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April 7th O.S. 1784
Since I set out on my present journey with the Prince I have formed a very
strict intimacy with his first aid de camp Lieut: Colonel Ribaupierre, who is a Swiss by birth
but having married into one of the principal families here is become a Russian and
he is a man a universally esteemed and high in favour with the Prince. It seems that we had long
been disposed to make a better acquaintance with each other, but it was not till
we became travelling companions that we had an opportunity. What I have
seen of him is sufficient to dispose me to have the highest confidence in his
integrity. He has about 30 versts from where we are now an estate which
is exceedingly capable, & stands much in need of improvement. I am just now
returned from a visit we two have been making to this said estate of his
and it is from what we there saw together that the Project is formed.
The general idea is that some one or more men with their families are to come from
England at his expence and to assume the absolute direction of the Economy on this
estate is to be left and for which they are to receive a part of the profit for
a certain number of years. There are upwards of 500 males his slaves established
on the estate. of these about 50 may be had as employed constantly
as labourers. The rest are for the most part employed in cultivating so much
of the land as he gives them the use of to provide themselves including those 50
with all necessaries and to gain the revenue of about 2,000 rubles which they
pay him in money as well as the pole tax head money to the crown. But besides this their constant
occupation they erect any buildings, furnish horses, and do any such occasional
works for their master without pay. There are about 1 thousand acres
of land part meadow & part arable which He keeps in is own hands.
This would be entirely at the under the management of the Entrepreneur
whoever he may be. Upon the arrival of this Entrep: with such persons
as it may be proper for him to bring with him the masters house (Mansion
house) will be ready to receive them: and when as soon as they can look about
them and determine upon the most convenient situation houses and all
kind of out houses will be built and furnished as far as common carpenter
& smith work can furnish them according to Entrep:'s plan & direction.
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Identifier: | JB/540/035/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 540.
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1784-04-09 |
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540 |
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035 |
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001 |
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Correspondence/copy |
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Jeremy Bentham |
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