The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-05-22 00:00:00

EAST INDIA SHIPPING.

The Tartar, Garry, from Manilla, is at Cowen—nailed from Manilla the
,Oh Janus v, IoN. Spoke with the ae•uatal; Drake, fro:n London to
New south Wale% la lat. C. N. long. 24. W.

On Sennlay morning, at half past ten o'clock, a Meeting
of the Lords of his Majesty's Privy Council was held at
the.Conncii Office in Wltiteludi-place, which was attended
by the Lord President, Lord Stowell, Lord Bexley, the
Matter of the Rolls, and Sir John Nichol!. The question
which came before their Lordships was an appeal from the
bland of Guernsey, as to the right of electing a high Con-
stable for the Island, at which the Earl of Pembroke, who
is Governor of that Island, attended, and, being a Privy
Counsellor, took his seat at the board. Mr. Bolland ap-
peared for the appellant ; Mr. Horne, for respondent.
The pts ceding& occupied the attention of their Lortlships
till about one o'clock, when Counsel were ordered to
withdraw, and their Lordships continued in deliberation
for alma' an hoer and a half, but did not make their de-
cision known. _ _ _

We have received Jamaica rapers to the 2tl April, but
they contain no news.
I'h C.iptain of the Sir John Keats, nrivcil from Jamaica,
states there is a great expedition preparing to. Carthago's, includ.
leg the two new frigalei built in America fnr the Colombians : it is
g 'tautly supposed to be intended against Cuba. Bolivar was cx.
peered there daily.
BENEVOLENCr.—During last week, a French General
Offie‘ r, p Lasing through Laneaster with his lady, visited the castle.
and previous to quitting the yard, he inquired of the turnkey if he
could point out any one of the debtors also well ?rally unfortunate
and deserving of assistance. The turnkey did rt. upon which he
inquired the amount of his debt. which was nbnut 29/. This he
paid into the hand of the gaoler. in order to the debtor being din_
charged. Mr. Higgins end the individual who received this marked
act of leacvolence, thanked him most cordially, and the latter
succeeded in compromising the attic with his creditors for 81.8 d. In
the pound. leaving himself a hand,ome balance on his quitting the
gaol. The correspondent who has supplied this anecdote says, " I
have used all the means I WAS able to learn the name of this gene.
too Frerchman, hut without effect: I.e expressed a wish that it
sheu'd -tut be male public; he was one of Bonaparte's officers."

THE BRITISH PRESS..

NACU, VKIII%
We have been induced to extract the following passages
from a letter addretwerl by Mr. Itailks, jtm., now at Rouen,
to the unemployed workmen of Lancashire and Yorkshire,
on thr present distress, and on Machinery. It is replete
with the clearest reasoning, and well calculate) to dissipate
the ►relancholy delusion under which the wretched opera-
tives in flume counties have been labouring, and which led
them to the experiment, injurious as well to themselves as
to their employers, of destroying the machinery of the latter.
After alluding to the recent distress and the necessity
for rivaling the French in our manufactutcs, he proceeds
thus:--

Now, England and France being rivals in commerce, it is very
important fig tis to know what the French are about ; on the same
principle that it is necessary for the General of an army to know the
movements of the opponent, and for a gamester to discover the plans
of Ida antagonist. Ohaerve, then, my situation. I am in the
midst of the enemy's camp; I am looking over the adversary's
cards; and I am therefore in a amnion to tell you matters of
great interest to younelvea. At this moment lam in the town of
Mitten, in the north of France.—e town nearly as large as Man.
Chester, and the centre of the cotton manufacture in France, as
3laneherner is in England. I have lately been at Lyons, the Wont
manufacturing city in this country after Paris. I have also visited
Nimes. I have likewise been to houviers end Elheuf, at the first
of which pieces ti.ey make the finest woollen cloth in France.
Lastly, I have spent some weeks in Paris, where I have not only
visited the principal manufactories, but have inspected an impor-
tant establishment called the Conservatory of Arts end Trades, eats.
blialted by the Government, and open to the public, where models
of every kind of machine mutiny/al in manufactures or agriculture
are kept to assist the French in their inventions. Having seen all
this, I can assure you that these Frenchmen are not rivals to be
despised, but arc full of ingenuity and perseveraice. I can only
assure you, that we need not fear their beating us, if we keep pos-
session of all our advantages. But it is absolutely necessary that
we should keep these advantages.
But now attend to a few particulars, which you will find ante.
meting enough to repay your attentirec. Last year there was ex-
ported from Great Firitain, goods, according to the official estimate,
of the value of 381335.5141. I Is. 2d. sterling. Of this enormous
amount 21,496,3761, mot it cotton goods alone, 5,925,574/. in
woollen goods, and 2.700.7fr6 in linen goods. The French are
straining every nerve to beat or to equal ua in all these branches
of industry. and if they succeed, Own away goes our commerce,
and away goes our power along with it.
Let us look, then, at the means which the French are using to
succeed in their competition. Let us inquire what it is that the
Government, and all their scientific he well as all their practical
men, are looking to in order to obtain this desired object. lam
obliged to tell you. that all their rfferts are directed towards ma.
chine 7. There is nothing the Government promotes more lihe-
, rally than machinery. Thoy attribute nearly all our superiority
over them to our improved machinery. They ascribe all their own
recent edvanees in manufactures to their SUCCCSR in introducing ma.
ehinery. The object first, midst, stud Nat with them, to which
they are directing all eyes. hands, and heads, is machinery.
One of the most eminent men it. France, for the zeal and talent
with which he labours to promote the arts and manufactures of his
country, the Baron Chs. [Junin. has travelled great deal in Eng.
land, fur the express purpose of examining our machines, our
manufactories, our dock-yards, and our workshops, and he has
published an account of what he observed there, for the purpose of
cumulating his countrymen to rival us in this means of producing
wealth. The Government has rewarded his exertions by making
hint a Baron, tied has given him a salary to lecture every week on
mechanics at the Conservatory of Arm and Trades, to all who
choose to attend. Another eminent man is a Al. Clement De-
sormes, who has also travelled in England for the sante purpose.
has been likewise rewarded by the Government, and is employed et
the same institution in teaching gratuitously the application of che-
mistry to the useful arts. I heard hint lecture on a subject, which
I thought at first would be of little interest, but it turned mit one
of the most interesting lecture,' I ever heard, lie brotight forward
a plan fur the establishment of a public washing-machine. to be
worked by steam, in imitation of that at Mite:ram, near London.
Ile first showed that the washing of linen was exactly the same
thing as the bleaching or linen or cotton goods just manufactured ;
end then he entered iota an account of the admirable machinery for
this purpose which he had seen in Lancashire, and gave such a
flaming description of our steam-engines and machines of all kinds,
as made the Frenchmen stare with admiration. Ile told them that
calico was bleached near 31anchetter, principally in consequence of
our improved machinery, in the abort space of three days, which
would require five wet Its to bleach in France. I utmost mid to these
facts, what is 1110 St deal, and undoubtedly true, that the manu-
facture of cotton Ilea minute a very great ;progress in France, especi.
ally here at Rouen. since the vet of the war, chiefly in consequence
of the adoption of nor timelines. Their silks, their woollen, end
all their other manufactures. are rapidly inctetaing, in a great ntea.
sure from the sante rause. Nay, they have guts company of ling.
lishmen from Stafflodshire, to establish iron-works for making
steam-engines and ether machines, at Charenton, near Paris. In
this establishment, of which the heads are 3lessrs. Manby and
Wilson, there are no less than three hundred Englishmen em-
ployed, whom I have seen myself; and the proprietors are doing
a vest deal of business, and getting rich by supplying our rivals
with the means of competing with us.
Now, my friends, consider them tame with the attention they de-
serve. When once a machine has been invented and made known,
it is no longer a question whether it is a general advantage to have
such a machine or not, hut it is necessary to our commerce to em-
ploy it ; for if we do not, other nations will, and thus we shall in.
evitably be left behind them. It would be as foolish and ruinous
to adhere to the old system of manufacturing when all •he rest of
the world adopts the new, ss it would hare been to fight with spears
end WOWS after the invention of gunpowder. No nation, however
warlike, has been able to resist with the old weapons troops armed
with artillery ; and no nation, however industrious. could maintain,
with the slow and old.fashioned processes of manufacturing, a com-
petition with aitothea nation which employed machinery. The ad-
vantage of nischirery is, that it enables us to make goods either
quicker or better, and consequently to mil them cheaper, than we
could without it. A German or American merchant will always
buy his goods where he can get them cheapest and finest. If', there-
loth, we destroy those means which enable us to make them the
cheapest and best, we must renounce our trifle and manufactures ;
and where esould the labourers be then ? Their toasters would be
ruined, and they must starve.
" But we are starving already." say some of you. Alas ! my
friends, it is too true that your distress is extreme. But it is a very
great mistake to attributeyour distress to machinery.and it fatal error
to think the destruction of that machinery would he a remedy. The
fact is just the contrary ; machinery has been the grand cause of
the unheard-of extension of the manufactures and commerce of this
country during rite last half century.
Let us look at the history of one manufacture only—that of cot.
ton. At the beginning of the reign of George 111. this manufacture
was scarcely known; at the beginning of the present reign it had
become the largest manufacture ever known in the world. At the
present time the amount of cotton goods manufactured for expor-
tation only, is about twenty-nine millions of pounds sterling every
year, and perhaps nearly as much more is manufactured for home
consumption. Now, to what is this unheard-of extension owing?
Entirely to machinery. We formerly received our cotton goods
front the East Indies, where the manufacture :tad been established
thousands of years. Now, we not only du not receive our cottons
front India, but we bring the raw material from that country—R
distance of six thousand miles, work it up into goods, send them
back again to Ir dia. and undersell the native manufacturer in his
own market, though his workmen receive but three halfpence a day
for their labour. The conseqttenee is, that the ancient manufac-
ture has been destroyed, and me it would be in England if we lost
the advantage of our machinery.
Are you wise, then, my fellow.countrymen, in seeking to destroy
machinery? Will it promote the interest of your country ? Will
it benefit your)rives? Look at the direct and inevitable effect of
the destruction of the machinery at Blackburn. That machinery
was destroyed on the express ground that it enabled the proprietors
to make more goods with the same number of hands, and therefore
to sell them cheaper. They sill now be obliged (if you succeed in
your object) to go back to the old mode of making goods, and of
course they would teak: them dearer. But the French have esta.
Wished the power.looin honer. Will the German, Russian, or
American merchant come to Blackburn, where the goods are
deater, or go to Rouen. where they are cheaper ? Certainly he will
go to Rouen ; he wish therefore leave Blackburn, and your masters,
havirg no customers, can employ no woikuitn. Your masters and
yourselves mum starve together.
Now, my friends, I hope I have succeeded in showing, Ist. That
you ought taut to prevent the extension of machinery; 21 That you
cannot prevent it; 3d. That if you could succeed in preventing it,
the result would be ?/oar arcs ruin; 4th. That the distress you
labour under arises front temporary causes, and will be of very
limited duration sth. That the only relief for your pressing wants
is in the proper distribution of public funds, stud in the exercise of
grivate liberality ; Gtb. That theme sources of relief will be dried
up. and your best friends turned into enemies, by ace.' of violence.
I trust you will believe pie when I say that this letter is dictated
by the sincerest commiseration for your sufferings, and anxiety to
prevent an aggravation. A visit to foreign countries has only in-
creased my attachment to my own. I have taken upon myself' to
address you, because the facts now passing under my eyes in this
country are of great importance for you to know, as they will con-
' since you of the error you are committing by the destruction of
nte.chinery. I assure you there is nothing whatsoever would give
so much pleasure to a Frenchman who wishes tut promote the in-
terests of his own country ut the expense of ours, as the ilestruc-
' hint of that machinery which constitutes our great superiority over
them. . .

•••-••••
The following, vcry sensible Resolutions were recently
agreed to by the opiirative Fustian Cutters of Manchester:
Ist. That though the fustian nutters are suffering privations
equal to other classes of operatives from the want of employ.
mem, they are of opinion that the present unparalleled depression
in trade does not originate from any causes over which the raw.
chants or manufacturers in this country have any control. Ani that
the only existing ground of complaint, as respects them, is, that
there are solitary individuals, i.t every trade, who take advantage of
the present want of employment, to reduce the price for the little
that is found, and thus aggravate the distress both of the operative
respectable manufacturer.
21. Thu as this country owes its prosperity over that of any
other to t !le s iperior improvements in the construction of machinery,
and indus,ry of Its people—the fuslats cutters cannot but lament
the delusion which, unhappily, appears to be so widely extende.l
mongst the operatives of this town and neighbourhood; who

seem to thirk that the genius or mechanical improvement should
slumber on the rode eflints of original invention in this nation.
while evety means is resorted to in others to awaken het energies And
rouse them into action and who., in the warmth of their mistaken
seal, hale so easily become the dupes of a comparatively few de.
signing individuals, whose sole aim is plunder, under the mask of
general distress.
3d. That the fustian cutters are well aware that the breaking of
machivery, the destruction of property, and resistance to cemati-
ttited atchorities, cannot but tend to increase anti prolong the evils
under which the country labours.
4th. That ender this conviction, the fustian cutters have resolved
to p...ice themselves. It !4 a body, at the disposal of the civil 9 uthori-
ties, if required, to render all the assistance in their power for the
protection or property, and the maintenance of the public peace of
this town and nrizlibnurhood.

Sth. That the fustian cutlers earnestly call upon other bodies or
operatives to step forward and to adopt the Ahnve resnlutain, that
the existing alarm may he speedily ailayed, and that no impediment
may be thrown in the way which may have s tendency to prt.4.lltt
the return to that prosperity which we hope soon 'loin to ex-
perience.