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A very nice metal orbit might be made of this national debt for ⟨the⟩ moon to roll upon, when performing its monthly revolution ⟨around⟩ the earth.
XIV. The whole land in Great Britain and Ireland is thought (illegible text) to be worth £12 per acre, on an average; but allowing it to be ⟨sold⟩ at that rate per acre: Would it pay the national debt?
Ans. According to Smith's Now English Atlas, ⟨Great⟩ Britain and Ireland contain 74,668,800 acres; ⟨which⟩ multiplied by £12 would leave £103,974,400 ⟨of⟩ the National Debt unpaid.
XV. Suppose this sum to be either in Guineas. Shillings, or Half ⟨pence⟩, and each of these coins heaped up in a pile by themselves.— (illegible text)owing the thickness of 15 guineas, 20 shilings, or 12 half pence, (illegible text) an inch. Required the height of each pile?
Ans. In Guineas, upwards of one thousand miles;⟨which⟩ would form a golden ring round the globe of ⟨the⟩ earth of one fifth of an inch in diameter. In ⟨Shilings⟩, 15,788 miles; which would form a silver ring ⟨round⟩ the globe of the earth of upwards of 7 tenths of ⟨an⟩ inch in diameter. In Halfpence, 631,312 miles, or ⟨upwards⟩ of 25 times round the globe of our earth. (illegible text) a great copper cable, as thick as a tree of five inches ⟨diameter⟩, might be formed of the national debt to go ⟨round⟩ the globe of our earth.
⟨If⟩ one part of this copper ring, which is made of the ⟨British⟩ National Debt, were to pass through the very ⟨middle⟩ of the Island of Great Britain, it would then ⟨pass⟩ the Equator. Some of our ingenious artists ⟨might⟩ easily construct a machine, to whirl round the ⟨globe⟩, upon this thick copper ring, with perhaps six, ⟨or eight⟩, passengers travelling in it, making the tour of ⟨the⟩ world. After one of these machines was found to (illegible text)wer the purpose, more might easily be constructed. ⟨Having⟩ written thus far, a thought has struck me, ⟨which⟩ puts me into a complete dilemma, about the ⟨making⟩ of these machines. I am aware that plenty of ⟨people⟩ would be extremly fond of making the tour of ⟨the⟩ world. But I am afraid, that if these machines ⟨were⟩ to turn out to be any way lucrative, to either the
