The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-01-23 00:00:00

TIIB SIZE iAADiE.

[From the Coventry Herald.]
In addressing our reatlers, we are compelled to advert to
the alarmingly distressed state of the Ribend Trade here,
teal we can only express ourselves in language of condo-
ietice atul sympathy. We are no alarmists—we confess we
are not apt to give ready credence to every tale of distrees,
or so attach much importance to every prognostic of evil—
Sind by our friends we may have been deemed too sanguine
in our hopes ; but mow the appalling truth is forced upon
us irresistibly, . and we are bound to declare that, from a
state of prosperity, the trade has been suddenly reduced
tootle or almost unexampled depression. We learn from
-trcotrespondent, that it-,4 recommended to call a public
meeting of the inhah:lants of this city and its neighbour-
.)woi, to oonaider of the hest mesas for obtaining relief.
We think every titan should in this case make common
Vence with his neighbour ; for, whatever opinion he may
'hare as to the etfect which the actual introduction of fo-
rt•ign wrought silks may have, still the trade is now in a
*We requiring. instant relief. The following Memorial
Las been forwarded to the Right Honourable the Commis-
''inners of Trade--
N*l(r Igt NORIA!. OF TRF. WEAVER% AND OTWEIIS EMPLOYED
IN THE DIRAND TRADE IN THE CITY Or COVENTRY.
" To the Bight Him. the Commissioners of the Board of Tiede.
• •• 'Tont Memorialists are at the present time in the greatest
illtenerir.d*dtstress from the want of employment, occasioned by
lime coafidence of their employers in the utterlinpusibility of being
h',te to carry on business should foreign wrought rilka be permitted
to Is: :•:porirtl into this country. Coventry and its vicinity
.sic antiteiy dependent or the manufacture of ribands. The
.vii•tria parish of Faleshill, about a mile from here, fifty years
tilt Was a barren heath • but, in consequence of the menu-
t ; and' ourishing tune of the Ilibsnd Trade, has now become
iyrespectable and wealthy parish, containing niany thou-
scf 'ir habitants ; the houses have been princrpally built by
'din' of 'tremors called Undertakers in the riband trade. and
weetec exclusively for that manutticture. Coventry has increased
sltni!er manner; Nuraston, Bedworth, and many adjacent
14Viirrs and villa a. have proportionably advanced in sire and re-
aittlifibliity. and all this has taken place tinder the protection of
protlhirory hors. Your memorialists sincerely hope his Majesty's
:14i1;,ters •i:1 seriously pease before they throw open a trade,
witch etas produced so many advantages. to a competition with fo.
retneri. it your Honours are of opinion that this country can
4! itrietse with the silk trade altogether, yeti are prepared with a
n.,,i,t.tute. and. it so, is it possible to instruct halt a million of per-
s*wtiveara their dtily bread at • new employment. before diatoms
fiat iliastieryed every 'saluable faculty of the mind and body? :Such
1420te distress already crested in Coventry, that the poor's rates ate
dauble what they wee a short time since. It is an ascertained fact
Yhit d Coventry and its neighbourhood there are rot less than
*,ill/0 peranni it; the riband bueiness wholly destitute ; and the dis-
ieiss'occasinneri 'thereby is beyond description. After the passing
bribe Act in 1821, a stimulus was created and much capital era-
Wafted, in mitt, if posible, to make a competition practicable, but
tee result bar ooly produced despair. Yet if your Honours would
kWiw the feetlgnets to continue to import patterns instead of pieces
there could still be stupid scope for all the capital embarked, which
never can be the easel! our market is to be thrown Owen to time fo-
nts/ter. It your Honours anticipate any benefit by a tree trade, it
trust be very remote and doubtful, white the evil is immediate and
yussitive ; and these.la something so appalling in the idea, that
hundreds must die Of StRIVRMOR in the midst of plenty, while a
dienrcUcal opinion is proved by practice, that your Memorialists
ibm?tot persuade themselves your Honours will withhold your sanc-
-44i0 an application to Parliament for the repeal of the Act of
Meraoriallsm therefore hope your Honours will excuse
ale plain tintaintsbed statement of their grievances, and give
illtin such an answer as will Induce their employers to set their
iabs* again in motion—the only sebstandal 'relief they car

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