The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-06-06

upon che7Sfc0 pfHcipfs, u becomes US 10 e:tcou'
rage the diffusiSn Of Ibis important branch of
knowledge, thrssghoit our exclusive country
II would be sroyshv the nation TO establish schools
for this kind Of Instruction applied to the arts.i
All the operation Of those Who spork in metals !;
the arts Of 6rewiy, bakisg, Bleaching, dying, taa
Mig, refaiay s,ga,, disGl!ing--,hose pf pottery.
g!sss and soafpisiins-th making OF svine, starch
and viuegar-slso tbose which furnish indigo, I
Prussian 6frte, pnd ,sasy other valuable brepUa-
tions are depesienf upon chen,istry. /
Num- rous tsfounded preiudiees which retard |
the progress VI the arts =, d fnanafaoto,rs have
been prscagdtd with seai by many interested |
persons iii vaibus districts of the u. States.
Many err b maintaining, that snuehiac,y has
been brought p such fe,tt elton, as to be beyond
further improvement. Others inform us OF the
existence of nuEerous pretended secrets, know
ledge Of which they say is.essentialy necessary
IN some instances, the extent and effects of such
like deceptions, have surpassed all calculation
these false deetrfss take us from established
principles, and W. are isd.ced thereby 10 neglect
the aSio,,r which ,.aches US that the most sim.
pie means are ony requisite 10 accomplish the
most astonishing rsn'fs.
Many false calculations, respecting the Price of
labor in OUR county, compared with Europe are
insenioasiy circulated, and uonderiitity deter ma
ny IRON, attempts which, in their. results, APP
pear to be highly advantageous. When labor is
spoken of by aecererS, they always calculate up
on the pricepaidto able bodied ,,,en, and that at
the highest rate. They allow nothing Tor the en-
ployment OF sson.en and chfldres, or the adoption
of labor sdviig machinery.
Undertakes are sometimes discouraged by the
| advice of their friends, who state too much as
depending upon chance or the habard of csbeyi-
| ',lent. More frequently they are determined by
\ the cla,,ey of the enemies OF dmericau establish.
faents. A late writer has well observed, that
sad experience has she,Sa us the most beautiful
init.
est merit blasted. by malignant eiamor"
| The fear OF inccndidr;es, has considerably re-
tardedthe establishment of manufactures in our
country. l am unwilling to believe, that this
cause S founded to the extent which some ina
gine-at the same time, I confess the necessity of
guarding against the siYa;x, who for u trifiing
tribe, would destroy the Eves, and effect the run
OF m:ny virfuOus and industrious citizens.
woHld not have it supposed, that maintain
no difcalties do exist, which counteract the sue
cess t new estnblishments.-With you, my fell
iow;itzens, regret, that the contrary is but too
ltYue
ghe ignorance of foreign pretenders who UNI
dekake to conduct establishments, has. proved
destructive to many, and muci, decebti is prac-
tied by Them. There are persons who come to
TIN. Country, and pretend to be perfect masters of
their art, who, at best, are only acquainted with
subordinate branch thereof.-This arises from
\ the manner in which business is conducted in Eu-
rope, more particularly in England each indi.
visual being confined to a very limited part of
each branch whereas, with rs, it is the custom
to- tie several IN one establishment In En-
gland we are informed I" n pin goes through
eighteen several distinct operations and that
many hands concur in the formation Ofa watch /;
but very few of whom SO well acquainted
with the svhoie mechanism, as to be able to put
the watch together, or to calculate the different
wheels OF which it is composed" These modes
=
IeXperienced persons declare that dispatch and
excellence depend upon the division of labor and
to this attribute the perfection of English manu-
factures. In England, tina most simple piece of
work passes successfully through multitude Of
hands, before it is inishcd-each operation occ,l-
pies different workman, who by repeating the
same necessarily becomes habituated to perform
ii with as much CELEBRITY as eSactness.
| All the .prejudices and difficulties enumerated
| may be overcome by industry and application
"A wise government may do much to aid the
praise worthy adventrrers-the beneficial results
4 to the arts and manufactures, by a PROPER and
SUFFICIENT protection from, government, have been
| long experienced in France aud England one,
who was best qualified to decide on this subject,
asserts ihat all the common adpe-nages cannot
assire the prosperity ofaR establishment, unless
the lnsps and regulations the state az caicuis1-
tea upon tie true interests IF manufacture, by
/ gtoi"S them. a proper Protection"
Inc great Colbert, who labored much to Sc
| cure the peace, the independence, the prosperity
ana the glory of France, perceived the benefci-
al tendency of establishing naanutaetories and in
vitihg weliinformed artists from all countries
HIS efforts carried the arts to such degree of
perfection, that France became possessed of the
means OF supplying her -neighbors with better
models and with various articles, before obtain
ed by her from them.-From France learned
men were dispatched, into all parts ofthe world,
10 study the arts and to collect Interpretations
ouch was her estimation oftIe arts, that, whe-
.ner, M spnr or at peace, voyages of discovery
were planned and held sacred from the rayapes
OF hostile nations and every encourage ment
was gwen to the artizans and manufacturers at
nome. Traces oftbis wise policy eyinced them
serves, even during the most gloomy periods of
the revolution
England, as early as the reign of Edward Nv
saw The wise policy of laying protecting duties in
iafor Oi hef manufactures, notwithstanding the
articles Jphich they furnished, might have beea
procured at much cheaper rate from France,
Germany & India. The benefits resulting to the
nation from the adoption of these measures, were
SO evidently demonstrated, that additional duties
were from time to time added to those already ex.
istng, until at lengthit that every per-
son. nayins or selling certain imported articles,
snou,d be subjected to Penalty Of 20Ok. Such
were the efforts ofthe popeyn,nent to project do
nestle industry individuals associated and
formed !1, regular societies, by which general
spirit OF emulation was diffused throughout the
Nngdom the arts were placed in situation
70 he permanent; and they .fowished to a de-
gree arrivaiied in former times.
Such examples merit our serious attention.
ana are worthy elimination, especially under oye
sent crcH''lstanees. believe it is generally adj
mitted as fact well established, that, within the
last eighteen msnths, the quantum of capital de.
voted to, and the number Of persons who lave en-
gagged ~, the erectinn of rnnn.,factnrieo =. -: