Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-06-09

THE BRITISH pARI.IAMENT.


April 18th aud 9TH, discussedalnotion for commit
tte tn ml,lirc Into the depressed state uf the silk
trade. IL was opposed by the government, and de-
icatad by I.l9 votes to 81. 81
Mr.. Fyles, in his speech introducing the motion,
attributed the ruin Of tho silk trade to the expert
nrents OF pticalthcorists, aud he particularly al
died to McSsra. I{,ikisson and Grant. 1t was impos
sble he said that free trudein manufactures could
exist with monopoly OF the trade in corn. lie rave
these details of tho past and present condition Of the
silk trade. Es
At Coventry, since 1895 and 1927, tho number Of
looms out OF employmcntllad increased by 500; and
the number of workmcn 1t present out of employ
IDent. was 1851. At Conricton, in 1924 the wares
were 6s. Cd; now they were as At Paisley, in iG2A,
tho average WAGES were los; SIS. id. In Spit
talfcls, in 1924 and 625, the weaver received s 3D.
11r the same work for which he now receives Sd
There were then 1900 looms oInploycd; now, only
"ouD During the same period an alarming dcprc-
rlation OF the trade had occurred at Dublin.
hfr. Fylcr next cntcrcd into an arillme,cal proof
that the cause Of the dcprcs siun the increased
importation of foreign goods
From 1918, To 1879, under the old system. the ns-
p"rlation ofraw mud thrown elk Ind gradually in
creased; and ia the years ending 1923, it had risen
,c the large amount of 8,07a 900 lbs. If 1925 and
ls!7, the first two years Of the frcr trade system
were taken with reference 10 the importation In 1924
nu.l 49,, il would be toun, that there wasa decrease
under Gu. system ot 0i3l53 llcs. and usos @
tic country cNcecaiug 500 1881. b. ..N. nnporta-
tton of iofsiyn silks. ami l,y snn.--,,.nr
Nothing v'mld nr''--'l: smuggling but a duty so
hRhsaS TO ice the French from sending their goods
here
Mr. Robertson, on the same side, ascrbcd the dis
tres to excessive importation, for the most part
though partly, no doubt, vcr-tradng. Foreigners.
nc said, were determined to continue their rest rictve
SYSTEM and could best fight them with their own
weapons.
Mr. Vesey Fitzgerald, in refusing a committee
which could only encourage Doubt or false reliance
rcmarkfd that return TO pEohibitory duties would
no: restore the former high wages of the weaver; it
NH
public from using cotton The root of the evil Law i'm
uver-producton. He endeavoured to prove this 6y a
statement OF the raw silks imported aud new mills
erected.
In the five years after 1894, the imports of the raw
rfateral were 1854 ,23e lbs. In the five years be-
tore that period, the amount was 10 925 SIS lbs;
making difference of 7.653,586 lbs. In the inter-
mediate years till 1923, the increase had been gradu-
nj. bit great. In 1895 when no alledred cause for
distress existed, save the continuance Of smuggling
anu the existence OF the present system, the mporta
TONS were-of raw MATERIAL ,l62 $50 lbs; thrown
S35 600 lbs; total, 4,547,55O lbs.
Since 1924. the number Of looms had increased by
the number OF 1000. In 1894 the number of silk
manufacturers In Coventry amounted to 100; in the
course of last year, there between 500 aud 400
In Manchester, ia 1923, there were not 90 silk ma
nufacturers; at present there we're above 60. All
that tnc there were only about 5000 looms within
ten miles round Machester in the present year that
number was nearly double In the year 1898 there
was scarcely single loom in leeds near Moncbes
fer, but at present there were 1000 besides immense
power-looms erected. In Macclesfeld the same dis
tress was produced by the same causes In 1899 |
there were 400 iooif,sh October, 1929 $780, and
IN February 1929, there were 1000. In CsIasnow
there were 5000 looms in the year 1923 in Febr,la-
~ 1893, they amounted to 1000. In 1923, there
were silk manufacturers; al present there were 6;
and'of silk and cotton manufacturers there were TO-
In Paisley there were II silk manufacturers in 1923;
as.present 80.
Mr.. Fitzgerald has some measures ofprotcctlon
and relief to propose.
In order to preserve the home market ana to OBJ
fam torcgn market, 1t was necessary TO rive the
manufacturer the material on the same terms
and OF t:re same quality with the manufacturer of
France; and then there would be no competition to
tear 1t was therefore proposed TO reduce the luty
upon thrOlcn silk from ST. to IS. 6d; on tram from S.
go rs. & the duty singles would be lowered to I
Cd. Il was also intended to propose the admission oft
t!feprincipc ola drawback on home manufactured silk
Ill amount equalto the duty the foreign thrown |
silk employed IN If, He proposes ain al vaioren du
~ af % per. cent. rated duty ut the officers
cfrocc, al silk articles which arc in general con-
sumption, and therefore readily srnugrlcd and
Co Emit the admission a vessels not less than 10 tors
turdCnl to the ports of London and Dover and nnn
or two other ports r England and one mort in Ire
aHi The duty on India silk, as the law now stands
IS 30 per cent; and MIR. Fitzgerald proposes to re- |
ituce 1t 10 20 per cent |
Mr. Barring saw no use for committee nc tho I
silk trade could make ont case before the com,
inttcc against the proved fact Of contn,lnr IN,
srgasc. He, however, spoke evil Of stiieorcs and
rsdleulcd the notion that complaint, which, orir-
mated IN our inability 10 compete with foreigners,
conM ht rcmedied by admitting forern eonaneti;ion
easier terms. ifc firmly believed that tho, En-
giish silk trade was 'con!eincd trade wliict must
later perish. The French stlrpass rs in
mac1lnrry, have edsirr access to the raw mate
rial, their colours arc much superior 70 ours and
'Iry lEve The prescriptiyc privilege Of scltnt the
fashion to TIC rest of the world Mr. Barines !nfa
11onrabIe opinion rs not confined to this par ctflo
hrancfl Of manufactures and traffic. =" -
at b1oH
ties and suffering arc existing in every department
OF the trade of tie country believe, that in most
ofttc other cases, this difficulty ls only temporary.
At the same time Tmust say--and am sorry to he
Obliged to do so-that cannot conceive it possible
that this country, as long Europe remains in state
peace, viii be abo for any grcIt length time,
cnntihsc manufacturing country for the purposes
transportation. lily and by we shall cometo the same