Essays; Political, Economical, and Philosophical - Volume 1

Rumford Benjamin Graf von

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pubOne.info thank you for your continued support and wish to present you this new edition. To his most serene highness THE ELECTOR PALATINE reigning duke of bavaria. etc. etc. etc.

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• Politique

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• Publié par: Pub One Info
• Date de parution: 27 septembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9782819922919
• Langue: English

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Dedication
To his most serene highness THE ELECTOR PALATINEreigning duke of bavaria. etc. etc. etc.
SIR,
In requesting permission to dedicate to you mostSerene Electoral Highness these Essays, I had several importantobjects in view: I was desirous of showing to the world that I hadnot presumed to publish an account of public measures andinstitutions, planned and executed in your Electorial Highness'sdominions, — by your orders, — and under your immediate authorityand protection, without your leave and approbation. I was alsodesirous of availing myself of the illustrious name of a Sovereigneminently distinguished by his munificence in promoting usefulknowledge, and by his solicitude for the happiness and prosperityof his subjects, to recommend the important objects I haveundertaken to investigate, to the attention of the Great, — theWise, — and the Benevolent. And lastly, I was anxious to have anopportunity of testifying, in a public manner, my gratitude to yourmost Serene Electoral Highness for all your kindness to me; andmore especially for the distinguished honour you have done me byselecting and employing me as an instrument in your hands of doinggood.
I have the honour to be, with the most profoundrespect, and with unalterable attachment,
SIR,
Your Most Serene ELECTORIAL HIGHNESS's
Devoted Servant,
RUMFORD.
London,
July, 1st, 1796.
INTRODUCTION.
Situation of the Author in the Service of His MostSerene
Highness the ELECTOR PALATINE, Reigning Duke ofBAVARIA.
Reasons which induced him to undertake to form anEstablishment
for the Relief of the Poor.
Among the vicissitudes of a life chequered by agreat variety of incidents, and in which I have been called upon toact in many interesting scenes, I have had an opportunity ofemploying my attention upon a subject of great importance; asubject intimately and inseparably connected with the happiness andwell-being of all civil societies; and which, from its nature,cannot fail to interest every benevolent mind; — it is theproviding for the wants of the Poor, and the securing theirhappiness and comfort by the introduction of order and industryamong them.
The subject, though it is so highly interesting tomankind, has not yet been investigated with that success that couldhave been wished. This fact is apparent, not only from theprevalence of indolence, misery, and beggary, in almost all thecountries of Europe; but also from the great variety of opinionamong those who have taken the matter into serious consideration,and have proposed methods for remedying those evils; so generally,and so justly complained of.
What I have to offer upon the this subject being notmerely speculative opinion, but the genuine result of actualexperiments; of experiments made upon a very large scale, and undercircumstances which render them peculiarly interesting; I cannothelp flattering myself that my readers will find both amusement,and useful information, from the perusal of the followingsheets.
As it may perhaps appear extraordinary that amilitary man should undertake a work so foreign to his profession,as that of forming and executing a plan for providing for the Poor,I have thought it not improper to preface the narrative of myoperations, by a short account of the motives which induced me toengage in this undertaking. And in order to throw still more lightupon the whole transaction, I shall begin with a few words ofmyself, of my situation in the country in which I reside, and ofthe different objects which were had in view in the various publicmeasures in which I have been concerned. This information isnecessary in order to form a clear idea of the circumstances underwhich the operations in question were undertaken, and the differentpublic measures which were adopted at the same time.
Having in the year 1784, with His Majesty's graciouspermission, engaged myself in the service of His Most SereneHighness the Elector Palatine, Reigning Duke of Bavaria, I havesince been employed by His Electoral Highness in various publicservices, and particularly in arranging his military affairs, andintroducing a new system of order, discipline, and economy amonghis troops.
In the execution of this commission, ever mindful ofthat great and important truth, that no political arrangement canbe really good, except in so far as it contributes to the generalgood of society, I have endeavoured in all my operations to unitethe interest of the soldier with the interest of civil society, andto render the military force, even in time of peace, subservient tothe PUBLIC GOOD.
To facilitate and promote these important objects,to establish a respectable standing military force, which should dothe least possible harm to the population, morals, manufactures,and agriculture of the country, it was necessary to make soldierscitizens, and citizens soldiers. To this end the situation of thesoldier was made as easy, comfortable, and eligible as possible;his pay was increased, he was comfortably, and even elegantlyclothed, and he was allowed every kind of liberty not inconsistentwith good order and due subordination; his military exercises weresimplified, his instruction rendered short and easy, and allobsolete and useless customs and usages were banished from theservice. Great attention was paid to the external appearance of thebuildings; and nothing was left undone, that could tend to make themen comfortable in their dwellings. Schools were established in allthe regiments, for arithmetic; and into these schools, not only thesoldiers and their children, but also the children of theneighbouring citizens and peasants, were admitted gratis, and evenschool-books, paper [1] , pens, and ink, werefurnished for them, at the expense of the Sovereign.
Besides these schools of instruction, others, calledschools of industry, were established in the regiments, where thesoldiers and their children were taught various kinds of work, andfrom whence they were supplied with raw materials, to work fortheir own emolument.
As nothing is so certain fatal to morals, andparticularly to the morals of the lower class of mankind, ashabitual idleness, every possible measure was adopted, that couldbe devised, to introduce a spirit of industry among the troops.Every encouragement was given to the soldiers to employ theirleisure time, when they were off duty, in working for their ownemolument; and among other encouragements, the most efficacious ofall, that of allowing them full liberty to dispose of the moneyacquired by their labour in any way they should think proper,without being obliged to give any account of it to any body. Theywere even furnished with working dresses, (a canvas frock andtrousers, ) gratis, at their enlisting, and were afterwardspermitted to retain their old uniforms for the same purpose; andcare was taken, in all cases where they were employed, that theyshould be well paid.
They commonly received from sixteen to eighteencreutzers [2] a-day for their labour; and with thisthey had the advantage of being clothed and lodged, and, in manycases, of receiving their full pay of five creutzers, and a poundand a half (1 lb. 13 1/2; oz. Avoirdupois) of bread per day fromthe Sovereign. When they did their duty in their regiments, bymounting guard regularly according to their tour (which commonlywas every fourth day, ) and only worked those days they happened tobe off guard, in that case, they received their full pay; but whenthey were excused from regimental duty, and permitted to work everyday for their own emolument, their pay (at five creutzers per day,) was stopped, but they were still permitted to receive theirbread, and to lodge in the barracks.
In all public works, such as making and repairinghighways, — draining marshes, — repairing the banks of rivers, etc.soldiers were employed as labourers; and in all such cases, thegreatest care was taken to provide for their comfortablesubsistence, and even for their amusement. Good lodgings wereprepared for them, and good and wholesome food, at a reasonableprice; and the greatest care was taken of them when they happenedto fall sick.
Frequently, when considerable numbers of them wereat work together, a band of music was ordered to play to them whileat work; and on holidays they were permitted, and even encouraged,to make merry, with dancing and other innocent sports andamusements.
To preserve good order and harmony among those whowere detached upon these working parties, a certain proportion ofofficers and non-commissioned officers were always sent with them,and those commonly served as overseers of the works, and as suchwere paid.
Besides this permission to work for hire in thegarrison towns, and upon detached working parties, which wasreadily granted to all those who desired it, or at least to as manyas could possibly be spared from the necessary service of thegarrison; every facility and encouragement was given to the soldierwho was a native of the country, and who had a family of friends togo to, or private concerns to take care of, to go home on furlough,and to remain absent from his regiment from one annual exercise tothe other, that is to say, ten months and a half each year. Thisarrangement was very advantageous to the agriculture andmanufactures, and even to the population of the country, (for thesoldiers were allowed to marry, ) and served not a little to theestablishment of harmony and a friendly intercourse between thesoldiers and the peasantry, and to facilitate recruiting.
Another measure which tended much to render thesituation of the soldier pleasant and agreeable, and to facilitatethe recruiting service, was the rendering the garrisons of theregiments permanent. This measure might not be advisable in adespotic, or odious government; for where the authority of theSovereign must be supported by the terror of arms, all habits ofsocial intercourse and friendship between the soldiers and thesubjects must be dangerous; but in all well-reg