Star.
London, England, 1826-01-31 00:00:00

"' -Strfil4G OP sitk.wEAVtitt

. .

Ye:today a large Meeting of Silk wearers was held
at the Church of Sr. Matthew, Bethnal-green, to receive
the Itepon of a Committee to present a Memorial to
the Board of Trade, kc. Mr. limas BAZIR, WU called
toshe Chair. :

Mr. WA Lids said, that memorial had been presented,
and last Wednesday was appointed for a conference on
the subject. The Committee met Mr. Huskisson, Mr,
Grant, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The con-
ference lasted 'upwards of two bouts, The Ministers
of the Crown contended, that the evil did not arise
from the contemplated measures held out, but from
other causes, namely, an overstocked market, as well as
a general depression, which had also affected other
trades. On the contrary, we contended that it princi-
pally arose from the repeal of the prohibitory laws, for
these reasons-Ist, Because the general depression bad
been progressively advancing before it was So severely
felt; idly, All previous slacks of trade were partial,
and in many cases only affected particular branches ;
but, in the 2d, the depression was general, and affected
the whole without even hope itself. The Ministers then
maintained that the superiority of the English manu-
facture would command the market, and that a con-
titer-able part of our fears bad • their origin from mar-
-1 selves, as, bygiving publicity to those alarms, we gave at
11 the sametime I degree of confidence to .the French
manufacturer, who would naturally lay a greater price
on his goods, and such a one as would bring them on
an equality with each teller. To this we-replied, that
the English dealer in silks, as .a man in business, would,
if he got the foreign five to ten per cent. cheaper, not
only recommend them, but say they were English ; that
we never admitted we were unable to meet them in the
market, provided we were placed on anything of an
equal loosing ; but so long as such a disproportion in
the price of food and house-rent existed, as well as the
necessaries required by the people of France as con-
trasted with those of these countries, together with the
benefit of a climate affording them the raw matetial
upon the spot, gave them an advantage, which even
the protecting ditty of SO per cent. could not guard us
against. Mr. H •rnewoed who accomp trued us, then
pressed the Ministers for an explanatory answer, when
they replied, " we had all their arguments on the
subject, and we knew out own, and were therefore
capable of forming an answer, as well as any they
could furnish."

Mr. PATTON, another of the Committee, said, Mr.
Huskisson had declared, that if be was convinced by
argument that-the general benefit of the country, and
the prosperity of the Silk Trade required it, he was
not so wedded to his opinion as to prevent him going
to the House of Commons arid &daring his opinion
of the error under- which he laboured two years before.
His Majesty's.. Ministers farther replied, that every
other trade thought they ought. to be exempted from
tha general principle, upon the grounds of some pri-
vate peculiarities in ;heir trade, which ought to exempt
them, but when fOund to be acted upon, was declared
to be beneficial ; they then instanced the iron trade.
We Contended, that SO per cent. only acted as a bounty
upon snsuggling, in, detection -after any admission of
the article into the country would be totally imprac.
for, as the law at present.stood, being prohibited,
they were, upon proof, liable to seizure. Detection.
would be out of the.qoestion. He siacerely believed
his Majesty's Kiaisters wished well to their country. and
were only for the preseni misled by false representations. •
_ _. .

Mr. 4.0. on ex; a manufacturei, said, he then held in
his hands some patterns of silk which he had.receirred
,frogs L- hndwiltitlibe would hanet heir C. mrnittee,
for their government. It would be .seen from that
statekiebty that.. the French -tnanufactuser could lay
Oros de NaPles silk upon the trader's counter, after
pa_yinp, 41jttit commission, &c. for Si. 7d. per yard ; and
if he (Mr. Walden) went with the money in his pocket
to the East India House, he could not buy the raw
material for less than Ss. q.t.
Mr. Fos proposed resolutions to the following effect :-
1. That the Meeting reeeive with sorrow and regret, the report
of their Conimktee en the- terniination of the business of their
Metnerial to the Board'of Trade, so the subject of their grievances.
a. That it is the opinion of the Meeting that the distress at
present is owing to thetdea of the ingrenetion of foreign wrought
silks into Great Britain and Ireland in Jultnext.
3. That this Meeting is firmly of opinion, that should the
measure be carried into effect, it will tend to neatly annihilate
the Silk Traile in these countries, and thereby reduce • half a
million of industrious individeals to a state of degradation, starva-
tion; and pauperism.
4. That it Is the opinion of this Meeting we *atilt nee every
Constitutional means lb our power to remove the evil whit% has
cense upon us, and Is dally increasing. •
S. That a Committee of sin persons be , appeinted (If possitrie*t
to obtain a repeal of such patts of the An as relate to the
'portatioa of Foreign Wrought Silk into this country)
The Committee were then ai!pointed; after which they separated.-
The Committee appointed on Siturday, for the
I purpose of receiving the subicriptiohs, met yesterday at
the WrAers' Hell, in Basinghall•street ; the Right
Rev. the Bishop of Chester, who has been through-
out most 'active in favour of the sufferers, took the
Chair. The best mode of distributing the relief WAS
discussed, when, with a view to confine it to the ob-
jects for whom it was specifically raised, a considerable
'ember of manufacturers, residing in all parts of the
district, were added to the Committee. A printed form,
specifying the age, number in family, &c. wis agreed
upon, whirls form is required to be attested by the
signature of the Master in whose employment the ap-
plicant may have been for the last twelve months ; these
printed forms are forthwith to be delivered to the
Master Manufacturers, at the Vestry Room, in Spiral
fields. Unless such document, so signed, is.produced.
by each applicant, relief cannot-be granted.

Mr. JA1412 STUART BRISRANR, son of Cinittioclore
Sir J. Emmaus, has been appointed Lieutenant of the T•n•a, in
t►e East Indies, in the room d Lieutenant Gomm, denlased.

Plaice EiMies celebrated Life i.e i oidoe, which
has bees for some time' slumbering in the remand's of the•
public, is at length revived in publication, sod the two first Nam-
' hers have just aide their reappear's(' in aR ast raciness of cbe-
ratter which proved so attractive edginaily 1 we of the Plates in
elk Pfunibers before us bolos the celebrated Masquerade fleece,
where Jerry is logging the Cluwn off the supper table, execute&
in all the vigour of Plowmen, and full of whim, itharacter and
busker. Is the grouping.of this motley assembles*, the general
effect is csesiderably beightesed by its breadth of contrast and
appropriate colourist': the Niui ii sees consorted with the
beavev ;and the pig -faced Lady in close confeb with Steam, the Jew.
The Counsellor is posed, whether Ara to proceed by " adios oa
the ease" against the Clown, for hie askakelf the /owl " it troaedie
to hh plate, or to fik a hill in Chaseertagaitist Harkquin foe in-
veighs; the affections of Columbine; the latter evidently a " Waid
Court," but whether of one Of the Courts in the West, or of some
of these leading out of Pleetatieet, is the City, must, perhaps, be
" left to a Jury to decide." in umber pan of the setae, the
o—l Mama( is aim is hill minoste, but misseist as slaking his
thirst as to disregard the kook effered.so his seighboor, the
Piri-
man. The Plate Sidi is weft% all hie mosey cha4eil. fier tM
vomiter. needier' toe, ape off pod is slick bind ; the
scene* is the Watchdleast, is the •C01fte4.104,1 as*at
he Westoiinster Pit, bolsi all idt OFis the sin Wet Arlie of
• . spression.

a.