A Discourse Concerning the Design'd Establishment of a New Colony to the South of Carolina/Of some Designs in View for making Profit
Of some Designs in View for making Profit.
OUR Prospects in this Point, are more entensive than we think it needful to discover; It were a Shame shou'd we confine the Fruitfulness of such a rich and lovely Country to some single Product, which Example first makes common, and the being common robs of Benefit. Thus Sugar in Barbadoes, Rice in Carolina, and Tobacco in Virginia, take up all the Labours of their People, overstock the Markets, stifle the Demand, and make their Industry their Ruin, merely through a Want of due Reflection on Diversity of other Products, equally adapted to their Soil and Climate.
Coffee, Tea, Figs, Raisins, Currents, Almonds, Olives, Silk, Wine, Cochineal, and great Variety of still more rich Commodities, which we are forc'd to buy at mighty Rates from Countries, lying in the very Latitude of our Plantations: All these we certainly shall Propagate, tho' it may Perhaps be said, that they are yet but distant Views; mean while, we shall confine our first Endeavours to such easy Benefits, as will (without the smallest waiting for the Growth of Plants) be offer'd to our Industry, from the spontaneous Wealth, which overruns the Country.
The Reader may assure himself, our Undertakings upon all Occasions, will be the plainest, and most ready Roads to Profit: not form'd from doubtful, and untried Conceits, nor hamper'd by a Train of Difficulties; none are more apt than we to disregard Chimerical, or rash Designs; but 'tis the Business of Men's Judgment to divide Things plain from Things unlikely.
We cannot think it proper to be too particular upon this Subject, nor will it, we suppose, be expected from us: One Example, however, we will give, because we wou'd present a Proof, that much is practicable there, which has not yet been put in Practice; we shall Pitch on Pot-ash, a Commodity of great Consumption in the Trades of Dying, Glass-making, Soap-boiling and some others; not that this is the only present Prospect which we build on, but as 'tis necessary we shou'd particularize one Benefit, that others may be credible.
And here it will not be amiss, if we describe what Pot-ash is, and how they make it; since, 'tis likely, some may have attempted it already, in the Forests of America, and miscarried, by depending upon ignorant Undertakers.
It is not very properly indeed call'd Pot-ash, not being any kind of Ashes, but the fix'd, and vegetable Salt of Ashes, which, if mix'd with Water, melts away, and turns to Lye; For this Reason 'tis preferr'd to all other Lixiviate Ashes, Foreign, or Domestick, which, not being perfect Salts, but Ashes of Bean-Straw, and other Vegetables, made stronger by the Help of Lye, bear no Proportion, as to Price, with Pot-ash itself, which is, as we said before, the pure Salt without any of the Ashes.
To procure this Salt, in Russia, and the Countries famous for it, they burn great Quantities of Oak, Firr, Birch, and other Woods, cut down, when flourishing, and full of Sap; The Ashes they throw into Boilers, or huge Caldrons full of Water, and extract a thick, sharp Lye by boiling; They let this Lye grow clear by settling, and then draw it off, and throw away the Ashes left at Bottom.
This Lye, so clarified, they boil again, and as the Watry Part evaporates apace, they supply the Waste thro' a small Pipe, from another Vessel of the same Sort of Lye, set higher than the Boiler; At last, by a continued Evaporation, the whole Vessel becomes full of a thick brownish Salt, which being dug out in Lumps, and afterwards calcin'd, compleats the Work, and gives a Colour to the Pot-ash, like a whitish Blue, in which Condition it is barrell'd up, and fit for Merchants.
Nothing can be plainer, or more easy than this Practice in our intended Settlement; As to the Boilers, which have ever been the great, and terrifying Expence and Encumbrance of this Work, we shall extreamly lessen, and reduce that Charge almost to nothing, by some new Methods, being an experienc'd Invention, wherein we use neither Copper, Lead, Iron, nor other Mineral whatsoever, and (that excepted) there is no Material necessary, but Wood only; For Wood cut down, and burnt upon the Ground, affords the Ashes; The Rivers every where abounding in that Country furnish Water; Ashes, and Water boil'd together, yield the Lye; The Lye evaporated, leaves behind the Salt, and that very Salt calcin'd, becomes the Pot-ash, and it is pack'd, and sent away in Barrels, made and hoop'd there also.
From due Consideration of these Circumstances, it appears, that this must be a rich, and gainful Undertaking in a Country where the greatest Quantities of Timber, and the finest in the World, cost nothing but the Pains of cutting down, and burning, on the Banks of Navigable Rivers; where the enlivening influence of the Sun prepares the Trees much better for this Practice, than in colder Climates, and where stubbing up the Woods, which cover all the Settlement, will give a sure, and double Benefit; for first they yield this valuable Traffick Potash, and afterwards leave clear the Ground, they grow on, for producing yearly Crops of such Commodities, as are most profitable, and fittest for the Country.
Thus, having faintly touch'd the outward Lines, and given some Prospect of our Purpose, we proceed to the Conditions. upon which we will admit of Purchasers.