The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-08-10 00:00:00

AT THE LEWES WOOL FAIR.

His Lordship began by alluding to the advantage the
country hail derived from the Meetings et this fair. He
complained of the increased importatiou of articles from
countries comparatively untaxed and onlithed, but in parti-
cular of wool, by which the price of British grown wool was

greatly debased.
Al the time when the woollen manafacture was considered
as our great and most flourishing staple (the beginning of
last century), the average importation was 569,7271 b.; and
on an average of right years (1789) previously to the Fench
Revolution, it hail advanced to 2,660,0001 h ; but the over-
whelming importation of last year 111110111 lied to 26,405,4861 b.
and in the quarter from Jan 5 to April 5, 1819, the importa.
lion was 3,345,6411 b , considerably more than the cove.
sponding quarter of the last year, awl one-third more than
the importation of the whole year pltviously to thee French
Revolter . Formerly, we imported scarce any. but the
'finest *vole oeSpain ; but now the market is glutted with
every itiferior kind of wool, Am all parts of the world.
I have here some samples of wools which I was not aware
till lately were ever brought into this country ; some
from South America, which sold, the first week in last month,
in London, at Oil. per lb.; some from Mogadore and the
coast of Barbary and Syria, washed at Malta, at 8 d. per lb.
and some from Germany at 1211. per lb.; and these are of
such staple, nod su cheap, that they are likely to exclude all
our coarser stitil inferior winds, of which we have plenty,from
the carpet, blanket, and other manufactures.
Of the enormous impartation of last year, of nearly 26
millions and a half, 11,035,76:11b. were from the North of
Europe, 2,129,6771 h. from France, from neither of which
any was formerly imported, and 8,760,6271 b. from Spain.
In addition to the stroug objections to such immense im-
portations, it sl Id be observed, that, on an avenge, up-
wards of 2,000,0001. sterling goes out of the country an-
nually, for an article which we might raise ourselves.
Since the last Meeting an essential point has twit attain.
ed, via. a duty of 6d. per lb. on the import of foreign wool.
It was first proposed that the duly should take place on the
sth July; but most miaceomitably, the duty is nut to take
place until the 10th October next, in respect to Europe, and
until the sth January, 1820, in respect to other parts of
the world ; before which time, suck is the eagerness to send to
our market, that every lurk of wool that is stored sad in
readiness will be poured into this country; which, added to
the crest chit of British and foreign wool already ia the
market, will continue to debase the prier, which, I am sorry
to observe, is now lower than it has been for many years;
and the farmer and the revenue will derive little benefit fur
a considerable time, perhaps the next two years; and no
doubt advautage will be taken, and we shall be tohl that it is
• bad tax, and produces nothing. Some of the best South
Down has been sold at Is. 6.1. but I cannot reeoninstied to
the best growers to sell under 2s. per lb., sod the less that
is sold the better would be the price to those who are obliged
to sell. I wish 1 could give a more satisfactory animist of
the wool.inaiket ; it continues very doll; the demand trif-
ling. and prices very low ; the sales of foreign wool very
trifling, PO that the prices must be considered as nominal.
His Lordship then stated the prices of foreign wool and
the prices of Br' • h wool at the principal fairs is England.
He regretted that he bad received no !account of the prices
of Irish wools. lie then said, I am sorry thus to expose
the unfavourable state of the wool trade; but it appeared
to me the only means of nodding you to judge what it might
Ire p. cadent to if., under the circumstances. The market can
hardly be worse than it has been lately; it will, however,
greatly improve hereafter, when the duty Os (orrice wool
begins to operate, and probably when the present money.
difficulties have ceased.
1 canting dismiss the subject without noticing the deterio-
rated state of Spanish wool. It is said, that Bonaparte and
his agents sent great numbers of the best-wooled flocks into
France; and cbsirous of rnonopolisiug the finest wool, ma.
liciously caused the several kiwis of sheep that remained is
Span to be mixed, in which he was aided by the confusion
of the time, and thereby Spanish wool was greatly deterio-
rated, and it now coma into this country much inferior in
quality, anal in • bad state. The finest and besi.wooled
sheep of Spans were kept principally for the sake of their
wool, without any care respecting the carcass, the feeding
them, or ally consideration of them as an article of food.
But it is now proved, that sot only as fine wool as any grown
in that conutry, may be crown in other parts of Fairope,
especially in this tummy, but also, that by • proper soder-
lion, the carcass will afford u good neattun as that anon
most vaned sheep.
In answer to those who declaim on the mischief likely to
arise to our woollen manneset•re, is consequence of • duly
on foreign wool, it may be observed, that the price of the
manufacture has nut decreased, but has greatly increased
since the immense importation of foreign wool, and that
the usanafisoure itself is not of so good a qualtly as here.
tofore. Within my recollectiOu, the finest bliAid cloths,
which now sell at 366. were sold at 18s. per yard: and if
we are to jodge from the rennin of the cloth milled is the
West Rubs% of Yorkshire, the quantity of the mainfactore
has by no means increased iu proportion to the immerse It..
portation of wool.
On sir ge of 10 years, ended 1808, the broad and sot-
row cloth milled in the West Riding of Yorkshire (the only
hearth of the trade of which a precise knowledge ems be obis
taiord)was .. 15,000,001 yards.
In 1817 • 16,218.0611
In 1818...
The value of the woollen outstations exported from

I fear 1 may tire yOu with these details; but there is an-
other object of still greater importance which demands our
most serious attention. I earns the proteetioa of the pro-
duce of the soil—the araseleas.elamour of the multitude—
the 'gewgaw* of others—oud the timidity of those who
ought to have faced she immendisig mischief, have at lentil
reduced the agricultural honest I. such • state of distress,
that the country, so lung supine, begins to feel the necessity
of representing their sufferings.
His Lordship then west into bag details au the prices of
grain for some years past, and the quantity imported,
aosountiag in the years 1817 and 1818 to millions, all
of which, he contended, might have hems raised is the
country. He attributed the Bask Restriction Act to the
importation of grails. The motion that Europe might depend
upon America for subsistence, he observed, was most erro-
neous, for that *mushiest never ia oat year seat to Europe
sufficient for one day's supply. But his Lordship observed,
that the heaviest oppressive us the agriculture of the coma-
try, at this time, is the enormous tax for the wasteful main-
tenance of the poor—more heavy and oppressive than all
the other taxes and assessments put together, the whole
of which falls almost exclusively OD the land; at the Mat
time that the landowner and occupier pay all other taxes
and assessments in common with the rest of the community;
and this expenditure is as mischievously impolitic as it is
wasteful. Unfortunately, the enmity Deems sot to be 'ef-
ficiently aware of the necessity, and prepared for such
measures as would check the mischief, or avert the ins-
pending ruin which mast otherwise take place. The re-
port of, and evidence before the Committee, for the amend-
ment of the poor laws, very hilly sad ably apprised the
country of its situation; but the inefficient measures of the
Committee, however respectably composed, will extend
rather than dimisish the evil en loudly complaised of, sad
have proved that a large Committee is sot It to prepare a
great, uniform, and simple measure, such as the exigency re-
quires. Patchwork might be expected.
it is moat mortifying to observe how little attention was
paid to the Bill. os these subjects, passed or brought into
Parliament last Session. It is clear they were sot uaderstood.
Some were passed, and others rejected, without discussion,
or scarce any notice; yet more necessary sad essential mea-
sures could not possibly be brought forward.
It is to be hoped, as the necessity of proteciiug the most
essential produce of the country begins to be understood,
that Petitions sod Representation' from sit parts will be
addressed to the Legislature, which has recently shows M-
imetic's to the subject by imposing a duty in the import of
foreign wool; and these can be DO doubt but that his
Majesty's Ministers must ardently wish fur and will comply
with suggestions, which, not prejudicing is any respect, will
be evidently advantageous to the orontry.
We should recommitted that ao foreiga grain which this
country can produce should be, in any case, duty free; and
we should require that the highly objectionable warehouse.
ing systems should be relinquished, which is infinitely more
hurtful than is generally imagined: through that system
the ports are always open to foreign grain, duty free. We
should also borrow from the wisdom of the Irish Corn Laws.
which improved upon ours, by prohibiting the import of
foreign four, and thereby keep that manufacture with great
advantage armee' ourselves.