The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1811-06-28 00:00:00

griJ.!

Ma: nywrcasomta 10.tal'Asrittita :tin
yatistroilt,
Dcaoligr.c
fr IA r 1 in ' P ETTI77II. manner at the present time, when the one half of
`the weavers in the country ate more than sufficient
mon for all the demands.
Do you mean the average $ Then your object in fixing an epprenticesh'p, will
and the ilheinplo of the avelheen aeese ,heto a certain extent to diusuadi the number of
yed ?—The average upon 1 ' ' pencle who eould enter 'tato the westing trade ?
anall.,bluadn:aunrdkm,ll.?......Naol;soi
ehay.vacutivii:tarokutit:lo'rerpgiTen.s. 1 Certnitily, that is my opiniete
Those persons who are inclined to enter into the
jest gone into the work, but tlio:e it'll°
Ikea, that would nut ivake balea-erean ; Idu not westing trade. soil nlio would be mopped by this
take into account those want of a !rven years' spprenticeship, what is to
' become of them?—They mu-t mealy to uther
who hate
Do ton know what the price of a substoute for i
can work in an ordinary way . trade, if thty are not sidi, lied with the time.
.
the eelie A Is ?...t hey weie souse time 3go from
Do yam include women ?—No. ! Do not eteer trade+ feel the pressere of the
five-and-taeuty to thirty pounds, and I have heard times, to a degree, as well as weavera?--Yes, that
, do, but in a particular manner; it ism comma,
queuce of the stagnation of the weaving trade. Ile
souse have got more. I I believe machinery is a good deal employed its
Have you any thing else to offer to the Commit-
,the weaving trade I—Yea, considerably.
girls,
tee upon the subject of the distresses cf the weavers I Do you work at the ateani-loons—sNo, it is
than whet you have done?-1 could state particu. 1 boys and
whilemen are idle and clown get tr
lady, is some measure, the causes of the distress. ; Pt" ""'"?' k.
I have wrought under an uniformity of wens for ' Wes a geein-loom mrnufeeture cheaper thsa a
near forty years ; I remember a stagnation of man —lt was wi
trade when I was a weaver, in the years letio and I ?de:sheet eonisitlerrbly cheaper
when the pike+ were higher; but Idu not know
1761 ; there was auuther very great stagnation iq the whether it is so at present.
trade in the years 1772 sad 1773; the distress was I Then it would advance the interests of the wee,-
i•tg trade ;f machinery were not employed In it ?•-•
only then partial, extruding only to such as had no
Yea. 1 thiuk se.
work, fur such as had work vase paid the seam I
Would nut it tend to remedy the grievances yea
prices as formerly, whenever a stagnation lakes
place. At present, the vices for weaving. tam- i complain of, if the use of steam-looms Vi,te re"'
bouring, sewing, winding, and pp nos
diately reduced, so that in two mouths time goods
are imiaee
,not wish altogether that vented ?—Yes, it would, w doubt ; bet we would'
i NOV man who Ilse laid out
can be brought to the market, which can be sold . it capit il on a mechine of that kind, should loere •
twenty .per cent. below other goods as were made i it altogether; we wish some tax snould be laid
two or three months before, whirl' has not only been
equalizatio.
upon themn, ur something or other to bring some
pernicious to the weavers, but many manufacturers I
have been thereby ruined. I need not state what If boys and girls work at Meam-looms. would
is generally known; the moment have t. Id me, I you impose .111 apprenticalhlp upon them ?—I do
manufactured last year, they not know tae frame of steam-looms, 1 caunat
what moods they
I really say how that ie*
have been obliged to sell at fitly per cent. loss at
at present. Joseph Hanson, Eaq. at hit men requ,gt, again
You having stated this to be the cause of the I called in, and exaneked.
distress, how would you propose to remedy it?— i You have desired to collie before the Committee
In the first place, that the great number of nor- i agate. and the Committee understood yam had same
tens rich us wish for ap uniformity of prices ; they
. plan to pronely for the relief el the weavers.; are rid
may differ with respect to the method to bring it
nuts come for that put pose i•-1 brlieve!l mentioned
shout, but the great body still wish for a UM. on Thursday is in answer to r question by the
form ty, and it is uuiverselly wished fur by the Committee, whether I had thought of guy thing
iters. that could be of relief to the Alliterated persons, end
wr
Rot how would the weevers propose to bring I said, as far as 1 can recollect, that something had
shout this uniformity of price I—We would sot suggested itself to my mind that might relies as
wish that an uniformity was to be permanents if it them ; and I believe I mentioned, that, owing to
could be obtained ; that it should be altered from tile Committee ouly Ilene fixed on the day before.'
time to time, according to the circumstances of the I should wiah to defer it till Monday. 1 have now
trade. drawn out something that I wish to suggest for
Yon mean that the thing should he permanent, i your consideration ; first, to grant to the eietreseed
but that the rate should out??—Uniform fur the mauufacturing districts sueh snow of money as Par-
time, is what I mean. lianient may deem proper, and the Magistrates to
Then you mean there should be an assize of have the management. with ens injunction that
wages fixed from time to time, as there is an assize money should tint be given, unleash. taws of actual
of bread ?—lt might he necessary once to two or I distrees for the arrears of rent (if no compromise
three year., when auy great alteration taker place can be made with the landlord ) ar for small debts
to the trade. they may have cnutracted under the pressure of
How would you propose to fix that uniformity of misfortune. I wish an Ail. of Parliament to con-
price ?—The only plan I world propose is, that a twue one or two yarn., not more than two. that in
certam number of masters and workmen should be care disputes arise between workmen and thOr ctn..
limonites' to as. if they c.. .g..... meta any plea ; *Yee*, the Magistrates in the respective districts,
"heal if they elipiot agree, that all Umpire should be if requested by te,iity or more householders residing
within the parish in which they act, to have th+
fixed to deside any difference.
But supposing a number of manufacturers or rower of appointing twelve arbitrators six from
°permit e weavers did not chute to obey the umpire, each perty,,to arrange, if possible, what, under the
what worth' you do then ?—Rind then, in the same then existing circumstances of the times, r ught to
'twiner as the lass are for the spitallields wearers. be given for labour; if the arberators do not agree,
If there was a stagnation of trade, owing to the so umpire, whose decision must he final, to I e
want of export, would not the effect of such a re- selected by the majority of the arbitratois. Penal-
), elation es you prof ose he, to throw a great part ties to be attached to disobedience to the award. It
of the menufacturers absoluttly inile 1-1 do not might be useful, if 'not actually requisite, that tl e
think that any onion variatioif in the price would Churchwardens and other., who hate the arrange..
hive • tendency to lessen the Sale, if there was a .rent as in 'parochial relief, to act with the J ustices.--•
market at all. . There b.ivg no reesoaable expectation of tie above
But if the inerket was small, would not the is- sketch of a Bill, if at all approved by the Commit..
crease of price prevent the quantity bring made ? tee, being brought under the venous core ideratien,
—No, Ido not think so; my opiaien upon that is of Parliament during the present Session, I heg •
this; that the qoautities that have been made for leave to recommend, that His Majesty's Ministers
some time past have been rather injurients. should be requesed to suite to the Magistrates in
Yon mean there has beets too much made ? manufacturing districts, to consult persons they
Yes, even is the time of this stagnation ; because consider of the greatest mercantile and local know-
same men, who hate the commitid rf money. tea- ledge as to the real state of the loser classes, mid to
nufacture merely with a view ti a profit at a future report the inforinatien they may receive to Uovern-
limo& by which means the m irket :4 ket.t glutted. amt. I also beg leave to supra st der propriety of
the mires of gooes are kept low, and the atagna- I a motion being made in the House of Cam 1101 a.
110,1 thereby cornitiure long. for a return of the number of persona receiveig pa. ,
This your receipt to cure the remedy will be, to rochod trier in the como i ee*of Lancaster, Chester,
tlimintsli 1110 tpiatitily of vroik dune I—That a. York, Stafford. and Warwick, PlW(ifying the Mk-
much as possible to die
the quantity of work rent parishes, from the 25th of December lel°. to
done, to shorten the stagnation. the eath June 1811. I believe there are two Ilse
For a time then there would be a greater number teas of relief nieetioned in the Manchester Vett.
of people perfectly idle than are now ?—1 will not Lion, which are, first, the repeal of the Order, in
eery hut there might, but it would not continue so Conned. I think with the Petitioners, that there
long as it does at present, because the prices are the Ord, ra have produced, in a great measure, our or:-
same at *Unities. fortunate differences with America ; and if they
Would not this remedy throw a greet number could, consistently with the honour of my country,
out of employment in the first Instance ?—Yes, it be rerrokM, manufacturers of every description
might in the first instance, bat it would sooner would be very .such relieved. Secondly, se to
cure itself ; the. i+ my opinion. Peace, its restoration, if to be obtained, *limb I do
What would become of these men that are out not think can be the case at present, on 'terms'
I come with what we should never lose sight
' Iloebt '

of employ in elinseel isence of this remedy of yours .
There is one thing which I formerly stared may ex-
plain that cinestiun a little, and it is this ; that sup-
pose there was some uniformity, I du not menu
it should he permanent. hot when a stegnotion
takes place. there might be something reduced
to encourage them.
I observe, that the other trades in the neighbour-
hood of Glasgow join you in your Petition; l would
ask you, whether you are of opinion that the saute
regulations should apply to them, as you desire
to apply to the weavers ?--I can say nothing upon
that, because I received no instructions from them;
the muster manufacturers wish so well of the plan
of applying to parliament, that there are more them
300 of them signed wee Petition.
Do yoo mean that *OO of the master manufac-
turers meant 13 have a regular set of wages esta-
blished by law !where that there are far more
than 3uo manufacturers wishing unanimity.
Dow if it possible to establish a perfect unifor-
mity of wages. where the capacity to perform the
work. is so very different. that some oty it may
he well. and some of it ill, and some of it
in-
glitrerrnt;y thine ?—There is a perfect I ivr for that.
1111 fn wherever there is *deficiency of wormanship.
there is s law to settle what should be deducted
from the priers.
Mr. Smyth has told us. that an apprentieeship for
seven years, to be imposed upon the weavers,
I'mild be en oils antairotia thu g to the trade : "
t ,at sour th:..k cud .11 a piItUCULO

mporung
of. our independence, 1 have not the least
would revive our enviable branches ef commerce.
1 beg leave to observe, that although the persons I•
represent are in a miserable condition, their attach..
went to their Sovereign and country crintinocs. and
under any difficulty will continue' onshuker. I
state this; for, although they complain, they are
faithful to their native soil,
to your plan of relieving the poor you mention.
that the money to be given, if any. should be en-
eapatect with the Magistrates ; to you mean that
the Magistrates should ha assisted in that distribu-
ibuo by respectable persons and Churchwardens if
the &mutt ?Most unquestiosably.
You have propmed ••
distribution of pecuniary
rebel in certain cases. and • eia for the rrtinl.rtiog
of wage% to continue to • period not eseeetling
two years; di• you mean that tell-f and th.t 11+11 to
be applied to the persons in the rotten tea le o
or to the other mules whom vow represent ?—T...11
trades in manufatsinr‘ districts, but not
tog agricultural pursuits.
Are you aware of any distinction that ran rernl-r
this regula ion not so well adopted to ligibeillt 41. al
as to different pursuits ; persons who are
nieehamcs live in towns. where *Vie term-, of
house-rant and provisions 1 consider much greet r
than ta those persons who live in the country en -
ployrd ea farms.
Is It to eadoile l trechantcs who li wino.
fa, twirl districts, hut tii the coustr) ?ve is
--Ces