Consumption of Grain in Great Britain, Sec. 2R9 



fias been copied and calculated upon, but I believe this calculation to be very. 

 erroneous, and a great exaggeration, and that the real amount docs not exceed half 

 that number. 



In the present state of society, and its relative situation, respecting agriculture, 

 trade, manufactures, and commerce, great numbers of horses are necessary in the 

 conveyance of provisions, minerals, manures, metals, timber, raw materials of ma- 

 nufacture, goods, merchandize, fuel, and a great variety of heavy articles, often 

 conveyed to great distances; the number of heavy carriages in all directions to 

 and from London ; and the same upon a smaller scale to and from all other popu- 

 lous cities and towns ; the internal carriage within such places, by dray horses, 

 with fuel, goods, merchandize, and from warehouses and wharfs in all directions ; 

 the numbers employed on rivers, canals, and in mines ; the necessary conveniences 

 and accommodations for travelling, in mail and stage coaches, chaises, hackney 

 coaches, and other vehicles; the numbers kept for convenience, pleasure, and 

 luxury, as hackneys, coach-horses, hunters, and racers ; the supply for the army 

 and its dependencies, as yeomanry, volunteer cavalry, Sec. ; these require a great 

 supply of horses, and that supply must be obtained from the land, and consequently 

 either from agriculture or grazing, as it can be obtained from no other source, and 

 in this respect agriculture may be considered as a nursery for horses wanted for 

 other purposes. 



It may be objected, that many of these classes of horses might be well spared, and 

 that some of them are useless; but it cannot reasonably be expected that even these 

 will be given up, unless some violent convulsion should occur in society : those 

 who have been used to the ease, convenience, and pleasure of riding, will not easily 

 be induced to prefer walking on foot ; and the conveniencies of easy and expedi- 

 tious travelling, or even the pleasures and amusements to which horses are subser- 

 vient, cannot be abandoned, without recurring towards a state of general poverty 

 and unimproved society. 



Respecting the precise number kept in England, it is very difficult to conjecture 

 near the truth, but these estimates may be corrected by future information. I shall 

 begin with those independent of agriculture, though they must be drawn originally 

 from that source; and if they cannot be dispensed with, horses in agriculture are 

 necessary, to produce those for other uses. 



VOL V. P p 



