The Sun.
London, England, 1825-12-08 00:00:00

STEAM MACHINERY.

7,11 u. Enuroa—llelying on your impartiality
and candour, I beg leave again to urge upon the
attention of your discerning readers the neces-
sity of collecting the numerous cases in which
the progress of the Steam Engine is daily gaining
ground on the manual arts, and the tendency of
the unlimited and unrestricted application of
machinery to such purposes.

Among the recent instances I mention one in
actual progress ; it is that of a large Pin-manu-
factory establishing in Southwark ; the extent of
the factory is obvious from the statement of no
less than a hundred and twenty windows,besides
loop-holes for the admission of light and air,
and it is announced, that the said machinery to
be worked by steam is calculated to strike at one
operation 10,000 pins per minute! In the Borough
•of Southwark many thousands of Pinners have
.obtained a livelihood in that branch of tnanufac-
lure ; -great capitalist comes forward, and
absouds all the labour and advantage of the re-
maining few, and they are necessarily exposed to
-be starved out of bread, and to become a burden
to themselves and society.
In such a case, I am aware, is involved the
Liberty 'of the subject; and that if any man of pro-
-perty is disposed to use his capital to his best
.advantage, there is no direct law to the contrary;
but here, Sir, I will oppose a quxre,—by-yvhat-
law is the liberty of one subject usurped over
:another ? and shall the liberty of the many he
sacrificed to the few, and to the rich capitalist ?
Certainly the law does not interfere in the case,
- -and every subject is at liberty to do what he
will with his own, and sometimes at the expence
of his neighbour. The introduction of a power-
:folly operative machinery in the manual arts and
trades, is altogether new and unprovided against
in the laws of the realm. But does it therefore
follow, that it should not be provided against
by some well devised and useful regulation. The
Legislature can alone be appealed to in such
cases, and the question left to be determined by
them—Whether, for the sake of an individual
good. a public evil shall be sustained ? The
question is of a high public interest, and belongs
to whole Parishes, especially those oppressed
-with a numerous and burtbensome poor ; and,
indeed, to all who pay poor-rates. Industrious
hands thrown. out of.employ and out of bread by
the causes above alluded to, shew therefore the
propriety and expediency of some restraining law
to prevent, as much as possible, the increase of
-national pauperism.
But, Mr. Editor, these proprietors will reply,
-that they pay their share in the rates, such as it
is, and their neighhours are left to pay'the rest;
the small and partial moieties of such establish-
ments are not worth notice ; if they had to sup-
port those poor they throw out of bread, they
would then soon find out the effect of the new
.economy. The maintenance of the poor mecha-
vic at the expence of a Parish, originating from
-the caprice of en individual, whose powerful en-
gines are their destruction, calls for some imme-
diate redress ; and I heartily wish some able
•ftartd would prepare and publish some authentic
.and well founded facts, in addition to such as
have been already before the public, in order to
an impartial and general statement of the present-
ad prospective influence of the new machinery
on the industry, wealth, anti morals of the nation.
Sir, your's most respectfully,

X. Y. Z.

'LONDON' MECHANICS' INSTITUTION.

•The eight Quarterly Meeting of this Institu-
tion was held last evening in the New Lecture Room, in
.Southampton-buildings, and was attended by about six or seven
_hundred members. At eight o'clock the Chair was taken by
Dr. GILCHRIST,'one of the Vice-Presidents—Dr. BIM/HECK,
the. President, being absent from indisposition.
After the Minutes of the last Quarterly Meeting had been
read and confirmed unanimously, Mr. CHRISTIE, the Secre-
tary, read the Report of the Committee for the quarter, and'
stated the accounts to be as follows :

Balance in the Banker's hands at the commence-
ment of the Quarter
Paid into the Bankers

Disbursements during. the Quarter, including Sa-
laries, Rent, and ExpenccB of completing the
Theatre

'Balance in Bankers hands
Cash in Secretary's hands