The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-11-22 00:00:00


rim LORDS' SECOND REPORT ON FOREIGN'
TRADE.
Toe Second Report of the Lords' Committee upon
So state of our Foreign Trade bas now been printed
and has just made its appearance. The subject of
• which it treats is one of considerable interest. It is
sac SILK Titans, whiels from insignificant beginnings
sad eider every possible kind of obstructions and dis-
essewagesseets, bas suddenly become one of the most
• flourishing branches of our national inustry. This
intelligence was partially communicated to the public
last Session when the Report was Isid before the House,
'but it is only now that it can be studied in all its de-
• tails. These will be found most satisfactory. France,
the country to whom the manufacturing of silks had
for centuries been thought exclusively to belong, has
;now resigned the palm of superiority to our hands.
ire now consume a much larger quantity of the raw
material titan she ever did, and more titan equal her
goods in quality. The amount of this newly created
Winch of trade is already 10,000,0001. annually. The
:progress which the growth of silk in India has made
since 1770, when the Italian mode of preparing it was
first introduced there, is particularly encouraging.—
, The year 1812, however, forms the great era in the
'history of its advance. At that time the importations
.ef the 74W material into this country were greatly
augmented, and the average from that period may be
'gated' at 900,0001b5. annually, being notify the
.;itieragc of any eight preceding years ; and this, while
It had to contend with the imports from Italy, and a
heivy duty on the raw material, which has always
attached to this more than to any bther manufacture
of the same importance. The importation of raw silk
from Foreign Europe hat, from many causes, been
etceedingly variable, but it has increased in the course
of the last three years, daring which it has averaged
about 580.0001b5. The importations from China
have been considerably augmented in the last seven
yeirs, and average about 150,0001b5. In addition
to this, about 340,0001b5. of thrown silk are annually
imported from Daly; and the total amount of our im-
portations paying duty, and therefore in all proba-
bility consumed in our manufactories, rose in the last
three years to an average of 21,008,0001bs.; in the
year 1820, taken by itself, to 2,547,2121b5.; the
extent of which, as compared with its rival manu-
factures in France, may be estimated, when it is found
in the work upon French industry and manufactures,
,by Monsieur Chaps!, formerly Minister of the Inte-
' riot of France, and consequently of great authority
upon such subjects, that the whole of France did not
In ordinary years, down to the year 1812, produce
, more than 987,0001b5. Such is a brief sketch of the
state of our silk manufacture, although three circum-
stances had contributed to limit its extent ; the Act
for regulating the manufacture in London and Mid-
dlesex; the high duties payable on the raw material,
which was stated to be four shillings the pound upon
Bengal; 51.7 1. upon all other silks; and upon Or-
ganzine, 14s. 71d.: (Organzine is silk thread twisted)
and the defect in our machinery. This latter is already
remedied--the machinery which gave such a supe-
riority to French silks, has been discovered, and lately
introduced into this country; a small reduction la the
duties 'Wald therefore be made, and the Act of 13
Geo. 111. be repealed. If the reduction of the duties
be made consequent upon circumstances, as the country
recovers from her present difficulties, they may be en-
tirely. abolished, and we should then completely esta-
blish our superiority over France and Italy in all the
markets of the world.

SHOCKING Accinsser.— Tuesday afternoon four
young seen. named Thomas Fenner, William Worder,
Robert Childs, and William Black, were unfortn-
nately;drowned in the Mill River, at Staines, Middle-
sex, by the overturning of the boat in which they
were rowing for pleasure. It is supposed they were
rather in liquor at the time, and playing tricks with
each other. . .
Ftax.—Tuesday night, about nine o'clock, a de-
,stractive fire broke out in the workshop of Mr. Wit-
Ili., carpenter, at the corner of Wood-street and Church-
istreet,•• opposite Sphenoid'. Church. The house was
Inialkon a. very. large Scale, -and was, about twenty
. yaks ago, the Three 'runs Tavern; but the Biagi'.
trates refining to renew the license, it was shut up for
,a length of time, till it was taken by, the father of
Mr... Willi"; who divided it into three houses, only se-
-painting one from the other by a slight wooden peril-
. Lion, insteed.of a party well, whereby the ravages of
the flames were. greatly, accelerated. Two of the
.booseewere let in tenements to different poor families,
,qad the other. was occupied by Mr. Willis and his fa-
...oy ; the whole of the former have lost every Article
akeypossessed,. and are now in the greatest distress;
air, :loss. is :very considerable, not having
Arced-an atom of furniture, on account •of the iinpe-
.tgosity of, the. fire. One man, named Squires, who
lodge orlthifirst floor, over the workshop, jumped
7 nut 4.iffndow, .nod 'happily received little or no in-
lory;Pl. Vie Ante bowie". were entirely destroyed. Mrs.,
WWI* els net Injured; be was Secretary to the Siei-
-I?in Society; and was in possession of documents
tir* to the Society, which were consumed. The
politest outrages were perpetrated by a aunt.termida-
.ble gang-of thieves. •
'Where reqiiiited 'to state that the fire ..nt::;ilitinis.‘
• tthilitiell and iiih-mainfactitters, Mae.
ii.tx4t;:dissrrell-street, Mentioned is oar paper of •yee:,
tee‘r,. merely took 'place in.an Outhouse, which wit
gaitalancannected with the manufactory. .
• Iffkiiithty afternoon, 'Mn Cripple, a girl about toter
7 ieei;ifif *age, whose parents reside in renke'l-toffr4
Ortny-Leave, in the absence of her mother, 'Went to
amuse herself .:at. Waterloo-bridge; she proceeded
down fgte ateps,;and bey bonnet falling into the water,
. *tee, f» endeninuringss take it out, inerbaienved.her-
self,'ked iteltattoiehttist into the n'eer ;sn alarm
Was''fnitantly. mtioe; Ind thine witermen procured
, . for Llie hotlit bin ep to a late heir
. yestemay
;evening it was pet•tunnd,
Arne:errs wSo let isa.s-On Tuesday,, between- eight.
ihict*lte -e'clecir, a female et respectable alipearltate,•
dinsilitt oh tliciariirs F'ridg'e, in a 'dhjeStiiii
elagput be'rhands, and praying at intervals. At)engiiil
• sisitt.mieleeflise neon; audeadeat spied to vet over
' itie e, bet ires perceived by a sysox Wits) bat,
beesi'vratelting Ism and vatted back. She made uo pc.;
-...whiihrasent-fer.bie interference. hut harst ipso tears,,
, nelked towards Bleckfriarkroad, (Wowed by
.the
-son who prevented her committing the intended rash

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