modities of the produce of this
kingdom, &c. Capital L3,000,000.
For supplying the London markets with cattle.
For making looking-glasses, coach-glasses, &c. Capital L2,000,000.
For taking up ballast.
For buying and fitting out ships to suppress pirates.
For the importation of timber from Wales. Capital L2,000,000.
For rock-salt.
For the transmutation of quicksilver into a malleable, fine metal.

One of the most famous bubbles was "Puckle's Machine Company," for
discharging round and square cannon-balls and bullets, and making a
total revolution in the art of war. "But the most absurd and
preposterous of all," says Charles Mackay, in his "History of the
Delusion," "and which showed more completely than any other the utter
madness of the people, was one started by an unknown adventurer,
entitled, _'A Company for carrying on an undertaking of great advantage,
but nobody to know what it is_.' Were not the fact stated by scores of
credible witnesses, it would be impossible to believe that any person
could have been duped by such a project. The man of genius who essayed
this bold and successful inroad upon public credulity merely stated in
his prospectus that the required capital was L500,000, in 5,000 shares
of L100 each, deposit L2 per share. Each subscriber paying his deposit
would be entitled to L100 per annum per share. How this immense profit
was to be obtained he did not condescend to inform them at the time, but
promised that in a month full particulars should be duly announced, and
a call made for the remaining L98 of the subscription. Next morning, at
nine o'clock, this great man opened an office in Cornhill. Crowds of
people beset his door; and when he shut up at three o'clock he found
that no less than 1,000 shares had been subscribed for, and the deposits
paid. He was thus in five hours the winner of L2,000. He was philosopher
enough to be contented with his venture, and set off the same evening
for the Continent. He was never heard of again."

Another fraud that was very successful was that of the "Globe Permits,"
as they were called. They were nothing more than square pieces of
playing cards, on which was the impression of a seal, in wax, bearing
the sign of the "Globe Tavern," in the neighbourhood of Exchange Alley,
with the inscription of "Sail-cloth Permits." The possessors enjoyed no
other advantage from them than permission to subscribe at some future
time to a new sail-