The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-05-25
Frsm the Troy Wing.

MANurAcTrRE OF SILK THIS CouSTRY.-The
Albany Evening Journal Of the 9th ut contained a
| speech Of MIR. Ward, Of The House Of Assembly, on
the bill TO encourage the growth and manufacture Of
silk from which gather the following information
The Importation Of silk gocs into this country for
the year ending Sept Both, 1889, amounted TO So,
sO0tDO Compared with other articles imported, that
of silk is one-fourih than any other The impor-
tation of silk nearly equals that Of linen and wooen
goods together, and equal 10 all other fabrics com
| bined.
paid than $50 0vO for silk manu- acures Of
foreign production; the state ofNew York alone hav
ing paid at least SIS, 900 900 ofthis amount.
That the soil and climate Of this state is avorable
To the growth Of silk, has been sufficiently proved
The silk of America is found TO contain fibre
stronger and of quality superior TO that of almost
any other country Specimens have been examined
by the Chamber Of Commerce at Lyons; and other
intelligent Frenchmen both here and in that county,
have amned and atested the truth OF this important
fact. The Of this superiority may be traced
either to soil, or what is more probable TO our line
and serene climate during summer.
Not long since specimens Of American raw silk were
shown To very intelligent Iibbon-weaver from Eng
land he them altogether superior TO any
European India silk be had ever woven in his ma
tive country This speaks loudly in favor OF the
quality of American silk especially such as is produc-
ed in the Northern attitudes The cocoons from
which this silk was reeled were made on the cold
mountains of Lchfeid county, Conn. Silk is also
successfully raised at Penobscot, Maine in 45 deg.
north latitude In further proof ofihe good qualities
of American silk, Mr. Whitmarsh, of Northampton,
turn OF 900 yards ribbon daily besides machinery
for sewing silk and braids, says: IL have used the
silks of France Italy, Turkey, China, and Bengal, in
the progress Of manufacturing and give the American
the preference by twenty-five per cent
II is also ascerained fact that from given guam
THY Of coccons onethird silk may be reeed than
in France or Italy; and the loss Of worms has not
been much in this, as in those countries
II being therefore established beyond controversy,
that silk be Produced in this section Of country,
Mr. Ward is Of opinion that its growth should be
coursged by bounty And refers in support of his
position to the example of France in which country
many attempts establish the silk culture were un-
successful until Henry Fourth in the sixteenth and
venteenth centuries extended the patronage Of the
crown to promote its growth and encourage It's manu-
facture.
Since The time Of Henry Fourth, government pa
tronage has been literally bestowed and the culture
and manufacture of silk has been rapidly advancing
Louis the Fourteenth not only gave large bounties
but he also agents Florence and Genoa to pro-
cure looms and machinery, as well as manufacturers
and workmen acquainted with the mysteries OF the
art. These workmen and manufacturers difused the
knowledge of manufacturing silk in France, and in
a few years not only all Europe, but also America,
became tributary to the superior skill OF the French
The number Of silk looms now in trnnce Is ~ ,54O
which produce goods TO the amount Of &39 ,4OOoU
annually; Sl3,6OO,OOO of which consumed in
France and S.,5 800 900 exported; l6O, 2SO weasers
are employed and S25 300 600 worth Of raw silk work
ed up About $500 OOO0 ia paid for labor At
Lyons 1000 looms and So 600 weavers are employed.
which produce $l8 GOO worth Of silk. After all
this, France is yet satisfied but last year great
announcements OIL, red by Ministers for the
growth Of silk and two premiums of 500 francs each,
were offered for the best growth Of silk worms and
mulberry trees and for the best method Of spinning
silk.
In Italy also, under the patronage Of government
the culture and manufacture of silk has become the
most productive source of wealth.
The sagacious mind of DR.. Franklin was turned TO
this subject previous to the Revolution and in 1917 he
established a filaiure ut Philadelphia and recommend
ed to the Provincial Legislature to grant bounty on
the cultivation Of the mulberry and the raising OF silk
We learn from Mr. Ward that twelve of our SISTER
States have thought it advisable TO encourage the silk
culture by legislative bounty, and the result has been
that last year than $1,000 lbs. Of reced silk OF
good quality produced in these States.
In Massachusetts the increased culture of silk is
markablc .nce the passage Of law in 1886 giving
a bounty TO encourage its culture. The bounty claim
ed of that State in 1896, sS5 30; 1887, SiS5 81
and in 1870 it amounted to 81 ,924 80. This scale
shows most rapid advance in the production, ans
forever puts beyond question the entire success of thu
northern silk culture.