Page:William Petty - Economic Writings (1899) vol 1.djvu/364

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Political Arithmetick.

Upon which grounds, the Bank may freely make use of the received Forty thousand Pounds, whereby the said summ, with the like summ in Credit makes Eighty thousand Pounds, and with the Twenty reserved an Hundred.

The Hollanders are seldom Husbandmen or Foot Soldiers.I might here add many more particulars, but being the same as have already been noted by others, I shall conclude only with adding one observation which I take to be of consequence, viz. That the Hollanders do rid their hands of two Trades, which are of greatest turmoil and danger, and yet of least profit; the first whereof is that of a common and private Soldier, for such they can hire from England, Scotland, and Germany, to venture their lives for Six pence a day, whilst themselves safely and quietly follow such Trades, whereby the meanest of them gain six times as much, and withal by this entertaining of Strangers for Soldiers; their Coun-|[31]|try becomes more and more peopled, forasmuch as the Children of such Strangers, are Hollanders and take to Trades, whilst new Strangers are admitted ad infinitum; besides these Soldiers at convenient intervals, do at least as much work as is equivalent to what they spend, and consequently by this way of employing of Strangers for Soldiers, they People the Country and save their own Persons from danger and misery, without any real expence, effecting by this method, what others have in vain attempted by Laws for Naturalizing of Strangers[1], as if Men could be charmed to transplant themselves from their own Native, into a Foreign Country merely by words, and for the bare leave of being called by a new Name. In Ireland Laws of Naturalization[2] have had little effect, to bring in Aliens, and 'tis no wonder, since English Men will not go thither without
  1. Propositions for the naturalization of aliens were laid before Parliament in 1664, 1667, 1670 and 1672. Commons' Jour., viii. 555, 557; ix. 22, 29, 33, 175, 250, 267, 274, 275; Parl. Hist., iv. 577. Cf. Child, New Discourse of Trade, ch. vii.; Cunningham, Engl. Industry, ii. 178, 179.
  2. 14 & 15 Charles II. c. 13, Ireland, provided that Protestant strangers, merchants, traders and artizans, who within seven years should transport their stocks and families into Ireland, there reside and take oath of allegiance, should be adjudged to all intents free and naturalized subjects, with all the rights of natives. Cf. Mountmorres, Hist. of the Irish Parliament, i. 426.