Progress of the woollen manufacture.

sequently, more goods will be in request by our being able to compete with foreigners in other markets, and more hands will necessarily be required in the various manufactures.

These observations will appear particularly evident, by tracing the progress of the woOLLEN MANUFACTURE. The first woollen manufactory we read of, was established in Winchester in the time of the Romans, and no doubt, introduced by these conquerors from their own shores: the fleece of the sheep was then valued at two-fifths of the carcase. Spanish wool, as an article of manufacture, was first introduced in the twelfth century, to supply the nobility with fine cloths; but the injury this was considered to inflict on the agricultural interests at home, caused an act to be passed to prohibit the importation, in the reign of Henry II. But Spanish cloth was allowed to be imported, and our own wool exported, to Flanders, to be manufactured. But in the fourteenth century, the Flemish manufacturers were induced to establish themselves in this country, and this produced a sensible effect in the production of English fabrics, and the government, considering that all the home-grown wool could be manufactured in England, passed a law to prohibit its further exportation; and the farmers of that age having lost the stimulus for improving their breed of sheep, soon began to experience the effects of this prohibition, and were loud in their complaints against their rulers. It was always considerd to be the principal manufacture of the kingdom, and

Quantity of woollen cloths at different periods.

every encouragement was given to it by the various ruling monarchs, until we find, that in the 18th Charles II. cap. 4, it is enacted, that no person should be buried in any sort of grave dress not entirely composed of wool, under a penalty of five pounds, to be paid to the poor of the parish; and this act, having been found inoperative, in 1678, the 30th of the same monarch, an act was passed requiring persons in holy orders to take an affidavit in every case from a relative of the deceased, at the time of interment, showing that the statute had been observed: and this act has only been repealed within these few years. About the year 1668, the Dutch loom was introduced into the kingdom from Holland, and from this country derived its name: but in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the woollen trade has been most extensively and prosperously carried on, until, in the year 1785, there were manufactured in that district, 157,275 pieces, containing 4,844,855 yards of broad-cloth, and 116,036 pieces, containing 3,409, 178 yards of narrow cloth; yet, great as this amount is, we find, that in ten years after, (1795), no less than 250,993 pieces of broadcloth were there manufactured, containing 7,759,907 yards, and 155,087 pieces, containing 5, 172,511 yards of narrow cloth; while, in the year 1800, there were manufactured 285,851 pieces, containing 9,263,966 yards of broad, and 169,262 pieces, containing 6,014,420 yards of narrow cloth, independently of kerseymeres. It is estimated, that this must have taken 600,000 packs of wool, which, at the price of

Effects of machinery on the woollen trade.

£11 per pack, would amount to £6,600,000: and this wool, when manufactured, produced no less than 15 . millions yards of cloth, kerseymeres, serges, and other woollen goods, which may be estimated at least to 20 millions of pounds sterling.*

An intelligent manufacturer, who was examined before a committee of the House of Commons, stated, that the introduction of machinery had so greatly abridged labour in the various processes which pre cede weaving, that thirty-five persons were able to perform, in 1800, as much work as would have required one thousand six hundred and thirty-four to perform in 1785; or that one person, by the aid of machinery, could perform, in 1800, as much work as

A great change has taken place within the present century, both in the qualities of the wool imported, and the countries from which it is brought. Previously to the year 1800, our average imports of wool did not much exceed 3,000,000 lbs., mostly brought from Spain, but in this year they amounted to 9,000,000 lbs.; and the quantity imported has gradually increased from that year to the present, although we get it now froin Saxony instead of Spain, and no inconsiderable importation from our own colonies in Australia. The late King of Saxony, when Elector, first introduced the Spanish breed of sheep, Merino, into his dominions, and they seem to thrive better in Germany, than they do in Spain-the Spanish wool trade has consequently declined, while the German trade has increased. In 1812, the first importation of German wool (Saxony) took place, and was 28,000 lbs. ; but in the year 1814, it increased to 3,432,456 lbs.; in 1820, it was 5,113,442 lbs., and in 1825, it reached to the enormous quantity of 28,739,661 lbs.; but this being the year of over-trading, it declined, in 1826, to 10,545,232 lbs.; in 1834, it increased to 25,370,106 lbs., and in 1840, it was 21,812,664 lbs.; and from our Australian territories, it was 9,721,243 lbs., while our own produce was 136,617,120 lbs., independently of the quantity imported from various other foreign countries, amounting to more than twenty millions of pounds. This cannot but convince any reflective mind of the vast importance of this branch of manufacture: as well as show the effect it must have on the landed interest, as not less than 23,759,509 sheep existed in England and Wales in that same year.

Machinery the source of wealth.

forty-six could have done in 1785. That the capital invested in mills, machinery, &c. appropriated to the woollen trade, was not less than six millions of pounds sterling, and THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONS of all

AGES, IN ENGLAND, IN THIS BRANCH OF MANUFACTURE

ALONE, WAS NOT LESS THAN 1,500,000! So greatly does an improvement in machinery not only produce wealth to the mill-owner, but it increases the number of operatives in such particular branch of manufacture where adopted and, of consequence, is a national, as well as an individual blessing: some however, who may have long continued to work in a particular branch, will necessarily suffer great privations, if not destitution. But the general adoption of machinery will enable the manufacturers to become large capitalists, as is already the case in Lancashire and Yorkshire; and the influx of money will enable the farmers to improve their breed of sheep, and bestow some culture on the extensive mountainous tracts that as yet have been committed to the care of nature alone. "The present infant factories," says a late writer, "contain the rudiments of future prosperity: one successful effort will produce many vigorous exertions; the manufacturers becoming rich, will not confine their export trade to Liverpool and London alone, but will extend them to various localities-and thus, the profits of an extensive national concern will circulate through and invigorate every part of the empire."

Scarcely any of the manufactures has received so

Progress of the dyeing trade.

great a benefit from the improvements in science, as the art of dyeing cloth,-by the application of the laws of chemistry, processes which were formerly of long duration, and very tedious in their application in dyeing, are speedily, as well as effectually, performed. In former periods, after cloth had been woven, the manufacturers were at a loss to give it a particular hue, and were obliged to export it to Holland to have it dyed; but at length, in the reign of Charles I., a Dutchman, who understood this art, was induced to settle in London, and he established himself at Bow, and carried on his business as a dyer. He taught the English his art and mystery, and practised first the dyeing of that beautiful scarlet which was so much prized at that, and is so at the present period, and for which the foreigners were then so celebrated in exclusively producing. By an act of the legislature, in Elizabeth's reign, the use of logwood as a dye was

Improvements in the art of dyeing, and in the modes of obtaining a supply of materials, occupied much of the attention of the early members of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, who, prior to the publication of their first volume of Transactions, in 1783, had expended upwards of £1500 in promoting the culture and preparation of madder in this kingdom: the foreign growers and importers having, on the supposition that it could not be produced in England, raised that necessary article to an exorbitant price. English madder was, in consequence of these exactions, produced, of quality equal to the foreign and though experience has shown that it cannot be cultivated so cheaply as to compete with the foreign, the effect of the experiment was to reduce the price of that procured from Holland and other countries,-the growers having been convinced that we could raise any quantity, and of the best kind, whenever the price should rise to an amount sufficient to engage the attention of British husbandmen: and thus an important saving was effected for those engaged in dyeing and calico-printing.