the evil directly, substantially, and effectually, by the substitution of
food.

And how are all these immense advantages to be effected?--By the
substitution of inanimate for animate power. At present, the animate
power employed in the commercial transportations of this great kingdom is
estimated to amount to two millions of horses: each horse consumes as much
food as is necessary for the support of eight men. Hence the conversion of
its consumption to purposes of human existence would, if carried to this
practical extent, amount to a quantity of food equal to support sixteen
millions of people.

Where the product is so enormous--so vastly beyond our immediate
necessities--it is not requisite to go into any minutiae of detail. To
calculate all the gains we will leave to the political economist, as also
to bring the matter out in its fair proportions; but to establish the
matter clearly within the bounds of a safe, an easy, and practical issue,
we have merely to state, that a conversion of food from a physical to a
moral purpose, adequate to the supply of one-fourth part of the above
aggregate estimate, that is to say, to four millions, is amply sufficient
to relieve us at the present moment from that pressure of pauperism which
sits like an incubus upon the energies of the nation, and which will
precipitate us, if not timely avoided, into speedy and irretrievable ruin.

Now the suppression of the stage-horses upon our principal thoroughfares,
and of the dray-horses in the great commercial towns, may be calculated
to economize a saving of food equivalent to the supply of the above number
of human beings.

It is, perhaps, not superfluous to remark, that the amount of food,
equal to the supply of the said four millions, is not the produce of an
extended agriculture and proportionate outlay, but is just _that part_
of the annual produce of the country, subtracted from the whole, which
is at present required for the mere purpose of _transportation_--i.e. to
feed the animals used for draught,--and is consequently a dead loss as
unproductive capital.

In addition to the evil arising from such a consumption of unproductive
food, is also to be considered the very great loss consequent upon the
heavy capital sunk in _horse_ purchase. Were this viewed, as properly it
ought, as money withheld from other purposes of trade, and which might
be more advantageously invested, our capitalists and men of science
would not oppose th