[Footnote 1:  “The annual expenditure of the working classes alone, on drink and tobacco, is not less than L60,000,000.  Every year, therefore, the working classes have it in their power to become capitalists (simply by saving wasteful and pernicious expenditure) to an extent which would enable them to start at least 500 cotton mills, or coal mines, or iron works, on their own account, or to purchase at least 500,000 acres, and so set up 50,000 families each with a nice little estate of their own of ten acres, on fee simple.  No one can dispute the facts.  No one can deny the inference.”—­Quarterly Review, No. 263.]

That this is not an impracticable scheme, is capable of being easily proved.  The practice of co-operation has long been adopted by workpeople throughout England.  A large proportion of the fishery industry has been conducted on that principle for hundreds of years.  Fishermen join in building, rigging, and manning a boat; the proceeds of the fish they catch at sea is divided amongst them—­so much to the boat, so much to the fishermen.  The company of oyster-dredgers of Whitstable “has existed time out of mind,"[2] though it was only in 1793 that they were incorporated by Act of Parliament.  The tin-miners of Cornwall have also acted on the same principle.  They have mined, washed, and sold the tin, dividing the proceeds among themselves in certain proportions,—­most probably from the time that the Phoenicians carried away the produce to their ports in the Mediterranean.

[Footnote 2:  Reports on the Paris Universal Exhibition, 1867, vol. vi., p. 252.]

In our own time, co-operation has been practised to a considerable extent.  In 1795, the Hull Anti-Mill Industrial Society was founded.  The reasons for its association are explained in the petition addressed to the Mayor and Aldermen of Hull by the first members of the society.  The petition begins thus:  “We, the poor inhabitants of the said town, have lately experienced much trouble and sorrow in ourselves and families, on the occasion of the exorbitant price of flour; and though the price is much reduced at present, yet we judge it needful to take every precaution to preserve ourselves from the invasions of covetous and merciless men in future.”  They accordingly entered into a subscription to build a mill, in order to supply themselves with flour.  The corporation granted their petition, and supported them by liberal donations.  The mill was built, and exists to this day.  It now consists of more than four thousand members, each holding a share of twenty-five shillings.  The members belong principally to the labouring classes.  The millers endeavoured by action at law to put down the society, but the attempt was successfully resisted.  The society manufactures flour, and sells it to the members at market price, dividing the profits annually amongst the shareholders, according to the quantity consumed in each member’s family.  The society has proved eminently remunerative.