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