C 31 ) 



mcnt, it is impoflible that any advantage can arife 

 to the perfons having right therein. That it is a 

 valuable track of land, however, if under proper 

 cultivation, is fully afcertained from the following 

 circumllance. The annual expence of keeping the 

 drains, bridges, &c. in proper repair is confiJer- 

 able ; and the means adopted by thofe concerned, 

 for railing a fund for this purpofe, is to let a cer- 

 tain number of acres to fome tenant in the neigh- 

 bourhood for a courfe of corn cropping, for 3 or 4 

 years, when it generally rents at from L. 3 to L. 5 

 per acre. From this account, it may be fafely 

 ftated, that if thefe fix or feven thoufand acres were 

 converted into private property, and divided into 

 farms of a proper fize, the whole might be rented 

 on leafes of moderate endurance, at from 20 s. to 

 30 s. per acre ; and it may further be obferved, that 

 the produce of thefe lands, under that fyftem, would 

 exceed what they now yield, to the extent of many 

 thouland pounds a-year, while the additional num- 

 ber of hands which would be requilite for the cul- 

 tivation of thefe farms, could not be fliort of 1300 

 or 1400. The advantages, therefore, both of a pu- 

 blic and private nature, which mud neceflarily re- 

 fult from a divifion of this common, are fo obvious, 

 as to require no illuftration. 



The perfon who is moil materially interefted, is 

 Earl Fitzwilliam, though a great many others are, 

 to a certain extent, concerned. From the truly re- 

 fpedable character of that Noble Lord, there can be 

 no doubt, that a proper application made to him^ 

 from all thofe having intereft in the divifion, would 

 be attended with the bell confequences, as, from his 

 difpofition to be ferviceable to thofe who refide in 

 his neighbourhood, he would chearfully embrace fo 

 favourable an opportunity of materially promoting 

 their interefl:. But as the whole inhabitants of thefe 

 32 parifhes, may be fajd to be in fome degree con- 

 cerned^ 



