The Wealth of the Kingdom.
CHAP. I.
Containing several Computations of the Wealth of the Kingdom.
1.THERE are of Men, Women, and Children, in England and Wales, about six Millions, whose Expence at 6l. 13s. 4d. per Annum, or near 4½d. per Diem, for Food, Housing, Cloaths, and all other necessaries, amount to 40 Millions, per Annum.
2, There are in England and Wales, of Acres of Land (worth 6l. 1s. 8d. per Acre[1] and 18 years purchase) 24 Millions, that is, which yields 8 Millions per Annum Rent, and which are worth 144 Millions to be sold.
3. There be 28000 Houses within the Liberties of the City of London, worth 15l. per Annum, and twelve years purchase (viz. which yields 420,000l. per Annum, and are worth 5,040,000l.|4|
There are without the Liberties, but within the Bills of Mortality ¼ more[2] in number, perhaps not of greater value, viz. 5,040,000l.
- ↑ All editions have 6l. 1s. 8d. per acre. D has '6s 8d p acre,' which makes Petty's calculation correct.
- ↑ Apparently "¼ more" should be "as many more." This correction explains the words "not of greater value, viz. 5,040,000l." at the end of the paragraph, and it brings the estimate of London's houses (56,000) more nearly into harmony with the 65,000 or 66,000 which Petty variously assigns to the London of 1666 in his Two Essays and in his Five Essays. Furthermore it is by some such change alone that we can justify Petty's valuation of the housing of
