Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-06-09

THE BRiTIsH PARLIAMENT.

tcc To inquire into tho depressed state uf the SILK
Trade. II was opposed by the government, and de-
icatcd by az votcs to 81.
Mr.. Fylcr, in bis speech introducing the motion,
attributed the ruin Of the SILK trade to tho expert
nents of political THEORISTS and he particularly alu
ded To- Mcssrs. Iluskisson and Grant. II was mpos.
siblc b said that free trade manufactures could CO.
exist with monopoly of the trade in corn. He rave
these details of tho past and present condition Of the
silk trade.
At Coventry, since 1926 and 1927. the number of
looms ont Of cuploymcn, had Increased by 500; and
the number NJ wUrknen ut present out of employ
inent was i25l. AT Conglcton, in 1924 the wages
we're o. Cd; now they were Is. AtPaislcy, in 1924
the average wages were lbs; now 8s. I'D. In Spit
taelds M 1874 and Gas, the weaver received ls. I'd.
foo the same work for which he now receives Cd
There were then 1900 looms employees; now, only
1000. During the sane period alarming dcpre-
catfon OF the trade had occurred ut Dublin.
Mr.. Fylcr next entered iuio on arithmc,cal proof
that the cause OF the dcpfcsson was the increased
Importation of foreign goods.
Froo, 1875, 10 1924, under tho old system the i'm
poriation ofrow, aud thrown silk had gradually in
creased and IN the years ending 1898 it had risen
&c the large amount If G,o72 900 lbs. If 1926 aud
f517, the first two years OF the free trade system
we're taken with reference tn the Importation in 1894
aud 315. would be found that there decrease
under the new system of I0i9ia3 lbs. and loss to
the country exceeding 500 1884 by legal importa-
tioa of foreign silks, aud by smuggling.
Nothing would prcveDt, smuggling but duty So
high to deter the French from sending their goods
here.
Mr.. Robertson ON the same side ascribcd the dis
tress to excessive Importation, for the most part
though partly, doubt, trading. Foreigners.
he said, determined to continue their restrictive
system, and we could best fight them with their own
weapons.
Mr.. Vesey Fitzgerald, in refusing committee
which could only encourage doubt or n false reliance
--renarked that n return proibtory duties would
10. restore the former high wages fthe weaver; it
would not increase the consumption nor prevent the
frOm usiu C1,tto Tho tha Law,
over-producton. He endeavoured to prove this BY
statement of the ray silks imported and mills
erected. rr.'Ii-
In the five years after l824 the imports of the raw
Irateral were 1884 1872 lbs I'm the FIVE years be-
Gore that period, the amount 1926 ,646 lbs;
making difference of 1858, 500 lbs. In the inter
mediate years till 1923, the increase had been gradu
nj but great. In 1928, when no alledged cause for
distress existed, the continuance Of smuggling
and the existenceof the present system the iporta-
tfous were-of raw material, ,i62, $50 lbs; thrown
S35 0OO lbs; total, ,547, $50 lbs
e Since 1924, the number of looms had increased by
the number Of 1000. In 1924, the number of silk
manufacturers in Coventry amounted to 100; in the
of last year, there between 800 and AGO.
In Manchester, in 1923, there were not 20 silk ma
nufacturers al present there were above 60. At
that time there were only about 5000 looms within
zen miles round MANCHESTER; in the present year that
number was nearly double. In the year 1923, there
was scarcely single loom in Leeds, near Manches-
ter, but at present there 1000 besides immense
power-ooms erected. In Macclesficd the same dis
trcSs was produced by the same causes. In 1923
there were 5000 loohs--ih October, 1923, 6OoO and
IN February 1920, there were 1000 In Glasgow,
there were 5000 looms in the year 1923, in Februa
~ 1879, they amounted TO 1000 In 1923, there
were silk manufacturers; al present there were g.;
ana OF sit and cotton manufacturers there were TO-
In Paisley there were silk manufacturers in 1893
mt present 80.
Mr. Fitzgerald has some measures of protection
ana rccf TO propose
n order to nrercyvo bn,rn IL, ,n,I ~
fam foreign market, it was necessary to give the
manufacturer the material the same terms
and OF the quality with the manufacturer of
France; and then there would be no competition to
fear. IL was therefore proposed to reduce the duty
upon hropB silk from S. to 81. Cd OH tram from S.
10 2s. & the duty singles would be lowered TO ls
Cd. 1t was also intended TO propose the admission of
the principle ola drawback home manufactured silk
IN amount equal 10 the duty the foreign thrown
silk employed in it. He proposes an nd ofiorcm du-
~ ut % per cent. or rated duty at the officers
choice, all silk articles which are in general con-
xnmptoa. aud therefore more readily smuggled and
To lim, The admission On vessels not less than 20 tons
bnrGcn) TO the ports of London and Dover and one
or two other ports in England and one port in ire
land. The duty on India silk, as the law now stands
is so per cent; and Mr.. Fitzgerald proposes TO re.
dUce it 10 10 per cent.
Mr.. Barring saw no use for uommitte ;, as the
si!h trade could not make out case before the com
fnttec against the proved fact OF continuing IN
crense. lie, however, spoke evil of "teorics" and
rnlcuied the notion that complaint, which, origi-
mattel IN our inability IN compete with fnrrioners
cea1d be rcmedied by admitting foreign competition
on custer terms. lie firmly believed that the En-
gIsh SILK trade ''coudemed trade, :" which must
sooner OF later perish. Tie French surpass vs. in
inactn1cry, have easier access to the raw mate
:tal, their colours much superior to ours and
they lave the prescriptiye privilege Of seitnr the
fashion to the rest Of the world NJ. Bariugs unfa-
SoHrabc opinion IL not confined TO this particular
brnich of manufactures and traffic
''ltiS certain, that at present considerable Difficult
tics and suffering are existing in every department
of the trade Of the COUNTRY. | believe tint in most
ct the other cases, this difficulty IS only temporary
~ tho same time Imst say--and am sorry TO b.
Obliged TO DO so-that cannot conceive it possible
that this country, as longas Europe remains in state
at pence, viii be able, for any great length oftine to
continue a manufacturing country for the purposes
Ofexportatlon BY and BY we shall come 10 tho same
difficulties IN tie wool and cotton trades; though do
not think that they viii ever arise in orrr iron manu-
features or orr pottcres, because they are peculiarly
fortunate in their circumstances Z" >
NaaHa