Star.
London, England, 1829-04-14 00:00:00

that France did not consume some than one-third of
silk which they manefactored.autthat as bar Mini
outlets for the trade were Americo and China; irk
riff. thew markets should be *at .;against
portals:in of silks: the result brat be to eat' the mer-
chants residing in this country, and to transfer to this
country the superfluous goods which have been menu-
facnted far a foreign usgriret This is a serious evil,
• as the state of the manufacturers of this country are
doomed tomtit upon the contingencies of the commer-
cial regulation of other countries. Various causes
have been assigned for this di-tress, amongst which
have been over-trading, competition. and others. But
is it competition that led to such consequences. when
.six thousand looms are out of employment? The obvi-
ous cause of all the evil has been kept, I will not say
intentionally, out of view ; and that lathe great gawky
of manufactured goods which are continually imported
from abroad—(Hear. hear). The Right Honourable
Gentleman (Mr. C. Grant) has attributed to these free
trade regulations the prosperity which he said was de-
rived to the trade froM these ;regulations. Bite it eVi•
deritly appears from the retinas of the nine years, from
1815 to 1824, that the state of the trade was pro.
giessively improving during all these years. Io the years
1818, 1819. and 1820, the aggregate amount of silk
imported was 6 592.0001b5. weight, the average of each
of these years being consequently equal to 2,194,000
pounds, being more than double the average importa-
tion of the three preceding years. In 1821, 1822, and
Ind 1825, the aggregate amount was 8,072.0001b1.
which was equal to 2,691,0001b'. per annum. I have
thris now shown that the importation of raw thrown silk
increased progressively from the year 1815 to 1824,
and in a very large proportion. It must be obvious,
theiefose, to Honourable Members, that with respect to
thisilk trade, at least its progress and flourishing con-
• dition cannot by any means be traced to the introduc-
tion of these new principles for whith Right Honour-
ableand Honourable Gentlemeo so warmly contend,
and' consequently it most be inferred that but for those
new measures trade—that particularly to which I al-
lude—would have gone on increasing. The Right
Honourable Gentleman will take, I :appose, the quest.
tity of raw silk imported, and for which duty was paid
at •the Custom House in each year, rise fair criterion of
the consumption. In 1827 there certainly was a large
importation of the , raw material, which the, Right Ho
mutable Geatlenien will bring forward as ,a proof of
the Nourishing condition of the silk trade in thavyear ;
but I deny that the importation of any single year should
torus the groundwork of his argument or system; such a
mode of argument most be fallaciottsi She daly line and
proper foundation is the average of a number of years.
If die Right Hon. Gentleman takes the wrong of raw
and thrown silk imported in 41ye years 1826 and 1827
he will find a decrease as compared with- the iinroti-
. 4011 in the years 1824 and 1825 of 1.149,1.531b5. Now
these two last mentioned years (1824. and 1825) were
tears of prohibition, and the two othei yeats (10426. and
1827) were years of relax-tion. There ate two other
'peculiar circumstances which contributed to an Increase
of importation in the years 1826 and 1827. It will be
•reeollected that in the year 18'26 great alarm existed
owing to the ignorance that prevailed re-pecting the
nature and extent of the measures to be proposed to
Parliament. There was in consequence little stook
taken out' of' hand. Confidence having returned in 1827,
and the price of silk being 10w•, large quantities were
taken out of the stock. not only for consumption, bat
for the purpose of making op the stocks already ex,
bunted\ If the Right lion. Gentlemao will take the
additional stocks on hand in the sth January, 1828,
over these on hand on the sth January 1827, be wiN
find that they amounted to 600,0001b5. and an increase
over the stocks of 1824 of' only 215,8761b5. Then, wit*
regard to the importations of the present year (I Meal
1828), it is of great importance to state what the ishS
creased importation of the raw material bas 'been, bra!
cause the argument founded on that increase is, that
increased consumption had taken place within that year.
The increased importation of raw thrown silk in 1828
over 1827 was 78.5501b5. (The Hon. Gentleman bete
stated the respective amounts in. each year. They how.
ever, proved that the increased importat;on of 1828 over
1827 was only 78,550.) But this bears no proportion
to the large stocks on hand ; and when we shall couse
consider the quantities of silks imported we.must bear is
mind the stocks on band, and consequently unsold, at the
end of the year.' would also call the attention of theHossi
to the subject of importation of manufactured silks, hi
order to see what these importations are. In each yaar
they bare increased to an alarming extent. The astir•
tinned regular importations in the year 1828 amounted
• halvahs. to 676,9751.195.6d.which showed an increasing,
indeed a rapidly increasing, amount, for in the year
1826 the imports (that is, for which duty was paid to
the Customhouse) amounted in value to 44,..000L
only; in 11127 they wen 555,0871. Now, taking the
*mount for which duty was paid to be only one third'
of the value of all that found their warintotheeountrle
the other two thirds being smuggled, it would be found
that the annual value of foreign manufactured silks im-
ported r Warty and irregularly is no less than
2,000,000. Now, if we reckon the value of the mate:
vial and of laboor as equaly it will result that a million
arks per annum At taken from the English annefac:
-carers. It is here extremely necessary to state what .osi
the exact amount 'of this importation, because most
tertaiply it must be conceded that ill foreign manufac.
tared goads imported displace an equal amount of our
own manufactures. If, therefore, we follow up this re-
mark to ascertain what is the amount; of the loss of
labour tow by these importations, we shall And it to be
.1.068,2331. per annum. I feel that lam catering into
very long and very diffuse details. Ido not wish to
Intrude unnecessarily upon the time of the House. but
I feel it my dißy on this occasion to state all the facts
of the eine I have ventured to bring forward,in order that
the House should see exactly how it stands. There
Wane branch of. the silk manufacture of this ci wary
already nearly annihilated. I mean the fancy and the
figure branch. Owing to various CirCUltitteptili it Will
. be found that this hitherto important of our
Manufacture has been giver' up, to foreigners., In esti.
'mating the prosperity of this trade, I most say that,the
cAul..tion ought to be frunded, not on the number of
pounds weight, but on the number of yards, for it will
be seen that it the articles we now manufacture be of a
heavy nature they will teq tire a smaller.quantity of
labour ,to product them than those of a finer and more
•elabOraiely worked description, and that consequently
the most 'lucrative portion of our trade is, given, op to
foreigners.
isimportant, therefore, that. the Right,
Om,. Gentleman should show to the Hods, and the
country the advantages of the pee system.oter that
wbich'it has displaced. In the article of capons lam
inclined to think he *rill find this a matter of,sonsidifil,
cult,. !Or the whole amount of &high aspnallettute4
silks exported list year anmented only to 81,0001. Th
Samittat qf tiatitiket_utes exported to Franc!i in IS*
geas,:ittboor, • -"ftt tbil .will not be enough ; for it ii
linen .
on the Right Hos. tientleman to show, trot
merely what has bees date, but what is expected to be