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Construction in Georgia

Source: A True and Historical Narrative of the Colony of Georgia in America #173

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From 1741 A True and Historical Narrative
edited by Amy

Parliament, who Yearly repeated their Bounty, would compensate our Damages: But alas! their Bounty was applied in Georgia to the Hurt rather than Benefit of the Colony, as we shall here briefly relate. 
Some of the subsidy was wasted on an unfinished lighthouse
First, a Light-House was started; but before the Frame was erected it was almost half rotten, and has not been carried on any farther, nor never even covered, which has likewise greatly contributed to its decay; and now that lofty structure, so highly useful to Vessels which make that Coast, is either fallen or must fall very soon. 
Some of the subsidy was wasted on barbaric jails
Logg-Houses and Prisons of various sorts, were built and erased successively, and most of them were more fit for Dungeons in the Spanish Inquisition than British Goals. Irons, Whipping-Posts, * Gibbets &c. were provided to keep the Inhabitants in perpetual Terror; for Innocence was no Protection: And for some Time there were more Imprisonments, Whippings, &c. of white People in that Colony of Liberty than in all British America.
Some of the subsidy was wasted on public structures that never actually served the public
Corn-Mills, Saw-Mills, Public Roads, Trustees Plantations, (as they were called) Wells and Forts in different Places were all started, but as is evident from the Event, with no Design to serve the Public, but only to amuse the World and maintain some Creatures who assisted in keeping their Neighbors in subjection; for few or none of these Things were ever brought to Perfection; some of them were left off half finished, and of those that were finished, some were erased (being found of no Service,) and others fell on their own for lack of proper Care. 
Some of the subsidy was wasted on the failed Mulberry and Vine nursery
To carry on the Manufactures of Silk and Wine, a Garden was planted with Mulberries and Vines which was to be a Nursery to supply the Rest of the Province: But this was as far from answering the proposed End as everything else was; for it is situated upon one of the most barren
Spots of land in the Colony, being only a large Hill of dry Sand: Great Sums of Money* were thrown away upon it from Year to Year to no Purpose: This was Remonstrated to the Trustees; and they seemed to be sensible of the Error and gave Orders to choose another Spot of Ground; but the Ruling Powers in Georgia took no Notice thereof. And now, after so great Time and cost, there are less Mulberry-Trees in all the Province of Georgia than one of Carolina Planters have upon their Plantations; nor as much Silk made there in one Year as many of those Planters do make: Nor could they ever in that Garden, raise one Vine to the Perfection of bearing Fruit. 
(*It was a very usual Thing with General Oglethorpe when any Persona had incurred his Displeasure to threaten to hang them.)
And here it may be observed That the Silk Mr. O—pe carried over for a gift to Queen CAROLINE, was most, if not all, made in Carolina.

Though no proper Measures were ever taken for advancing the Silk and Wine Manufactures, still private Persons made several attempts to grow European Grapes; but even those Attempts got no suitable Encouragement from Mr. Oglethorpe, as will appear from the following Fact: 
De Leon’s vineyard proposal
Abraham De Leon, a Jewish Free-holder in Savannah who had been many Years a Vineron in Portugal, cultivated several kinds of Grapes in his Garden, including the Porto and Malaga to great Perfection; of this he sent Home an attested Account to the Board of Trustees, proposing That if they would lend him, with collateral, Two Hundred Pounds Sterling for three Years without Interest, that he would employ the said Sum with a further Stock of his own in sending to Portugal and bringing over Vines and Vinerons; and that he should be bound to repay the
Money in three Years, and to have growing within the Colony Forty Thousand such Vines,
which he would furnish the Free-holders with at moderate Rates.
Oglethorpe spent the vineyard money on other things
THE Trustees were satisfied with the Security and accepted the Proposal, and wrote him that they had remitted the Two Hundred Pounds by Mr. Oglethorpe for his Use; which he did not deny when De Leon asked for it, but said, that he could not advance more than Twenty or Thirty Pounds because he had other Uses for the Money; and so that plan was dropped.