New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-11-11
AMERICAN PORCELAIN.

The custom-house valuation of China, Por-
celaip. Earthcn and Stoneware imported into
this country in the year ending June 30, 1916,
was $2.26I 1891 ; in 1850, S2,6Ol 1898; in l55l,
S3.32O622. The sum actually paid for these
articles during the last year by our jobbers was
probably not less than Five Millions, and by
the consumers at least Eight Millions OF Dollars.
And there is not a particle OF reason Tor our
importing these wares from the Old World,
outside of the fact that Europe had the start
of Ills with regard 10 them, and has 80 far man
aged to kept. We have every natural re-
quisite TO their cheap and elegant production,
as We trust will soon be made evident. Old
dealers have assured us that, while almost
every ware OF fabric extensively produced in
this country has been steadily and materially
cheapened. the wares We are contemplating
now cell at very nearly the prices of thirty
years ago. Meantime there have been re-
peated efforts to naturalize the production of
the finer wares among US but hitherto they
have resulted in failures. Want of experience
in selecting and combining materials; rude
ness OF apparatus or machinery; inadequate
capital; inferior or unreliable wOrkmen, have
all contributed to produce these failures.
We trust the days Of American i'll success
in respect to Porcelain are numbered. The
establishment of Messrs Cartilage & Co.,
Green Point, l.. l., appears to have passed safe
Is the point of peril, and is henceforth des-
tined 10 expand and flourish untilin connec-
tion with others of similar character-it shall
supply the American market. We therefore
fulfill cherished purpose in giving some ac-
count Of it.
bir. Charles Cartridge, the master-spirit, is
an Erglishman by birth, who, after thoroughly
acquiring the art of Pottery in all It's finer
branches. came out here as a seller Of wares
some ten or twelve years ago. Extensive
travel and inquiry convinced hin. that POrce-
lain Of the best quality might be made here as
cheaply as in any part of Europe, and he COM
menced series OF experiments which led to
the foundation OF his present business He
now occupies three four story buildings and
employs ninety men Ia his manufacture,
though his establishment is but three
years old. He uses none bat American
materials in any part, and considers them de-
cidtdly superior to any existing in Europe.
He has made important improvements in his
processes, substituting machinery for hand la
Dor 20 extensively aud prOhtably that although
his masJer-wOrkmen are necessarily drawn
iron England or France, and OF course require
much higher wages than they obtained over
the water he yet AYERS his ability TO furnish
Porcelain equal in fineness 10 any European,
and far surprising the best imported in hard
Dess, transparency, capacity of resisting fire,
&c. at lower prices than any Old-WOrld POr.
etlain was ever sold at in America.
That the American ware is elegant and ex-
eellent, our senses youch It's relative cheap
Ness and worth, as compared with those of
rival European products, is a point which pur-
ch&sers, and especially dealers, will determine
for themselves. But if il be, az we presume
il, not only better but 3 cheaper article than
tie Porcelain ordinarily imported, why should
not the success Of the Manufacture b. regarded
as National triumph We, very decidedly,
prefer that wares for American consumption
shall be made by artisans and workmen Eho
are, rather than those who are not, customers
TO American newspapers We admit thar self
interest is one reason for this choice; but is
not the Interest of the American farmer, hat
ter. shoemaker, tailor, sc, identical in this
respeosp with ours Ii it be so, they shoald,
as We DO welcome every new art established
among us as an added element Of National aud
individual prosperity. And thus regarding it,
they should welcome and encourage those