The Sun.
London, England, 1812-05-25 00:00:00

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE,

Taken before_. the Committee of .the whole Horse,
to whin it was referred, to consider of the several
Petitions, which have been presented to the
house of Commons, in this Session, of Parliament,
against the Orders in Council.

✓oVI4, 309 die Aprilid, 18142.
THOMAS BABINGTON, EiQ. in the Chair."'

• Mr. WIIITEiIOUSE called in, and Examined
(Continued from our Paper of Saturday.)
Do you know the present price of nails in Ame-
-66. ?—Yes, it is a price thtft would afford a very
great profit if we could get theRL, there ; iron is
lower than it was ever at an period in this coun-
try, which would us to send the article of
nailg, which is the., principal value itt iron to that
market, and -;;?t a handsome profit.
114 vr.;:et- conceive the present price to be the
price dt which nails Manufactured in America can
he. afforded ?—They can be. afforded there at a
very handsome profit, if nails were ten per cent.
higher than they are now here, and iron ten per
cent. higher.
Has there not been a considerable export of
nails froth the Continent of Europe to America ?
Not, I should think, since I have been in business ;
formerly Germany used to supply America, the
West 'lndies, and a great many other places, With
the. Manufacture Of nails ; in our part of the coun-
try where there are now thirty thousand employ-
ed, there were nut terithousand,-nor Ibelieve five
thousand employed at that time.
• If the intercourse between America dud the
Continent of Etirope *as open, do you not believe
that there would be a considerable export from
the Continent of Europe to America now
we arc at par in the manufacture of all raw mate-
rials in iron, .so that neither the Continent nor
any country can got to market cheaper than we
,can.
Have -you any demist in your mind, that if the
export trade . was again opened to America, the
whole of the manufacturers in West Bromwich
would find euiployment in your trade am sure
they woUld•find employment.
h the Committee to understand that the dimi-
nished price of the raw material is owing to the
diminution in consumption, or the improvement
of manufacture ?—Both ; but a great deal tQ the
improvement.
Are not considerable new mines and new works
opened within the last ten years ?—Yes, in
im-
mense quantities.
Are your concerned -in the export of nails to Ca-
nada ?—Not particularly ; We do not directly ex-
port there, though we manufacture for merchants
who do export there.
To the West Indies ?—To the West Indies there
has been a very fair export the last season.
To South America ?—To South America there
would be a great trade I am convinced, but ow-
ing to either the state of affairs, or something or
other, many of the -people concerned M that
trade have withdrawn from that trade ; I have no
doubt a. great deal has been sent by persons who
could not well afford to send its and the money has
been locked up, and they have got repetitions of
the orders if they thought it prudent to fulfil
them:
Thoie artibles you sent there are paid for
Yes., nearly so.
Have you any fresh orders to send any article
out to South America ?—I have considerable or-
ders in hand from a correspondent, but I am di-
rected not to send them out till he arrives in this
country ; and we expect him by the next packet.
Do you consider that an increasing, or decreas-
ing.trade ?—I consider it an increasing trade. .
Can you it all state what proportion of the
nail-making trade is consumed iii the home mar-
ket, as compared with that exported have
heard it estimated at half and two-thirds, but I
think not more than half ; and it is a matter of
doubt with me whether half is taken for the home
conSumption.
What proportion do you conceive the home con-
sumption, Canada, South America., and the West
Indies, may make l.—Three-fourths, T should
think ; about one-fourth goes to North Ame-
rica. •
Have not you understood that the manufacture
of America has been gradually improving and in-
creasing ?—lt has been represented soto me. •
Is not the increaw of manufacture in AMerica a
subect of considerable anxiety with the merchants
of Birmingham ?—Yes„ it is.
Do you not think that the restriction to the
American trade, continuing any time, will prove
a very great encouragement to those manfactur-
ers have no doubt of it.
You, as a nail-maker; haVe no anxiety With re-
spect to the machinery in America 1--No;. that
pressing system prevents a great many wrought
iron nails being used that otherwise would ; but
am convinced there is plenty of consumption for
what are made by these twenty-five or tinily-five
thousand pair of hand's, independent of what is
made by this pressing machine, for they must use
them for very soft kinds of work ; for casing
work, doors, and shutters., and so on, they must.
have the wrought iron nails ; they cannot use
these pressed nails ; therefore they cannot carry
that to, a greater extent than a certain degree ;
they cannot carry it to the full extent of their ne-
cessities in nails.
• -[The witness was directed to withdraw.]
[TheChairman was directed to report progress
and ask leave to sit again.] .

_ .
Mr. Thomas Pats called in, and examined.
In what line of: business ..are You ?—A mer-
chant..
Ite.iding at -Birmingham ?--Yes, -- residing at.
Btrm'nu,bani.
In what line of businesi are you a merchant?—
An exporter to the United States of America.
How long have you been in that line of busi
mtcss ?—Perhaps,eighteen or nineteen years.
E. Do-you know any dung of the nail trade in Bir-
-thingham and the neighlrOuring districts ?—I know
some little of it, but not so much as those who arc
immediately .employed in it.
Do. you know whether there is any peculiarity
in the wages of the wdrkinen employed in the nail

LONDON: Printed by THOMAS WOOD, of Igo. 35, Malden-lane,. Covent-garden; and PublishOd by Vv iTLIAM ARMIGER SCRIPPS, South Istolton="giri4, Grosvenor-square,
At the SiN OFFICE, No. 112, Strand, where Advertisements, orders for the Paper, Letters for the Editor,' eta. (post paid) ihust be addressed.