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From thus much that I have said you must be sensible that it is not in my power
to form a decided opinion for want of being master of those facts upon which it
would turn — I mean whether the men who would derive their subsistence from this
business in the present state would be thrown entirely out of employment, or to what
degree— & that for a long time probably, or a short one, & whether they are many
or few. As the scruples you have alleged bear no reference to any persons under this
description, I am disposed to hope that the subject is free from any scruples in this
upon which supposition I cannot but heartily and strongly join with you in opinion
that Mr Burket will be very much wanting both to himself and to the public
if he suffers his invention to perish.
As to the old Shipwrights, if the air blowing upon them (after there having lived in
it the greatest part of their lives, should give them cold, he make each of them a
present of an umbrella. I cannot treat this objection, humane as it is, more seriously.
As to the Contractors, men of property, he must needs see that there is no one of
them at all, but is as much a rival to every other, as he can be to any of them
For all undertakings which, like this, are supposed to be lucrative, there will
be be competitors; of whom some of course must be disappointed. Opposition he may
look for from all of them, as being also of course, just as they expect & experience
it from one another; with this difference indeed, that as his invention tends
to take it this business out of the hands of every one, as much as of any, it is but natural
that against him they should every one all of them join forces. But none of them
could be so unreasonable as to accuse him of any injury to them, nor could any body
else be so weak I think as to pay any regard to them if they did. One man is just the
same & no more to the public, as another man. If he is ready to do the work at an expence
to the public equal to theirs, he has an equal right with them to be
employ'd: if at a less expence, a superior.
If his invention does any thing like what he expects from it, in this respect,
and those to with whom it lies to determine are not wholly abandoned to
& mercenary considerations, it must be adopted: because it being an invention the
utility of which is demonstrable in pounds shillings & pence, there can be no pretence
or subterfuge for not adopting it. The best and most satisfactory proof
however of it's being of this kind, and what it would best answer his purpose
to give, would be the offering to execute the work himself at a rate some considerable
degree less, for example at ⅔ of (that is ⅓ less than) the price
taken. This method of contract seems in every respect the best, both as a manifest
and indisputable evidence of the fairness of the proposal, and as the least
invidious and alarming method of acquiring that recompense for the invention
which it deserves - To speak out — the Government would never think
of giving any thing near so much at once, as a reward, as might be given
upon the computation you mention if it come any thing near the truth, &
I suppose it is a random one) in the way of contract. As to what he says
about having his throat cut (the word "deservedly" might as well have been spared)
by Mess:rs the Contractors, which doubtless is in joke, you may tell him in
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Identifier: | JB/537/264/002 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 537.
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1773-11-04 |
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537 |
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264 |
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002 |
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Correspondence |
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Jeremy Bentham |
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