The Sun.
London, England, 1828-07-23 00:00:00

PUBLIC MEETING

THE SILK TRADE.

A public meeting was held this day at the Lon-
don Tavern, for the purpose of appointing a Com-
mittee of the Silk Trade, with a view to furnish
Government with information relative to the de-
pressed 'state of the Silk Trade.
At about half-past two o'clock WM. KAY, Esq.,
was called to the Chair..
The worthy CHAIRMAN then said, that a depu-
tation from the Silk Trade had waited upon his
Majesty's Ministers expressed a wish that further
information should be afforded them, and in conse-
quence of this the present Meeting was called for
the purpose of appointing a Committee to collect
the required information. A series of resolutions
would be proposed for their consideration, upon
which he should be happy to hear the opinions of
the meeting.
The following resolution was then moved, se-
conded, and agreed to by the meeting:-
Ist, Resolved, That the Silk Trade of the United King-
dom, in all its departments, forms a very important branch
of the industry of the country, both with respect to the
employment which it furnishes to a large proportion of
the labouring classes, and to the very considerable amount
of capital which has been embarked in it.
Mr. WITTS in proposing the next Resolution,
said, that the object of the meeting was to appoint
a Committee to collect such faets as may come to
their knowledge, and for the purpose of communi,
citing them to the Government during the next
twelve or eighteen months. alt was proposed-t-hat,
the Committee should constitute a union" of all
branches of the Silk Trade, and not merely repre-
sent the interests of a separate branch. This was
the object of the meeting; and, however different
the opinions of persons may be, on this point, he
felt that the interests of all branches were intimately
connected, and that No lasting good could continue
to one branch of trade, while the others were op-
pressed. He believed the meeting would agree
with him, when he stated in the words of the Re-
solution, that the provisions of the Act, 1826, in-
tended by his Majesty's Minisiers to protect the
different interests of the Silk Trade, at the same
time that they admitted the introduction of foreign
wrought silks upon a rate of duty, estimated at 30
per cent. have been found from the experience of
two years to subject the trade to great difficul-
ties (indeed, I might say, nearly to destruction),
which have increased in proportion as the foreign
manufacture has found the means of supplying the
British markets, at a reduced price,. with.a more
abundant production of foreign countries. If Gen-
tlemen coincided with this resolution, they would
lay the foundation for, the appointment of a commit-
tee, and for the inquiry which that committee pro-
posed to institute. lie concluded by moving the
Resolution, the substance of which was embodied in
his speech.
The Resolution was seconded and agreed to.
Mr. BALANCE, in proposing the third Resolution,
felt gratified that the intention of the meeting war
directed to one point, that of stating facts, rather
than discussing opinions. Facts as regarded the
manufacture itself, and the difficulties which, for
the
last two years, the trade and those connect-
ed with it, had experienced. With the reasons
of these difficulties the Meeting at present had
nothing to do. And the resolution Now in his
hand was of the same character with the two former
ones. It stated what he thought could not be cot-
troverted, that the trade and manufacture, of silks,
although in activity, were still suffering under great
depression. The Resolution embraced two points.—
the first alluded to the unprecedented consumption
of silk goods in this country ; and the second was
as to the state of the British manufacture. He
would, with the leave of the Meeting, dispose of the
latter first. The Resolution said that the British
manufacture was becoming less and less active; he
asked whether that were true false.—(Cries of it is
true, it is true.)—He asked the manufacturers pre-
sent to compare the activity of their trade in the
Autumn of 1826,—f0r he preferred that period of
the year for the purpose of comparison--with the
condition of the trade in the Autumn of 1827, and
to lell him whether the activity was not greater in
the Autumn of 1826 than in the corresponding
corresponding months of the last year. Let them also
compare the condition of the trade this time twtive-
months with its present state, and he was sure that
they would come to the same conclusion, that its
activity was diminished. The next statement of the
resolution was that there was a great depreciation of
the capital embarked in the silk trade. Indeed, he
might safely say that the capital was diminished was
diminished not less than one-half since the changes
in the system. Upon a rough estimate, the capital
employed amounted to about three millions, and was
it a tkifling circumstance, that such a diminution to
such an extent should take place. He put it to the
manufacturers, whose capital was disposable, whether
that capital yielded much more than Government
securities on that outlay. The resolution further
stated, that there was a great reduction in wages.
If he were to consider the broad silk weavers of the
metropolis alone, he would say that that reduction
amounted to 25 per cent., and that the reduction in
some parts of the country, as far as 'regarded throw-
ing, amounted from thirty to forty per cent. (Hear.)
We put it to the meeting, as men of moral feeling,
whether they could extract one-fourth of their wages
from the labouring classes, without subjecting them
to manifest distress ? We put it to them, whether
when they withdrew so large a proportion of the
wages, they did not lay the foundation of moral
debasement ? If disbelieved, let them go the attics
of the weavers, and contrast their present state with
what they were three years ago. Then it would be
seen how much the comparison was in favor of their
former condition. This was but the natural conse-
quenae, for
not
a man after a week's toil finds
that he has not a sufficiency for himself and family,
he becomes reckless, he sees that his industry
avails him not, he cares less for the moral order
of his family, and less for the education of his
childrep when he found them doomed to be paupers.
—(Hear, hear.)--7Many of the labouring classes
were now wholly out of employment. No one cot(ld
doubt this, as it was vouched by the most Teßpeclialrle
authority from Manchester. Eyen i-41 this Metropo-
lis a great number of lgoele were now out of em-
ployment, 410010 this could not be controverted,
steternents were made on the other side, particularly
its he Commons, apparently irreconcileable. It Was
there said that there was an increases importation of
the raw material, and dies therefore there
must
. increased activity in the home manufacture,
would not now enter fully upon this point: _ feel-
ing setisfied that when the time came, the COITI-
mittee would be prepara tp meet and to.
snea•
tralize that 4ronimt.......(Applavise.)—_ll, indeed,
weight was identical withwithlength,
derived from
there would
_he
e
be some force in the d
orgurpenti
increased importation of the '7, fu it
4.
should be remembered, that a yard of sinC,, no matter
what its weight be, is still a Yard' At all events, it
w
depreciated, fled people put of employment,
and this too at a time when silits were greatly
in fashion, and when, io the words of the
resolution there was, woreciver, an unprecedented
consumption of silk goods. He should, however,
was eviddeenptrec that the trade was in distress, that capi-
tal
be sorry that any gentleman left the NOM with the

idea that this Resolution anticipated any thing like
the overwhelming destruction of the Silk Trade.
We, for one, had no such anticipations. The Act,
of 1826, was not that towards which levelled the
stateliest tree with one blast of heaven to the
ground.--(Great Applause.)--No; it was the
worm at the root, silently and invidiously work-
ing its destruction.--(Hear, hear, hear.)--The
tree would not fall at once, a single branch
would be found withering, whilst another by
its side was shooting out to an unnatural length
and with an unnatural foliage. Still another and
another falls, and in the end all are involved in one
common decay.—(Applause.)--Far be it from him
Ito anticipate what the proper remedy weuld be for
this evil, it would he enough for the present purpose
to state that the silk was entitled to protection, and
that his Majesty's Ministers were desirous of giving
the subject all the attention in their power. Mr. B.
concluded by moving the following Resolution
That although there has continued up to the present
period an unprecedented consumption of silk goods, the na-
tional effect of which would have been to place the silk
manufacture of this country in a state of increased pros-
perity, yet the British silk manufacture is manifestly be-
iftewel ratßiers2t statements contained in it ; he denied
coming less active. Capital has suffered a great depreciation,
resolutionnh being put from the chair,
sasabreee greatlyirliow reduced,
thrcnvo
oit 0 andof
em ay considerable
ioym ent.
begged to express his dissent from
e was an unprecedented consumption of silk
that there was any want of employment.
*ere converting cot-
ton oh oh ! and hear, bear.) He maintained
g(tstrili
that
amn
oivorr;hbueisttei.s,ei.oritoeofohofrr,
that there was no such want of ern(polohyrinehntu; the
" 'tis false,"
atsmoirliankdn loomsylo
plvmlahse:rissven
,ettrohlevesh iletkrefa.l
,co,to) manufacturersmi nsc. r ea(sicnlrgvi
es
of
(A Gentieman in the body of the Meeting said
that the Silk Looms were increasing in Essex,]
Mr. MoonE said that it was equally tree with re-
spect to Derby and Manchester. He would appeal
to the Chairman whether there was not an increase
of silk looms.
The CHAIRMAN--Certainly not.
Mr. MoonE resumed—There might be distress
among the weavers of Spitalfields, but this must be
expected as long as the absurd prejudices which pre-
vailed there lasted.—(Hisses, and cries of hear.)—
He contended that the mere fact of an increased-im-
portation of the raw material necessarily proved an
increased activity in the trade. This observation
applied to throwsters. It was clear that if 8,000,000
pounds of raw silk are imported, a greater number
of men must be employed than if two millions only
were imported. lie admitted that there had been a
depreciation of capital some time since, from which
he, as well as other manufacturers, suffered, but it
was not so at present.--(0h ho, " 'tis false")--If,
us had been said, wages were reduced twenty-
five per cent., they were still as high as they had
been at former times, when provisions were not
cheaper then they were at present. It was well
known that wages had within the last few years
had been raised at least 20 per cent., owing to the
dearness of provisions, but as that cause no longer
existed, it was but.fair that wages should come
down to:their proper level. The grand grievance
however was, that the profits of the Silk Trade
were lower than they had been; but if these profits
were lower than the profits of other manufacture.,
how came it that persons were investing their
capital in the Silk Trade every day.
A Gentleman from Manchester said that there
had been a most extensive discharge of hands in
the Silk Trade during the last few months. In
Macclesfield a great number had been discharged,
and many hundred looms were idle. Many factories
were empty, and in others the machinery Was only
working for a limited time. In Congleton they
worked only five days in the week, instead of six.
The CHAIRMAN, in reply to one observation be
Mr. Moore's, said that he himself employed 2000
looms less than he had done in May, and he feared
that he should be ocliged to curry his reductions
still farsher.
Mr. BAKEWELL said, that he had a few observe-
Lions to make with respect to the Silk Weavers,
but he was for some short time unable to get a hear-
ing, when he did, however, obtain a hearing, he
said that great activity had prevailed in the City it!
the Silk Trade during the last few days.—(Cries of
no' and
,laughter, mingled with hisses.)—ln Spital-
fields such an increase had taken place. The Com-
mittee, he said, was a packed one, to serve particu-
lar. purposes. He would say on the part of the
mauufacturere, that if they could get a reduction
of the duty on raw Silk, Spitalfields would be
again in activity, even though the duty on the
foreign manufactured article were reduced to
17f, or even 15 per cent.—(Cries of No, no, and
hisses.)—A number of French manufacturers had
had been throwing goods on the British market at
so cheap a rate 'as to cause a depression, but then
they had ruined themselres in doing so, and sncla
an occurrence was not likely again to take place,
The Proposer of the Resolution denied the in-
creased activity in Spital-fields, arid at the same de-
precated discussion, as. the Committee was only ap-
pointed for the purposes of inquiry.
A manufacturer said that lie had it from lkiessee,
Lait and Co, of Old Change, that they at preseus
did nothing except in jobs. Now, for the benefit of
the gentlemen of the press, he would explain what
was meant by jobs.
A Gentleman begged to say that the explanation
would be quite unnecessary, for the gentlemen of
the press, from their constant attendance at the
House of Commons, must be perfectly well ac-
quainted with a nature of jobs.—(A laugh.)---
The Manufacturer, in continuation, said jobs in the
Silk Trade meant purchases made after the article was
manufactured at a very low price. He had
himself been applied to since Monday morning be.
upwards of 200 labourers seeking emplayment
.1
some of them belonged to Mr. Moore-. }h.:,
then
all contended that the only way in
the foreign mane-
all . been able to compete at
. eich we had
facturers was by me-,,i„g a
victim
of the-
weaver. Mr. C. Qr .
ant had argued that employ-
ment must hen been increased, because the quan-
tity of raw silk imported had doubled itself: but in
order to shew that this argument could not be re-
lied on, 110 would instance the statement of Lord
Government Lavine
Live.spoal seine years ago, who in allusion to the
Ses-
sion
of
partiarau,o, sad signified their
state of starvation of the people of Ireland con_
propoeed and
tended that it was caused by au abundant harVest
what then would become of his argument, if Oyer
prOdIACtiOM attended with such effect;, Th,
better
off in jail than at liberty.
coil eStendeul tlte
adapted by the Meeting.
the of next t
intention to takel
epeTrahtaiont hoisf'ti= inti to the
The fo,,:loruwcineingsißdeersaotirovntiotnhewaa then
general in erests of t )e,
into theft
measure, it is expedient lc, forclo nof sonic permanent
m a General Association of
the Silk Trade, which shall e
in ram the interests of all
persons who engaged the preparation and
manufac-
ture
of Sill; 4hroughout the.LTnited Kingdom, and that the
sahc "formed uuder the title of " A General Association
A Treasurae and
Committee. was then appointed
by the Meeting, •
Ig, titter which the following Resolu-
tion was also adopted :--
" That the Coa •
nrnittee be instructed to use all practi-
cdrat able meant to obtain for the different interests of the trade
extent of protection which will promise a remunera-
'ol the employment of capital, and secure to the labour
ing classes regular and sufficient employment."
A subscription was then opened to defray the ex.
pences of the Committee. Thanks were voted to
the Chairman, and the meeting adjourned.
al)"
present
nsot tie° peasant
Was

CATTLE.
An Account of Cattle imported into Liverpool from the
14th to the 19th inst., both days included.
Cows Calves Sheep Pigs Horses Goats
813 210 4,'787 1,236 34 0

The proportion of deaths to the population is
ne-third Jes 4 in England than in France; and that ot
,ondon one-tiltl4 lea* than the mortality of