The Wheeling repository — Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1807-07-23 00:00:00, page 3

W HE ELING,
Thursday, 23d July, 1807.
The following particulars respecting1
the Cotton Manufactory at Mendham, in
the state of New-Jersey, which are co
pied from a Trenton paper, are peculiar
ly interesting at the present eventful pe
riod.—
“ Notwithstanding the extraordinary
expenses attendant upon the commence
ment of the business, erecting and al
tering his buildings, machinery,Etc. Mr.
Ralston calculates that he has averaged
a profit of 14 per cent, upon his dis
bursements. This, of itself, is not bad;
but when it is considered that his expen
ditures will hereafter be less, and the
quantity of work done much greater,
r-cill better profits may be reasonably an
ticipated. And we trust that such a
handsome reward will attend his enter
prize, as will emboldemothers to follow
' his example. New-Jcrsey abounds with
excellent scitcs for such establishments,
and we hope in a few years to see more
of them occupied in such useful,honour
able, and profitable undertakings.
u It is reduced to a certainty, that
cotton goods can be made as good (it
may safely be said better)and as hand
some in this country as in England, and
likew ise cheaper. For as the cotton it
self is taken from here there, and the
goods brought from there here,at a great
expense for freights, insurance, duties,
£tc. the saving in these respects by its
being manufactured here, will exceed
the saving there by the lower price of
labour. So that nothing is wanting to
put a stop to the importation of these
grx.ds from Europe, but the establish
ment of such a number of manufactories
here as will satisfy the demand.
44 Mr. Ralston at present manufac
tures cotton fustians, dimities, cassimcrs,
checks, stripes, bedticking, counterpanes,
yarn of all sizes, twisted and untwisted,
Jkc. See. and those goods are in such de
tnand, that he can furnish but avuy
small part of what is wanted.
“ The manufacture of coach lace, &c.
is also carried on by Mr. Ralston to con
siderable extent, and with good encou
ragement. This article, for which a few
years ago we were entirely dependent on
foreign hands, is now made in this coun
try so well, and in such quantities, as to
meet the great and increasing demand.
44 The manufacture of woollen goods
Mr. Kalston is just embarking in, and
has no doubt of furnishing such as may
be safely thrown into the same market
with the best imported.
“ The wonderful effect of ingenuity,
in constructing labour-saving machine
ry, is perhaps no where more astonish
ing than in a cotton factory. In the one
we speak of, the cotton is picked, bro
ken, carded* formed into rolls, drawn
into threads, spun, reeled, and twisted,
all by machinery, which machinery is all
moved by water! Three hundred spin
dles are employed at once in spinning,
and the other parts of the machinery in
proportion—In his weave-shops, Mr.
Ralston has introduced the spring shut
tle, the great superiority of which none
can imagine but such as see it used.”
Norfolk Committer.—The committee
appointed by the citizens of Norfolk £c
Portsmouth, to carry into effect their
resolutions for preventing the British
vessels off Hampton from being furnish
ed with supplies at that place, have dis
played an energy and intrepidity which
well became the occasion. The measures
recommended by the committee appear
to have been acquiesced in by the citi
zens generally ; and a continuance of
them is now required by the President’s
proclamation. The numerous meetings
which have been held in different parts
of the United States, have applauded
the manly and patriotic conduct of the
the people of Norfolk, Hampton, £c the
vicinity.
On the 25th of June, Col. Hamilton,
the British consul at Norfolk, addressed
a letter to Gen. Mathews, chairman of
the committee, inquiring whether the
schooners which had been used as ad
vice boats, would be permitted to pass
and repnss between the port- and the
British squadron as before, without in
terruption ; and whether there was any
objection to himself or any of his fami
ly visiting the squadron in such boats as
might be allowed to carry his corres
pondence, or whether they might go by
land to the bay side, and go out and re
turn in the ships’ boats. Gen. Mathews
replied, that the schooners could not be
permitted to pass and repass as before,
but that he might communicate with the
ships in either of the modes he had
mentioned.
On Friday the 26th, a British officer
was observed leaving one of the schoon
ers which had attended the English ves
sels, and proceeding up the river, in a
boat, for the British consul’s. Several
boats put off, and when two of them had
reached the boat carrying the officer, a
flag of truce was hoisted on board the
schooner. Apprehending violence, or
that the officer might be detained, the
consul claimed for him the protection of
the civil authority & of the flag of truce,
and he was permitted to depart.-On
the same day the committee met and re
solved unanimously, that the officer not
having hoisted a flag before his approach
to the harbour, he was not entitled to its
protection ; and that he should not have
been discharged until the pleasure of the
government was known ; and that any
British officer who might afterwards
come up, should he detained. The com
mittee appointed two of their number to
ascertain the best- means of establishing
a telegraphic communication with the
shore. . One of the members informed
the committee that a number of young
gentlemen had instructed him to offer
their services for the erection of batte
ries for the defence of Norfolk 8t Ports
mouth : the committee directed their
thanks to be given to those persons, with
an intimation that the time was not dis
tant when they would have an opportu
nity to display their zeal.
By tilt evening of the 28th, the com.
mittee had received information from
various sources, that the British had me
naced Hampton with an invasion for the*
purpose of obtaining water: the commit
tee therefore resolved, that application
should be made to capt. Decatur, com
mander of the naval force, requesting
him to avail himself of the services of
the officers and men who had volunteer
ed, and equip the gun boats, in order to
co-operate with the people of Hampton
in preventing the execution of the threat.
On the 29th the committee revoked
the permission given to the British con
sul to correspond with the British squa
dron. A letter from col. Sharpe (pro
bably the colonel of the militia) was laid
before the committee, who thereupon
resolved that it was highly expedient to
repair fort Norfolk, and mount guns
there for the defence of the place, and
that the inhabitants be requested to give
ail their aid for that purpose.
On the 30th the committee appointed
three of their number toexamine the ma
gazine, and obtain a correct account of
the powder in the borough, the proprie
tors thereof, and the market price of that
article. It was resolved that the public
exigence required the keeping in pos
session every mean of defence*