The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1839-11-21
INTRODUCTION INTO ENGLAND OF
THE ART OF MAKING SILK.

f1t CuIkuIe ui BIN Nd- aAIitHhlS S"buDNN
TO China. Britain, however, possesses
some advantages over warmer countries for
raising silk, although this article is gener.
ally imported from the latter The manu-.
iaclure Of silk is carried 90 10 a great ex.
tent al Derby: the number OF hands TO
winch il affords employment, Is upwards Of
one Thousand, including children and wo
men. The original mill called the slk.mlll,
by way Of distinction, is the first and largest
OF ITS kind IN England, and stands upon the
island 10 the river Dersen,. The introduc.
ton of this manufacture into England, was
attended with some circumstances of an 10.
teresiIng nature, and Of which We shall give
the reader a brief account.
The Italians were long IN exclusive pos.
session Of this art. About the year l7l5,
I John Lombe formed resolution OF visiting
Italy, 10 procure drawings OF models Of the
machinery necessary for tue undertaking
/ bat as admission to the Italian silk works was
prohibited, he could only obtain access by
corruptng two Of the workmen. Through
{ their assistance be inspected tue machinery
IN private and whatever parts he obtained
a knowledge OF during these visits, he re.
corded on paper, before he slept. By per.
severance 10 this mode OF conduct, he made
himself acquainted with the whole aud had
just completed his plan, when bis intention
was discovered aud his llio being IN ex.
treme hazard, he fled with precipitation,
and took refuge on ship board, accompanied
by the two Italians who favored his scheme
they all landed in England about tho year
I7l7. Lombe then ere1ted bis mills a,
Dcberry, and the following Is brist account
OF those mills.
The extensive fabric, which contains the
machinery stands upon piles OF oak, doubly
panked and covered with stone work, o.
which arc turned 3 stone arches, tina, sus
tain the walls. It's length IS 10 feet ~
breadth thirty miro and It's height fifty 1--WE
I feet SIX inches. II contains five stores be
sides the under works, and is lighted BY iGe
windows.
In the three upper stories are the Italian
winding engines, which are placed IN reg.
ular manner across the apartments, and
( furnished with many thousand swIils and
splndles aud engines tor working them. IL
the two lower rooms arc the spinning and
twist mills, which are al! OF circular form
returned By upright shafts, passing through
from the water wheel. Their diameter i.
between twelve and thirteen feet and thar
height nineteen feet eight inches The spin
nng mills are eight IN number, and give
| motion TO upwards Of $4,000 reel bobbin.
and nearly three thousand star wheels be-
longing TO the reels. Each Of the four twls
mills contains four rounds Of spindles, about
$50 of which are connected with each mill
as well as numerous reels, bobbIns, star.
wheels, DC. The whole Of this elaborate
machine, for one only i, IS, though dlstribu
ted, as we have mentioned through five
large departments, 10 put IN motion by q
single water wheel, twenty three feet in di
ameter, situate on the west side Of tho build
ing.
AL! is whirling and in motion, and ap
pears as il directed and animated by some
invisible power, yet mutually dependant a.
every part IS, any one Of them may be stop
ped and separated at pleasure. This ari
ses from every movement being performed
by two wheels, one Of which IL turned b,
the other, but when separated the la,teI
preserves bis rotary motion, while tho olheI
stops as the impeIiDg power no longer op
crates. Tho whole number Of wheels il
about $4,000. There is a model Of thu
work in the Tower.
Paper Mill Destroyed The yaluabl,
paper mill Of Messrs. Docket q Shee, neaI
Morrlslown, New jersey, was destroyed b,
fire on Sunday night. Loss sl5, O0o-nt
insurance. The machinery, tools, and ma
ierials for making paper, belonging to Dir
Knight, were destroyed. Paper saved.
CohIe.-The New York Star saws
Gone Thousand head and more have made
their appearance at our market. Beef
should be reduced in price no cuts higher
than a shilling. Cattle can be purchased
Of VI per hundred.