Alabama state intelligencer., 1831-01-19

nerve of the material which are the great charac- teristics of the silk of this country.
 For all the operations above mentioned, except that of rceling, there is no danger of competent worxmen being at any time wanting in the United States. A number of silk manufacturers, such as throwsters, dyers, weayers, and even machine ma kers, have arrived in sea ports, in the of the present year, from various parts of Europe but chiefly from England, expecting to find here en- couragement for their business. Several have in- qrtred of me where they could get employment and finding none for want of silk, most of them have betaken themselves to the cotton manufacto- ries. There is no doubt that many more will come in consequence of the general excitement which the culture of silk has produced in this country, and also because it is well understood that the silk mannac- tories are in declining state in England well as in France, whereby many workmen thrown out of employ. This was asserted to me, as to the for mer country, by the English manufacturers who ar rived here in the course of the last season.
 As to France, need only refer you, Sir to the me- morial from the merchants of Lyons to their Co., vernment, which had the honor of communicating to the committee during the last session of Congress- where the fact is clearly and distinctly stated and you will recoect that this decline is chiefly attibu- ted to great deal of silk badly reeled being brought to the market. Another very remarkable fact will corroborate this assertion l am informed by my French correspondents, that as the report of the committee of the 18th March last, with my letter to you annexed, reached Nismes, Ca considerable silk manufacturing town in the south of France, in which there are several extensive flatures,) the Chamber of Commerce of that city called meeting Of the merchants of the department of Gard, in which it is situated, to consider the expediency of petltioning the French Government to adopt for France the plan which that letter suggests, to wit: the establishment of school for the instruction of young men, to enable them to become directors of flatures. The meeting appointed for the 1st of August last The revolution which took place at Paris at the latter If In and xuhich at tended at Nsmes with considerable disturbance and boodshed by compelling the peaceable inhabitants to fly the city, prevented that assembly from taking place; but am informed that it is not lost sight of, and that the plan will be resumed possible. In the mean time, my letters also inform me that an eminent lawyer has been employed to draft the in- tended petition and the cities of Lyons and Avig- non have been invited to join in the measure.
 Such is the importance that is attached in France to the art of reelng silk and I ought to mention here, that, notwithstanding the great influx into this country of silk manufacturers of every description, not one reeler has appeared, either male female and this comes in support of what have stated in my former letter respecting the difficulty of obtaining such.
 Eighteen months have elapsed since M. D'Ho- mergue arrived in this country, at the instance of society who well understood the importance of the art of reeng. Almost immediately on his arrival, he published his essays in which he threw all possi- ble light upon the subject; those esseys have circu- lated in America and Europe. The Legislature of the Union have thought them worthy of their parti- cuar attention; and yet reeler, except M. D'Ho- mergue has appeared In the United States while silk manufacturers of other descriptions have come here in numbers from various parts of Europe.
 Thss Sir, with the exception of reelng, the Uni ted States have all the arts at kand that necessary for carrying silk manufactures, for which they on y want the raw material properly prepared. should add that the men who profess those various arts, are all in search of abor and that there is danger of their taking to manufacturing foreign silks, to the great detriment of that of our country, The Republic of Mexico offers striking example of what may hap pen here. In that country they manufacture very great quantity of sewing silk, besides shawls and some other articles. They have imported foreign manufacturers who taught them their arts but they neglected the planting of Mubury trees and raising of silk worms, although their soil and climate are admirably calculated for these purposes. The silk they manufacture is imported from abroad chiefly from China and great deal of passes through this country on its way to them. This sufficiently ex- plains the large importaons ofraw silk which annu- ally take place in the United States. It appears from the Treasury Reports, that in the year which ended on the 3Oth of September, 1928, silk was imported into this country to the amount of $608,- 7U9, which amount, converted into silk stus, would produce several millions, but would at the same time destroy the hopes of our agriculturaliss. By manu- featuring foreign silks the Mexicans encourage their
 
 culture. I am told, however, that they are begin ming to plant Mulberry trees in the neighborhood of Acapulco the Pacific; but 1t is probable they will not succeed, for want of good reeers, and because bad habits when once fixed with difficulty laid aside think there is danger of the same thing talk ing place in this country Some articles have already been made in New-York out of foreign silks, and offered for sale there and in this city.
 The English it is true, have enriched themselves by the manufacture of silk, although their country does not produce the raw material, which they are obliged to import from abroad; but there is doubt that they would be much richer if they raised it at home Of this they very sensible, and it is ev- dent from the efforts they made to introduce the cu ture of silk into the United States while British colo nies They raise great deal of it in their possess slons Tn Bengal, which is said to be the finest in the world but it comes to Europe badly reeled and other wise ill prepared and therefore is considered infe rior to all others. (See the Manual published under the authority of the House of Representatives, in 1898, page 172.) In addition to this and in support of the importance of good reeling beg leave to in sert here the statement of an English silk broker, communicated in letter from the respectable house of Ratl bone, Brothers X Co.,, of Liverpool, to gentleman of South Carolina, who published it in the Sumpter Gazette of first May last: Although" says the writer, -four mportations from the East h. dies are great, and this trade is of vital importance to our successful competition with the continent it is to be regretted that neither the East India Company nor the private merchants have hitherto employed any competent person to superintend the reeing of the silk; if that done, have not the slightest doubt but that silks of the eastern production would render us altogether independent of France Italy; for Is an established fact that silk of the best quail ty can be produced in the East Indies, at lower rate than in Europe
 It is an established fact, that America produces silk of the best quality and experiments have shown, that M. DIlomergue possesses the necessary quali- fcations for directing ilature and for giving in- struction in the art of reelina In addition to fhe