs productive in proportion 

 as commerce fhall be exempted. From thefe chan- 

 nels all the deficiencies of revenue may be amply 



are inftantly cut off. Debts, or the precarious dependence upon 

 friends or neighbours, look them in the face, and the lofs of ope 

 week throws them back many weeks. It ought alfo to be confidered, 

 that as taxes, and all the geceflaries of life, have rifen, and are 

 riling, far beyond any example in other countries, the article of 

 bread fhould, in policy and humanity, be permitted to reach the 

 cottage, and the g?.rrct, at fucn prices as bounteous nature alone, 

 ftiall, from year to year, flamp upon it. 



C fupplied^ 



