504 On the Means of Improving a Country. 



that upon the prosperity of agriculture, the regular pay- 

 ments of their dividends must principally depend. For it 

 is to be observed, that as the property-tax was imposed^ on all 

 the classes of the community, in proportion to their supposed 

 wealth or income, hence, we may conclude, that the taxes pay- 

 able in every other way, by each class, and every individual in 

 each class, who spent his income, were probably paid, in nearly 

 the same proportion, as the tax on property. 



It cannot, at the same time be doubted, that the agricul- 

 tural classes are much indebted to those employed in trade 

 and manufactures, for being the means of consuming the 

 produce of the soil. But still, it is the surplus productions 

 of agriculture, raised under the superintendence of the own- 

 ers of ^the soil, and by the skill and industry of those who 

 occupy it, which constitute the real basis of our national 

 prosperity ; and exported manufactures, may be consider- 

 ed as nothing else, that so much beef, mutton, wheat, bar- 

 ley, &c. converted into another, and more convenient shape. 

 Where manufacturers however, are fed by the productions 

 of foreign industry, and when the articles they manufacture 

 are produced from foreign raw materials, as fine wool, &c. &c. 

 instead of being an advantage, they have the effect of depre- 

 ciating the value, checking the improvement of domestic 

 agricultural productions, and bringing foreign articles into 

 competition with them, by means of British capital. 



It likewise appears, from the following statement, that the 

 occupiers of land form a great, as well as valuable body ; 

 and are much superior in number, as well as financial pro- 

 ductiveness, to the other classes in the community. 



No. of Persons. 



1. Occupiers of land, with incomes under L.50 per an-1 



num, who were thence exempted from the tax on pro- > 141,778 

 perty, j 



2. Occupiers from L.50 to L.I 50 per an- \ ^n 504 

 num , J 



3. Occupiers above L.150, 42,062 ( 10 ) 



474,596 



Total occupiers of land, independent of artificers) 5g9 . 

 and others connected with agriculture, J 



When it is considered, how usefully this numerous class of 

 respectable and industrious individuals are employed ; 

 that by the last enumeration of the population of England, 

 Wales, and Scotland, the number of families connected with 



