The Press. — London, England, 1858-04-17 00:00:00

THE PRESS, APEIL 17, 1858. deficiencies of defective parochial supervision and Church accommodation. Had the Dean taken the measures ho now proposes a year ago, he would have pleased the taste of a year ago. That is all. But the novelty has gone by; and surely it is not gravely to be argued by ecclesiastical digni taries that the mere change of position in celebrating Divine service under one roof, will permanently insure enlarged congrega tions? People rush in crowds from curiosity to see the nave of Westminster illuminated; and, for a certain number of Sundays, the same people will do the same thing at St. Paul's. Here, however, the poetic vein of Dean MILMAN comes in. He proposes not only to fit up the space beneath the dome for public preaching, at a cost of 1,0001, but at a cost of 12,0001. to carry out a scheme for paint ing and decorating the walls of the Cathedral suitably with the character of the architecture. He wishes, in fact, to make art minister to religion in a manner that every one who has turned over the pages of MILDIAN'S "Horace " can well believe would be severely correct, and chaste, and beautiful. Now, if 12,0001. can be raised for such a purpose, we shall rejoice to see this design carried into effect. That gloomy pile, with its cold, hare stone walls, deserves better treatment than it has ever yet received. It wants what the Dean proposes : whether it will get it, is quite another matter. In the love of art, and the strong desire of Dean MILMAN to see the fabric of which he is the keeper properly decorated and adorned, we completely sympa thize. Without permitting ourselves to enter upon the controversy between Grecian and Gothic architecture, we think that every one must admit that the Grecian wants warmth and light. It has these in the lands to which it is native, but it has ti em not in this land. Marble capitals, shas, porticoes, be., even when stained by the lees of ages, retain all their lightness of appearance, and only acquire warmth of colouring in Italy or Greece. In England they acquire blackness, grime, and dirt; for warmth, dinginess; for light, dark ness; and for depth of shadow, dust. If, therefore, while Dean MILMAN had an eye to OWXN Jorms and our frescoe painters for the interior, he had also suggested a brigade of ecclesiastical charwomen for the exterior, we should have applauded all the more strongly ; for, considering the uses to which St. Paul's is dedicated, we can only look upon it as a " standing evidence " to the ex ceptions of which the very best of proverbs may admit; since here, at least, cleanliness does not come next to godliness. Grecian architecture, therefore, so far as St. Paul's may be considered its representative iu London (Vitruvius pax tibi), wants colouring, and light, and warmth ; all which things St. Paul's does not possess, and which the Dean would supply. But this is not the great object, after all. The Dean's decorations are put forward as subsidiary to opening St. Paul's for popular services. Without wishing to seem to know more than we do, we cannot help suspecting that Dr MILMAN'S interest in the services and the decorations bear about the same relative proportion to one another as the cost of fitting lip his Cathedral at 1,0001. and decorating it for 12,0001. That is to say, his regard for the services is as one in twelve to his desire for the decorations We do not blame him if our suspi• cion be correct; for the Dean probably considers that these services will be ephemeral in their character,while the decorations would be perma nent, and a beautiful monument of his Decanal thoughtfulness. Had Dr. MILMAN been pecu liarly anxious for these popular services he would have urged them a year ago. He is now behind the times. Even Mr. E. T. SMITH, of Drury Lane l has been beforehand with him ; and on the Horatian principle, "aut Rex, aut B utor," while giving dramatic entertainments Six days in the week, endeavoured to make hay while the sun of the Spurgeon frenzy shone, and to give religious entertainments on the seventh. The Dean an d hi s serv i ces we regarl as a mistake ; the D ean an d hi s f rescoes we readily Consent unto, but with small hope of their ac complishment. It will never make any perm*. rent difference in Westminster Abbey or St. Paul's whether the pulpit stands in the chancel or in the nave. We almost smile at the principle to which these special services practically reduce themselves, which is, that gas-fittings and preaching at the west end of a church rather than the east are calculated to attract the multitude and to enforce the truths of Christianity. As we have said, whenever St. Paul's is opened we quite believe crowds will rush, and crush, and cram the place as they have done in Westminster Abbey; but it will not be long before the same crowds have melted away, finding newer attractions than gas-fittings and the appearance of a Cathedral lighted up at night. It is not this, nor the moving of a pulpit from one part of a church to another, that will make the voice of Chris tianity heard among the people. It is not the pulpit, but the men who are put into it, that ought to be the consideration of our spiritual overseers. If courses of sermons upon the truths of Christianity by the ablest divines of the age were delivered in St. Paul's or Westminster—if the subjects were pub licly known, and a bold front was displayed against all the levity and latitudinarian style of writing upon the doctrines of our faith which is so common in the present age—if the doctors of our temples exhibited themselves able and ready to cope with the disguised ene mies of the cross of CHRIST, and stood forth preachers, like PAUL, to reason with the most accomplished, learned, and sceptical minds of our times, we should see a righteous purpose undertaken that would engage and even rivet the attention of the nation. It would tend to drive back that wave of Infidelity which has lashed itself into rage against the bulwarks of Christianity, and it would establish a series of special services beneficial to the last degree at the moment, and, by the Divine blessing, per manently useful, not only to the metropolis, but, through the press, to the nation at large. Let St. Paul's be opened and decorated for such a purpose as this, the spirit that once lived at Paul's Cross coming back again to its former house swept and garnished, and we believe Dean MILMAN will then leave a name behind him which will be tableted, not on his Cathedral's cold stone walls, but in the hearts of the people. 365 She made shirting. and stockings for all civi lized humanity. Mills rose, and wealth accu mulated, and hands grew too few in number to supply the demand for cotton-workers. So they were imported from Ireland and else where. And soon it began to be perceived that the people fitted for cotton-working were little fitted for other employments. They who could forge and work their indige nous iron could not spin the exotic cotton, and so the cotton-mills became the centres of colonies of imported workpeople, who could be distinguished off-hand from the indigenous inhabitants. The keen, strong-bodied men of Blackstone Edge and elsewhere, probably the mingled race of the old Saxon and Colt of the traditional ARTHUR'S time, were the masters ; the colonists were the vassals —well-paid vassals while too few for the work. but still vassals, and when they had " filled up their numbers," constantly lowering in value. And in process of time wives and children competed with husbands and fathers in order to swell up the general wages of the family. Peace came, and vain wore legislative en deavours to prevent the export of machinery. Very pleasant it might have been to have had the exclusive manufacture of the clothing of all the world at our own prices, but this did not fall within the scope of PROVIDICNCE. It was no small honour, no little prestige, and not a little profit, which had been awarded to us for leading the van of progress; and it was destined also that in the fulness of time other nations should follow in our footsteps. America, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and other countries gradually acquired the same machinery as ourselves, and though we had the advantage of being first in the field, with accumulated skill, they would insist upon doing their own work, trying to balance their disadvantage by exclusive laws. To meet this, began the cutting down of wages, met by " Strikes," and reasserted in occasional " Lock-outs." And then, when wages could bear no mare reduction, the old genius of Lancashire arose again in its mettle, and new and improved machinery added more miles of cloth to the quantity that could be made for a given sum of money. Still the opponents held their own ; they sacrificed their true wel fare in many things in ordar to conquer in one; and the battle has been waged from that time to this with alternate victory and defeat; our millowners constantly endeavouring to do a larger business to make up for a smaller rate of profit. The manufacture became a specu lation, as much as that of the Stock Exchange —with years of loss to be counterbalanced by periods of exorbitant profits—but far more mischievous in its effects, inasmuch as the comforts or miseries of a large number of human beings went up and down in the balance. And withal the profits are con tinuously dwindling, and the cost of the raw material is continually increasing, while the amount of the wages paid is lessening. In proof of this, the tables of Messrs, Du PAY and Co. of Manchester, published in their Monthly Trade Report, give the results of the year 1852 as sixty-one and a half millions of pounds sterling in value produced, out of which forty four millions and three quarters are left for wages, cost, and profit. after pay ing for the cotton about sixteen millions and three. quarters. But in the year 1857 the total value in pounds sterling was ouly fifty-six millions and a quarter, out of which only thirty millions were left for wages, cost, and profit, after paying twenty-six millions for the cotton. Thus, therefore, there is a constant tendency to the growth of a large class of workpeople with insufficient and fluctuating wages a class in which women and children are em ployed in " divisional " labour, without any resource in case of work falling off. Moreover, the class of work tends to induce feeble and delicate bodies, and they are wholly depen dent fur work on a slave-grown material, the sudden dearth of which would be equivalent to privation of food and wide-spread calamity; a pauperism more or less pervading the whole nation. It is a maxim that " trade knowsino friend ships." It seeks to make profit in any way it the not ye tong oeroro me same crowas nave ue oiemigulSllCH on-nan d trona the indigenous certain number of Sundays, and, fora melted away, finding newer attractions than inhabitants. The keen, strong-bodied men of same people will do the same thing at St. gas-fittings and the appearance of a Cathedral Blackstone Edge and elsewhere, probably the Paul's. Here, however, the poetic vein of lighted up at night. It is not this, nor the mingled race of the old Saxon and Colt of Dean MILMAN comes in. He proposes not moving of a pulpit from one part of a church the traditional ARTHUR'S time, were the only to fit up the space beneath the dome for to another, that will make the voice of Chris- masters ; the colonists were the vassals public preaching, at a cost of 1,000/ , but at a tianity heard among the people. It is not the —well-paid vassals while too few for the work. cost of 12,0001. to carry out a scheme for paint- pulpit, but the men who are put into it, that but still vassals, and when they had " filled up ing and decorating the walls of the Cathedral ought to be the consideration of our spiritual their numbers," constantly lowering in value. suitably with the character of the architecture. overseers. If courses of sermons upon the And in process of time wives and children He wishes, in fact, to make art minister to truths of Christianity by the ablest divines competed with husbands and fathers in order religion in a manner that every one who has of the age were delivered in St. Paul's to swell up the general wages of the family. turned over the pages of MILDIAN'S "Horace " or Westminster—if the subjects were pub- Peace came, and vain wore legislative en- can well believe would be severely correct, and licly known, and a bold front was di sp l aye d chaste, and beautiful. Now, if 12,0001. can bedeavours to prevent the export of machinery. against all the levity and l a ti tu di nar i an s t y l e raised for such a purpose, we shall rejoice Very pleasant it might have been to have writing o f wrng upon the doctrines of our faith to see this design carried into effect.had the exclusive manufacture of the which is so common in the present age—if the That gloomy pile, with its cold, bare clothing of all the world at our own ves doctors of our temples exhibited themselves stone walls, deserves better treatment prices, but this did not fall within the scope able and rea d y t o c ope w ithdi sgu i se d ene-of PROVIDENCE. It was no small honour, no than it has ever yet received. It wants mica of the cross of CHRIST, and stood forth little prestige, and not a little profit, which what the Dean proposes whether it will get preachers, like PAUL, to reason wit h the most it, is quite another matter. In the love of art,had been awarded to us for leading the van of and the strong desire of Dean MILMAN to see accomplished, learned, and sceptical minds of progress; and it was destined also that in the should see a r i g ht eous purpose times, w e the fabric of which he is the keeper properly o ur fulness of time other nations should follow in decorated and adorned, we completely sympa- Without permitting ourselves to enter undertaken that would engag e and even rivet our footsteps. America, France, Germany, the attention of the nation. It would tend to Italy: Spain, and other countries gradually thize. drive back that wave of Infidelity which has upon the controversy between Grecian and acquired the same machinery as ourselves, lashed itself into rage against the bulwarks of and though we had the advantage of being Gothic architecture, we think that every one must admit that the Grecian wants warmth and Christianity, and it would establish a series of f i rst i n the f i eld, with accumulated skill, they special services beneficial to the last degree at light. It has these in the lands to which it is would insist upon doing their own work, trying native, but it has tom not in this land. the moment, and, by the Divine blessing, per- to b alance their disadvantage by exclusive i manently useful, not only to the metropolis, laws. Marble capitals, shafts, porticoes, &a, even but, through the press, to the nation at large. when stained by the lees of ages, retain all To meet this, began the cutting down of their lightness of appearance, and only acquire Let St. Paul's be opened and decorated for wages, met by " Strikes," and reasserted in warmth of colouring in Italy or Greece. In such a purpose as this, the spirit that once occasional " Lock-outs." And then, when England they acquire blackness, grime, and lived at Paul's Cross coming back again to its wages could bear no mare reduction, the old dirt; for warmth, dinginess; for light, dark- former house swept and garnished, and we genius of Lancashire arose again in its mettle, ness; and for depth of shadow, dust. believe Dean MILMAN will then leave a name and new and improved machinery added more If, therefore, while Dean MILMAN had an behind him which will be tableted, not on his miles of cloth to the quantity that could be made eye to Owxa JONES and our frescos painters Cathedral's cold stone walls, but in the hearts for a given sum of money. Still the opponents for the interior, he had also suggested a of the p eople. held their own ; they sacrificed their true wel- in to brigade of ecclesiastical charwomen for the fare in many things exterior, we should have applauded all the and the battle has been waordorged from that time conquer in one; this with alternate victory and defeat; our more strongly ; for, considering the uses to THE COTTON MANUFACTURES OF to llowners constantly endeavouring to do a which Sr. Paul's is dedicated, we can only look mi upon it as a " standing evidence " to the ex- GREAT BRITAIN. l arger b us i ness to ma k e up f or a sma ll er rate ceptions of which the very best of proverbs THE "blue cloth of Surat," such as Robinson of profit. The manufacture became a specu- may admit; since here, at least, cleanliness C rusoe t ra d e d i n , th e pi n k c l o th o f N an ki n , lation, as much as that of the Stock Exchange does not come next to odliness. Grecian ' —with years of loss to be counterbalanced by g the white cloth of Calicut, and the muslins, per i o d s o f exor bi tant pro fi ts —b ut f ar more architecture, therefore, so far as St. Paqrs may be considered its representative iu London plain,flowered, and goldand silver embroidered, mischievous in its effects, inasmuch as the (Vitruvius pax tibi), wants colouring, and light, were the cotton products of the East, brought comforts or miseries of' a large number of b hu beings went up and down in the . man and warmth ; all which things St. Paul's does hither by commerce when English enterprise i not possess, and which the Dean would followed the track of the great ALBUQUERQUE. aance. And withal the profits are con- supply. tinu ously dwindling, and the cost of the raw And this commerce would have continued till ma t er i a l i s con ti nua lly i ncreas i ng , w hil e t h e The Dean's But this is n decorations not the great object, after all. are put forward as now, had not WATr, AMU/RIGHT, CROMPTON, and amount of the wages paid is lessening. In Du subsidiary to opening St. P au l' s f or p o p u l ar other inventors, produced the steam - engine, proof of this, the tables of Messrs, , in PAY services. With o ut w i s hi n g t o seem t o k now the spinning-jenny, and the power-loom. and Co. of Man more than we do, we cannot help suspecting Monthly Trade Report,cte g published theirive the results of the 'Cris spinning and weaving labour of year 1852 as sixty-one and a half millions of that Dr MILMAN'S interest in the services and pounds sterling in value produced, out of India was the cheapest in the known world, the decorations bear about the same relative and no competition could have inter- which forty four millions and three quarters proporti on t o one anot h er as t h e coat o f fi tt i ng about 857 t up hie Cath e d ra l a t 1,000/ . an d d ecorat i ng i t fared with it, had not the powers of nature are left for wages, cost, and profit , after pay- for sixteen mi he totalllions and i three-auarters. Butn the year 1 for 12 , 0001. Th at i s to say, hi s regard for the b een d eve l ope d b y t h e b ra i n o f man t o ma k e ing for the cotton services is as one i n t we l ve t o hi s d es i re f or th e art or secon d ary nature tr i ump h over simple value in pounds sterling was out fifty-six decorations W e d o no t bl ame hi m if' our suspi- nature. And so cotton was carried from India millions and a quarter, out of w hich only cion be correct ; for the Dean probably considers that these services will be ephemeral in their to England, and spun into yarns, which were thirty millions were left for wages, cost, and character,while the decorations would be perms- carried back to India to weave into cloths, profit, after paying twenty-six millions for the neat, and a b eaut if u l monument o f hi s D ecana l an d fi na ll y b o th t h e y arn an d th e c l oths cotton. thoughtfulness. Thus, therefore, there is a constant tendency Had Dr. MILMAN been pecu themselves were manufactured in this hall) , anxious for these popular services he to the growth of a large class of workpeople country ; and so the triumph was complete . . would have urged them a year ago. He is with insufficient and fluctuating wages a now behind the times. Even Mr. E. T. SMITH, of art and industry over natural circumstances. class in which women and children are em- of Drury Lane, has been beforehand with him ; India ceased to produce yarns and clo the of ployed in " divisional " labour, without any and_ on th e H orat i an pr i nc i ple, " aut R ex, aut cotton save for coarse home purposes, using resource i n case o f wor k f a lli ng off. Moreover, B utor," while giving dramatic entertainments labour that had no other employment save the class of work tends to induce feeble and Six days in the week, endeavoured to make delicate bodies, and they are wholly depen- hay while the sun of the Spurgeon frenzy that and the production of barbaric glitter. dent fur work on a slave-grown material, the shone, and to give religious entertainments on sudden dearth of which would be equivalent Europe indulged in war, and England reaped the se ven th . to privation of food and wide-spread calamity; the fruits of the inventive faculties o f L an - The Dean an d hi s serv i ces we regar d as a a pauperism more or less pervading the whole c mistake ; the D ean an d hi s f rescoes we readily She supplied the Europe an an d nat i on . consent unto, but with small hope of their so- American world and parts of Asi a an d Af r i ca It is a max i m t h a t " trade knowsino friend- complishinent. It will never make any puma- with cotton cloths, printed and unprinted. ships." It seeks to make profit in any way it THE COTTON MANUFACTURES OF GREAT BRITAIN. THE "blue cloth of Surat," such as Robinson Crusoe traded in, the pink cloth of Nankin, the white cloth of Calicut, and the muslins, plain, flowered, and gold and silver embroidered, were the cotton products of the East, brought hither by commerce when English enterprise followed the track of the great ALBUQUERQUE. And this commerce would have continued till now, had not WATT, AREWEIGHT, CROMPTON, and other inventors, produced the steam-engine, the spinning-jenny, and the power-loom. The spinning and weaving labour of India was the cheapest in the known world, and no competition could have inter fered with it, had not the powers of nature been developed by the brain of man to make art or secondary nature triumph over simple nature. And so cotton was carried from India to England, and spun into yarns, which were carried back to India to weave into cloths, and finally both the yarn and the cloths themselves were manufactured in this country ; and so the triumph was complete of art and industry over natural circumstances. India ceased to produce yarns and clo the of cotton save for coarse home purposes, using labour that had no other employment save that and the production of barbaric glitter. Europe indulged in war, and England reaped the fruits of the inventive faculties of Lan cashire. She supplied the European and American world and parts of Asia and Africa with cotton cloths, printed and unprinted.