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General view of the agriculture of the county of Somerset : with observations on the means of its improvement. Drawn up in the year 1795, for the consideration of the Board of Agriculture and Internal Improvement. By John Billingsley, Esq; ... and now re-printed with considerable additions and amendments, .. / John Billingsley
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OF SOMERSETSHIRE-« 21

The diſtance is about five miles, and the depth from the ſurface about one hundred and fifty yards; ſach a tunnel would not only convey of all water, but the driving it, or the ſinking of the ſhaft or perpendicular pits, might lead to a diſcovery of veins of lead hitherto unexplored, and perhaps as valuable as that now at Weſt-Chewton, which, tradition ſays, yielded 100,000/. within the ſpace of an acre. What the expence of ſuch an adventure might be, I cannot exactly aſcertain; but, for argument ſake, let us ſuppoſe it to be 100,000!.—AÀ thouſand ſubſcribers, at 100 each, would ſuf= ficez and as no great number of men can, for want of room, be employed at the ſame time, I would propoſe that the prin- cipal money be veſted in government ſecurities, and the in- tereſt only expended; this would keep in conſtant pay more than one hundred workmen, and in all probability, before 10,000!. were expended, diſcoveries would be made highly beneficial to the adventurers, and to the publick; and, even

under the worſt ſuppoſition, the only loſs would be that of

the intereſt of 100. to each individual.

In times paſt many thouſands a year have been annually paid to the ſe of Wells for the lord’s ſhare(that is, one tenth) of the lead dug on the foreſt within the pariſh of Wells only; and is it not more than probable, that lead, like coal, may be moſt valuable in the deep? On Broadfield-down there are alſo veins of lead; and in the pariſhes of Rowberrow, Shipham, and Winſcomb, there are valuable mines of lapis calaminaris. This mineral is ſometimes found within a

more than one level be driven, that all might have an equal chance of benefit. Such expedation appears reaſonable, and from the ſmall number of workmen that can poſſibly be employed on a level at the ſame time, the intereſt of the capital will be fully ſufficient for carrying on, not only the principal one, but alſo two or more others, from dif- ferent points, to thoſe parts where, from the antient working; there ig good cauſe for expeding to meet with ore. R. PAGET.

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