Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1843-12-28

! iery and american Hardmare- T;nrare
and Household Utensils, Trunks, sc.
(Forcign Correspondence of the New York Tribune }
LONDON, August B, 1913.
! Much has been said about the superiority of
British productions over those OF the United
States, as well as the comparative excess OF
prices In The latter, as regards manufactured
articles. Twelve mouths residence i'm this
country and a constant inquiry into this sub
Ject have satisfied me that, with the exception
oil few classes of manufactured articles, and
those- we have as yet no pretensions TO COM
| pete IN, porcelain goods, for example,) we
eau not only meet them but beat them and
that, too, IN many articles they claim as-exclu
sive. am surprised more and more every
day as some new inquiry or adventure elicits
new facts to my observation on this head
The subject in its whole scope, were 10 en-
ter INTO details, would require deal of labor
tor me properly TO communicate what de-
sire; therefore will leave it with as brief
notice as possible here.
The ignorance of the American people up
on this subject arises from many causes, a.
mong which are, the character and profession
ot mercantile men who came here from the
United States TO obtain British goods : their
trade Is IN some degree monopoly, and such
men are always opposed 10 the home manu-
iacture from pride, as they always consider
! the name of importer to sound best, rather
than be driven to their own neighbors, and
from interest, as, if made at home, less expe-
rlence and business "connexionr would be
necessary, and more competitors would arise
in the trade
And sfurther, the American merchants and
their agents. who reside in or visit England to
obtain goods, seldom know any thing about
the necessary mechanism or manipulation
necessary 10 produce the article they desire
they Judge comparatively as 10 value, and
nave no Idea whatever as To- what the real cost
OF production should be. Their profession
and apprenticeship has been to buy and sell,
and no further; and nine in ten could not
tell pin machine from one to make horse
shoes, except that one was bigger than the
other; or loom TO weave satin damask from
machine TO dress cotton yarn. The manu-
iacturer who comes here is upon nying visit,
and finds difficulty in gaining any information
or access to any of the mills from the great
jealousy of the proprietors here toward for
eIgners generally, but particularly those who
know any thing about their particular bust
ness.
This kind of privacy pervades all classes
respecting their business, and none like to
have STRANGERS TO look al them while work
ing, as if anoiheir competitor woutu be added
to the trade John Bull is the most humbug-
gIng as well as humbugable fellow in exist
ence; and 1t has been by his mysteries in
these matters and Boosting characteristics, con-
veyed through the English papers and their
emissares, that much has been done to blind
our eyes as to our real condition TO competc
with them.
For some years a certain style Of American
printed cottons, as well as 4 sheelinps, have
been imported regularly from Boston 10 this
country for the East India trade, and mer-
chant OF great distinction Iells me the amount
is considerable. These goods have been mi-
!ated here, and counterfeit tickets and marks
put upon them to make them as near like the
American as possible but the "In,Iians'' soon
detected the deception, and now thew will
only buy the goods of such parties as can be
relied on. The explanation is this the I
goods, white or colored, were wanted for robes I
and the Americans use much better cotton than
the English for that quality (size) of yarn; 4.
The manufacturers will not put as good cotton
INTO coarse goods as we do, but they size
strongly to complete the deception, and in
coarse goods they use poorer colors. The |
difference IN wear soon told the story. A !
great fuss was made short time since about
the Americans stealing their stamps and STYLES
III case when large LOT of these very goods
belonging TO Earrings were seized because the
pieces were stamped STARK Mills, Manches-
ter, II. H." but when they found there were
no ''Stark Mills" in Manchester. and that IN
H." meant New Hampshire, they let 90, but
still insisted that Manchester was a fraud. rs
we had no right to such name.
! was short time since in cup of tho r., 90,