Page 101 of New World Tea Company
Now Mrs Bennet interjected her comments, “My brother did make the trip to the East Indies twice and he secured his fortune. He came back to England a rich man.”
That statement from Mrs Bennet caught the attention of her two youngest daughters for a moment but they dismissed any questions when their father added, “While it is true that Mr Gardiner made money as a result of the voyages, it was not a great fortune. The money allowed him to invest in a business with good contacts in the East India Company. He is able to contract for tea, spices, and cloth from their ships to sell to shops here in England. When he started, he had a circuit of merchants he called on – I believe today he has apprentices who travel the roads securing orders and transporting goods.”
Elizabeth added, “In addition to tea from China, Uncle Gardiner sells pepper and cinnamon from the East Indies. And he sells Indian calico and chintz across England.”
“Those cloths are woven from a plant called cotton that grows in India,” Mr Darcy said.
Jane spoke up, “And they are cooler in summer and more colourful than wool.”
“But they are not warm in the winter,” added Mary.
Georgiana smirked and remarked, “Brother, with you and Miss Elizabeth in the same room, everyone begins to share information that is interesting and educating.”
Mr and Mrs Bingley laughed as did Mr Bennet and Mary. Lydia, Kitty, and Mrs Bennet were not paying attention and missed the comment. Then, Mr Darcy explained that a hundred years ago, Parliament passed laws to forbid the import of cotton textiles into England.
“But there was a black market for the cloth and demand remained high. Eventually some enterprising men began importing raw cotton and built factories that spun the cottoninto thread and then into cloth here in England. There are a growing number of textile mills in England weaving fabrics from raw cotton imported from India. Now the factories spin thread from wool, linen, and cotton across the north.”
Mr Bingley commented, “The mills are good investment opportunities.”
Elizabeth asked, “Mr Darcy, do you have investments in cotton mills?”
The gentleman was not surprised by the question, and replied, “I am gathering information from knowledgeable men and there are four sites on my lands in Derbyshire where a cotton mill could be built. But I should not limit myself to cotton spinning. There is ample wool on my lands.”
Elizabeth asked more questions about the places and where the workers would live. The discussion between the two blunted the interest of the other persons who turned their attention to the tea that Mrs Bennet had ordered for the afternoon.
~~~
Chapter 47.Oats and Investments
The next day, Elizabeth planned to walk from Longbourn to Netherfield as soon as the family rose from breaking their fast. When Mr and Mrs Bennet had departed the dining room, Kitty and Lydia teased their older sister about her pursuit of Mr Darcy. But Mary surprised her sisters by asking to accompany Lizzy on her walk.
Mary explained her interest saying, “I should very much enjoy speaking with Miss Darcy again about her music lessons. She is very talented and mentioned how performance is just as important as pressing the keys in the proper order.”
Elizabeth was more than willing to invite Mary to venture out with her, and the two sisters sought their father’s permission before vanishing through the door in the kitchen. The distance of two miles would not keep them from Netherfield. Mrs Bennet was pleased that Lizzy was asserting herself in the pursuit of Mr Darcy and she allowed for Mary’s absence without complaint. Turning to Kitty and Lydia, Mrs Bennet would give her full attention to her two youngest daughters this morning to improve their manners.
During the visit, Georgiana and Mary remained in the corner with the pianoforte and sheets of music under the tutelage of Mrs Annesley, while Mr and Mrs Bingley acted as chaperones for Miss Elizabeth and Mr Darcy. The four adults discussed many topics and today, they focused on the many tasks Charles and Jane dealt with to increase the income that Netherfield produced.
“My beautiful wife urges me to speak with the steward about planting more fields in oats next year. We must have that grain to feed for horses on the estate and can sell any extra to feedthe steads in our neighbour’s stables and every livery stable in London.
Elizabeth nodded and explained, “Jane and I have both counselled our father to increase the number of fields sown with oats. Despite our efforts, Papa never tells the farmers to sow more oats. There are fallow fields where the grain would grow and Longbourn would have enough oats for all the horses through the year.”
“We grow much more wheat than the farmers or our family need.”
Mr Darcy asked, “Why would you father prefer to raise more wheat than oats?”
This time it was Mrs Bingley who explained, “We make more money with wheat. Longbourn has an excellent granary where our wheat is stored after harvest. Father does not rush it to market when other landlords do. Then at Christmas before the snows arrive, the farmers take the grain to the markets in London where merchants pay top dollar for the grain. We are only three hours from the London markets and the roads are passable for the horses and drivers in autumn.”
“Jane is correct,” Elizabeth stated. “Longbourn does make more money with the late sales of grain but still, the estate could grow more oats.”
Mr and Mrs Bingley discussed the idea of holding back some of their grains for sale later in the winter while also sowing other fields in oats – Mr Bingley did have a two hunters, and team of four horses to pull the family coach. And the number of horses in the stable that belonged to his guests were numerous. Each quarter day, Charles found it necessary to purchase oats and hay from his neighbours to feed the animals in his stables.
Mr Bingley agreed to his wife’s argument by saying, “We shall discuss with the steward which farms have fallow fields, enoughfertilizer and labour to add fields to grow oats or change some wheat fields to grow oats that the house will buy from the farmer to feed the horses in the stable. But there will be no changes before next spring.”
Mr Darcy considered the young couple for a moment before he stated, “That appears to be a sound plan.”
Elizabeth smiled at her sister and new brother, “Mr and Mrs Bingley understand that there are things they do not know about the farms on Netherfield. They have an idea of how to make the estate produce more feed for the horses, but they will seek the opinions of the steward and the farmers before making any decision.”
With only the four of them in the conversation, Charles added, “However, my wife and I shall not make long term investments at Netherfield. Our lease is for only two more years and then we shall seek a permanent situation.”
