therefore all Companies that make Improvements at home and promote the vent of these Commodities abroad do most certainly deserve all Encouragement imaginable Merch. A late Learned Author in an Essay upon the probable Methods of making a People Gainers in the Ballance of Trade published about a year since expresses the very same Opinion I have the Book here if your Lordship please I 'le read the very words for I think they are not unworthy to be taken notice of Ld. A. Pray Sir do so Merch. In his Introduction these are the words viz. The Land is to yield the Product which Product is to yield the Wealth so that we should enquire how this product stands in every Particular but more especially in the principal constituent Parts of England's Strength namely Wool Corn and our Mines for 't is by the well ordering and wise disposition of these Branches of our Wealth that we are to be Gainers in the Ballance of Trade And in Page 94. after he has treated of the Land of England and the Product thereof of several kinds he goes on in these very words viz. Our Mines are the Product of the Earth and undoubtedly capable of great Improvements we ought to respect them as the Parents of our Trade and which made us known to the first Merchants of the World the Phoenicians We have Tinn Lead Copper Calamy Iron Coal Culm Allom Copperas with other sorts of Minerals and what is in this manner dug out of the Earth can't be a less Article then about Seven or Eight hundred thousand pounds per Annum in the whole Rental of the Kingdom They who work these Mines and deal in Minerals know best what Laws and Constitutions they want to make their Business more easie at home and to give their Commodities a free vent abroad but if they need any help from the Legislative Power most certainly they ought to have it since their Stock and Labour turn so much to the Common Good for whatever their Product yields in Foreign Markets is clear National Profit There are lately published some extraordinary Accounts of the Mines in Cardiganshire where 't is said there are Eight large Veins of Silver Lead and Copper Oar lying near together in one Mountain nigh a Navigable River and a good Port. * Mine-Adventure and Expedient p. 7. 'T is alledg'd that these Mines with a large Stock in a few years may be advanced to a clear Profit of One hundred and seventy thousand pounds per Annum This Computation does not seem at all extravagant to those who have look'd into the Accounts of what Mines produce in other Countries provided the Oar be good the Veins like to last and large ones seldom fail and provided there be no invincible Impediment from Nature to their working they have stood still several Years for want of a good Agreement among the Adventurers 'T is said Sir H. M. has put them in a way of being wrought but if his Expectient should not succeed and if new Differences should arise the Legislative Authority may very well and justly interpose even to compel the Partners to some Agreement whereby the Work may be carried on 〈…〉 justice due to the Publick at no time to suffer a few Stock-jobbing Citizens to stand in the way of any National Advantage the Fraud and Corruption of which sort of Men have hurt England in more than one particular If these Mines come but any thing near the value Mr. William Waller has put upon them and with reasons very probable they are a fit object of the States care and upon inspection into their true worth if private Purses can't raise a Stock sufficient to set them going it were better done upon some publick Fund to be repaid out of the Profits than to loose what is represented as so immense a Treasure But should it prove less 't is not to be neglected for Nations like private Men who will thrive must look into small things as well as great and for this we have the Examples of France and Holland whose Ministers examine into the minutest Matters where the Publick may possibly reap any Advantage and 't is a very commendable piece of Wisdom were it but for this single reason that to do so constantly begets a habit of Care and Diligence in things of higher importance Thus my Lord you see what this ingenious Gentleman says who hath made it his Business to enquire into Matters of this Nature he does not think the highest Valuation of these Mines extravagant provided the Oar be good the Veins like to last and there be no invincible Impediment from Nature to their working but it 's proved before that the Oar is good and that there is no reason to fear its lasting and that the Levels being carried home and thereby the Water carried off there can be no Impediment from Nature to their working And then he is so sensible of the great Advantages that may accrew thereby to the Nation that rather than so immense a Treasure should be lost he seems to think it reasonable that the Parliament should lend the Partners a Stock to carry it on to be repaid out of the Profits but since by the Aid of many new Adventurers they have at last with great difficulties raised a sufficient Stock themselves and are willing to run all the hazard of so great an Undertaking for the publick Good of the Kingdom as well as for their own particular and private Advantage it can never be doubted but that his most gracious Majesty and all our Noble Senators and Patriots of their Country will be ready to give this Undertaking all the Encouragement that it is capable of Ld. A. There is not the least doubt to be made of it for his Majesty is already very sensible of the great Advantages to the Publick by such Undertakings as may appear by several Patents granted by his Majesty for the Encouragement thereof in one of which a particular Friend of mine is concerned and I remember the beginning of it is in these words viz. WIlliam and Mary by the Grace of God King and Queen of England Scotland France and Ireland Defenders of the Faith c. Whereas we have been informed by the humble Petition of W. C. c. That our Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales do much abound in Mines especially of Lead great part whereof remain unwrought to the manifest loss of the Publick and that the reason why so great a part of the Wealth of our Dominions remains useless is partly because there is not sufficient diligence and application used in discovering of Mines and partly because the working of Mines being very chargeable and the Profit subject to great hazard many Owners of Land where the Mines are cannot or dare not themselves undertake the same And whereas they have most humbly besought us to enable them and divers others therein mentioned in a Corporate Capacity to digg and work such Mines as they
advantagious to the Publick and very agreeable to the Parliament Ld. A. But how would you be able to govern such a multitude of Men and keep them in good order Merch. What has been done may be done Nay what is now actually done in Hungary and other places may I hope be practised in this Kingdom If once there was a disposition to such a Law I presume it would not be difficult to pen it so as to provide against all Objections and Inconveniencies and if England shall get but the Moiety of what is got by such a Law in Hungary it would please both the King and Parliament very well The Mines in Hungary bring in a vast Revenue and are worked by condemned Criminals or else they could not get a farthing profit by them Ld. B. But Sir I question whether this Punishment would be so great a Terror to Offenders as Death Merch. I presume it will be a much greater Terror to Offenders for though when Death approaches and looks them in the Face when the Terror of an Evil Conscience and Fears of greater Punishment in another World mortifies their Spirits and daunts their Courage they would perhaps much rather work at the Mines and have time to repent then take a sudden Leap in the Dark under all those Horrors and Amazements of a guilty Soul yet when Men are in the Vigour of their Youth when their Spirits are high their Courage bold and daring and they are brought to great Necessities and Want and thereby grow desperate and are inveigled and drawn in by ill Company to a lewd and wicked Course of Life they generally cry out for A merry Life and a short one they then look upon Death with an Atheistical Eye without any Sense or Horror of Punishment in another World and the pain of Hanging appears to be so inconsiderable and so short that it causes no great Terror to them But the Thoughts of being perpetually condemned to such hard work as the Mines where they will be sure to do all the most slavish and aborious work Men that are used to Plenty and Ease will be extreamly terrified with such a Thought more then can be imagined it will seem as terrible to them as to be hanged every day and yet not to die and be eased of the pain Ld. A. Truly Sir you have convinced me I really believe it would be much more terrible But however because it is a new thing I should think it very adviseable that such a Law should be Temporary at first and then there can be no danger in making a Trial of it Merch. Nay my Lord I am so very tender of proposing any thing that should be inconsistent with the Liberty of the English Nation that I should humbly propose that such a Law should be so penn'd that for fear of any the least Inconvenience it should still be in the Election of his Majesty either to let such Criminals suffer Death according to the usual Judgment passed upon them which should still be the same as formerly without alteration or else instead of Transportation to the Indies to grant them a Reprieve for working at the Mines and then the Criminal being uncertain which Punishment might be inflicted upon him would be under a double Terror both of Death and of the Mines Ld. B. Now you have made the thing so clear to me that I can see no manner of Prejudice by it first to make such a Law Temporary then that the Judgment be still the same quod suspendatur per Callum c. and only a Power granted to his Majesty in Capital Offences of a lesser nature instead of Transportation to grant a Reprieve not a Pardon for working at the Mines c. his Majesty receiving such an Annual Rent for every such Criminal as aforesaid whilst in health and able to work there can be nothing said against this in my judgment Ld. A. Truly my Lord I think so unless Hanging be a Priviledge inseparably annexed to the English But what if a Criminal grow sickly and unable to work how shall he then be maintained Dr. My Lord by the Constitution of the Mine-Adventure all aged and impotent Miners and Labourers in their Service are to be maintained out of the Profits of the Mines Ld. A. That is an extraordinary good thing indeed that those who spend their Lives in your Service to make you rich should not starve themselves but whenever they shall grow impotent and unable to work they may have a comfortable Subsistance provided for them Merch. This was the Contrivance of our Steward Mr. Waller that has drawn us all into this Undertaking and this of saving of condemned Criminals to work at the Mines is my poor Thought which I humbly submit to better Judgment Dr. Whatever becomes of this Thought your good Intentions will be always had in remembrance and if he that saves the Soul of one Sinner covers a multitude of sins what must such a Law as this do that tends to the saving of Thousands Merch. I hope it will bring a Blessing upon the whole Nation upon his most Sacred Majesty the Right honourable the House of Lords upon all the Commons of England and especially upon their Representatives in Parliament and upon all that have a hand in it and amongst the rest upon us and our Mines Ld. A. Well Sir this is a Proposal worthy of Consideration and I hope in time it may be modell'd by our Judicious and Learned Senators and Patriots of their Country into such a Law as may be consistent with the Liberty of the English Nation as well as with the Christianity and Charity of our Religion But pray Sir is there any thing else you would desire that may contribute to make you a flourishing Company Merch. Nothing at present that I can think of Dr. How Sir Can you that have just now bestowed so good a Thought upon us think of nothing more Merch. No Sir I cannot think of more then four principal things required to make an Undertaking of this Nature prosperous and successful viz. a Rich Mine a Large Stock Skilful Miners and a Good Constitution and the Gentleman I formerly mentioned has taken care for us in every one of these Particulars he has chose a large Mine near the Sea and a good Port fully tried and approved he has contrived a way to raise and also to secure a large Stock for us to the end of our Lease and by his Provision for decay'd Workmen he has encouraged able Miners to come over to these Works from all Parts of the Kingdom And then as to the Constitution for the management of the Mines I have had their Lordships entire Approbation and therefore I can't for my part imagine what can now be wanting to make this a flourishing Company Dr. I am sorry for it You Merchants when you have freighted out a strong Ship to Sea have placed a good Master a skilful Pilate and able stout
Improvement should be made in that Art by any other but themselves But this Failing being so very common and natural to Mankind ought easily to be excused and we have been so very tender of their Reputation whatever they have been of ours that we have not pretended to Extract much more Silver out of a Tun of Lead than they did and for that we have given a Reason because the Oar in sinking deeper grew better and richer then it was before so that their Sincerity in their former Trials is freely owned and confess'd But there being a great difference betwixt Refining of Silver which is properly their Business and Extracting of Silver out of Lead which is properly ours they may not have those Opportunities and Conveniences of making Experiments and Improvements in the latter as we have Besides there is a great difference betwixt their way of Extracting and ours in respect of the Charge for they do it with Wood and we with Pit-coal they in London where all things are dear and we in a Country where all things are cheap they do it from Oar which costs about Four pounds a Tun at their Mills and we with Oar that costs about Twenty shillings Ld. A. I am glad you have any Advantages that may encourage you to proceed in the separating of Silver from Lead because it is plain that how little Profit soever you may make all the Silver extracted is clear gain to the Nation so that in case you extract no more than Five pounds out of a Tun of Lead and the Charges of doing it amounts to Four pounds ten shillings whereby the Profit to the Company is no more than Ten shillings in a Tun which is very inconsiderable the Nation will gain the whole Five pounds which is considerable and may amount to a vast Revenue if you have Encouragement to extract the Silver out of great quantities of Oar. And therefore I desire to know what the Nation will get at that rate in case the Mines should ever be advanced any thing near to Mr. Waller's Calculation Merch. My Lord the Nation would gain above One hundred thousand pounds per Annum as your Lordship may easily compute from the Calculation in Mr. Waller's Essay Ld. B. How That will be a great Advantage to this Kingdom indeed you need not fear Encouragement from all good Men and true Lovers of their Country as soon as the Nature of your Undertaking is known to the World Merch. But pray my Lord be pleased to consider that the Nation does not only get by the Silver extracted but also by the Lead Lytharge and Red-Lead which being Exported out of this Kingdom will Import their full value in Foreign Commodities without carrying our Coin and Bullion out of the Nation and if our Exports are of greater value then our Imports the Ballance of Trade is gained Ld. B. You observe very well and it is the undoubted Interest of this Kingdom to Export as little Silver and Bullion and as much of our own Commodities as we can in order thereby to gain the Ballance of Trade Which is the great thing we have always labour'd for in England and the only thing that can make this Nation truly great and powerful Merch. But besides all this it may not be improper to observe what a Chain of advantagious Consequences to the Nation will attend such an Undertaking as this How many Hundred if not Thousands in time of Men Women and Children will be employed The Men in raising winding up and stamping the Women and Children in dressing and washing the Oar. How many Men and Horses in carrying the same to the Water-side How many Sail of Ships will be employed in carrying Oar to Coal and Coal to Oar round the South-Coast of Wales How many Seamen to Man all those Ships what numbers of Men will be employed in building and making all Materials for the Rigging of so many Ships with Sails Masts c. and in Repairing the same in loading and unloading the Vessels and many other ways that are too numerous now to be mentioned Ld. A. These will be considerable as we find by experience in the Trade of New-Castle Coal which has all these Consequences to the great Advantage of the Nation Merch. My Lord New-Castle Coal had a beginning some time or other as well as this Undertaking I desire your Lordship to tell me whether you believe that any Man that should at that time have given an Estimate of what did afterwards come to pass how many thousand Men and what vast number of Ships and Seamen would be employed in that Trade to the great Advantage of the whole Nation whether at that time his Account thereof would not have seem'd as improbable as Mr. Waller's Essay on the value of these Mines Ld. A. Truly Sir I believe it would and therefore it must be confess'd That Undertakings of this Nature ought to receive all Encouragement imaginable because they may conduce very much to the Publick Good if they succeed and if they do not they can do none any hurt but those that are concern'd in the Adventure Ld. B. Such Men in other Countries are esteem'd Publick spirited Men and it is the Wisdom and Policy of their Law-makers always to assist and encourage them and I doubt not but they will be encouraged here when they are understood But this is a new Undertaking and unfortunately timed in an Age when all new things are called Projects and condemned without a hearing Merch. 'T was well timed in one respect for Lead is grown a scarce and dear Commodity and many Veins of late have failed in other Countries Ld. A. I think we are all now convinc'd that you are engaged in an Undertaking that is likely to be very advantagious to the Publick as well as to your selves as soon as the Works can be fet in order and brought to perfection And therefore I desire to know first What are the Difficulties you meet with Secondly What Laws and Constitutions you want to make your Business more easie at home and to give your Commodities a free vent abroad Ld. B. Without doubt it was considered that such an Undertaking as this must meet with many Difficulties or else what occasion had there been for joyning so many Purses together and raising so great a Stock Merch. Your Lordship observes very well that all great Undertakings do often meet with great Difficulties and therefore do require Time and great Purses as well as Care and Conduct to bring the same to Perfection But this is little considered by those who condemn this Undertaking for delay when I really think that no Undertaking hath ever gone on better for the time than this has done or met with fewer Difficulties Sir H. M. and Mr. Waller went down to the Mines the latter end of May last and what Conveniences hath been erected and made at Neath in Glamorganshire for Smelting Refining and Carriage of our Goods the Abstract of
Nature of this Adventure being thus explained it will not be very much for the honour or reputation of any true Englishman to oppose or discourage such an Undertaking where the Adveaturers cannot reasonably be supposed to do any prejudice but may do a great deal of good to this Nation However since it appears that the interest of his Majesty and the Publick is so much concern'd and that not only the Poor of Greenwich-Hospital but of most of the great Corporations and Boroughs in England will reap advantage front the prosperity of the Mine-Adventure It can't be doubted but that our most gracious Soveraign and our Noble Senators and Patriots of their Country will readily condescend to give it any assistance and encouragement which they in their great Wisdom and Goodness shall hereafter from time to time judge requisite and proper whose gracious Smiles and favourable Countenance will soon disperse those thick and dark Clouds of Ignorance and private Interest that over-spread this lower Region And it is humbly hoped that amongst all his Majesties great and glorious Actions it will be no dishonour to the present Reign nor to the honourable Members of both Houses of Parliament that the glorious Act concerning Royal Mines that open'd a new Scene of conceal'd Treasure to this Kingdom was passed in their time nor that these Mines were the first occasion and this Undertaking the first good Effect of that happy Law especially when it is observed that by the Industry of the Mine-Adventurers some Addition shall every day be made to the Publick Stock of the Nation in good Bullion extracted out of our own Mines and consequently in time many Millions of good Sterling saved to this Nation that was before totally lost and in great measure enjoyed by Foreign Countries 'T is humbly hoped that it will be no dishonour or prejudice to this Nation to improve the growth and manufactures of our own Country not only by extracting the Silver out of Lead as aforesaid but by making Lytharge of Silver as universal a Commodity as our Lead it self out of which it is made to our shame in other Nations This Undertaking is yet in its infancy but if it has the honour to he protected in its just Rights and nursed up by the Legislative Power with the usual care that is generally afforded to all other the Natural Products of our own Country it is not doubted but the Fruit thereof will in a reasonable time redound very much to their Honour as well as to the Profit of the King and Kingdom How many great and wonderful things are often brought to pass from very small and despicable beginnings is obvious to all that either bestow any time in reading what is done abroud or observing what is acted at home and it is not impossible nor perhaps improbable but some Men now in being may live to see this Company of the Mine-Adventurers bring in more real intrinsick and substantial Profit to this Nation then any other Company whatsoever However this is most certain that they will have no occasion to carry any Silver or Bullion out of the Kingdom as others do and that they will always Trade in Staple Commodities that import their full value into England It 's no very easie matter to judge of some Companies though they make great Gains to themselves and vast Sums of Money do circulate through their hands whether the Nation gets by them or not but it 's certain that all that is gain'd and expended by this Company brings in a clear National Profit for their very Expences as well as Gains circulate in our own kingdom and at the same time raise the Materials of a Staple Commodity out of the Earth that employ great numbers of Men Women and Children in the Manufacture thereof and is all an Addition to the General and Fundamental Stock of the Nation FINIS THE SECOND ABSTRACT OF THE State of the MINES OF Bwlchyr-Eskir-Hyr From the 31st Day of January last to the 30th Day of April 1700. By Order of the Committee The Committee have received an Account of the Mines to the Effect following February the 3d. THAT Mr. Waller had set Four Men to Sink 100 Yards West of the Bog-Work where they came at Two Yards deep to a Vein of Oar mixed with Vein-Stone Eight Foot wide That he is raising Oar in the little North-Vein but when the Levels are up he shall raise more Oar in a Day than he can do now in a Month and Two Thirds cheaper February the 6th That in the said new Discovery he cannot sink down much deeper for Water till the Level is carried home to it but believes at the deepness of the Level that it will be a larger Vein than that which is called The Great Vein that however he had let a Bargain to Andrew Slack for 100 Tons of Oar at 1 l. 5 s. per Ton for Raising Stamping Washing and making the Oar Merchantable February the 13th That observing the said new Discovery did improve he gave Andrew Slack a Guinea for his Venture and to discharge his Bargain And afterwards the same Day set the same Bargain of 100 Tons to John Pryfe and Partners at 14 s. per Ton the Vein being then Gathered into a solid Rib of Oar about half a Yard wide and in some Places One Yard wide in siâ—â—â— Oar besides a rich Mixture of Oar and Vein-stone about Five Foot more which Rib of Oar is above twice as large as the great Vein was at that Deepness This he says is a Glorious Sight and that few Veins at Sixty Yards deep can shew so much Oar as this Vein does at three Yard deep February the 19th That the New Discovery did mend in Sinking downwards We have it now in the deepest part Four Foot wide in firm Oar and we have opened it Ten Yards in length February the 27th That the New Discovery continued Four Foot wide in pure Oar and for the most part Potters Oar besides a rich Mixture of Oar and Vein-stone and that it did under-cut in Oar into the Spar-Rider which seemed to be the North-side of the Vein so that I have Hopes and not without Reason that the Spar-Rider at the deepness of our Level may be all Oar For we have cut in one place a Foot into the Rider and it is all Oar but this Bog-Water proves a great Hindrance to us We have Strings of rich Copper-Oar in Powel's Drift March the 4th In the new Work we are sumping in Oar in order to set a Pump till our Level is carried home to it I am dressing up the old shallow Level to the great Work in order to raise Oar there and I am carrying up Curtis Drift to the new Work March the 12th Curtis-Drift to the new Discovery goes very briskly forward We continue sumping in Oar in that Work and driving Stoups from the Sumps each way We have cut Eighteen Inches into the Spar-Rider and have not reach'd the far