Washington sentinel., 1854-05-24
INDUSTRY I'm THE UNITED STATES
ENGLISH OPINIONS.

new nation in new world, it could not be
expected that we should all at once be known,
understood, and appreciated by the old and
advanced nations Of Europe. But as time
passes and means Of speedy intercommunica-
ton multiply, the ignorance that has prevailed
in regard to our manners, customs, and institu-
tions is being speedily dspelled. There was
more than ignorance--there was prejudice ;
but that too, is fast giving way as we become
better known.
In connexion with this subject and to show
that a more liberal feeling exists towards us
than has hitherto existed, we take from the
London Illustrated Ne,cs the following article
on the social and industrial condition OF the
United States 1t contains some very inter-
esting extracts from the reports of two OF the
commissioners sent from England to report on
the New York Industrial Exhibition. These
commissioners do not con6ne themselves to
observations on the Industrial exhibition, but
they have extended their inquiries into the
general condition, social, educational, political,
and industrial, of our country. We do not
uouUt tuut tnc urtiCic ilon tnC A'ceoo ula i.o
accompanying extracts will prove interesting
to all of our readers. 1t is as follows:
INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATEs.-The COM
mission sent from England to report on the
New York Industrial Exhibition, have done
more to make the industry of the United
States known in this country than all previous
travellers. Two of them, at least, Mr.. Joseph
Whitworth, the eminent engineer, or rather
tool-maker of Manchester; and Mr.. George
Wallis, connected, we believe, with Birming-
ham, have made special reports, and their de-
scriptions are calculated to astonish, and per-
haps alarm, the devoted admirers and patriots
Of Old England. Of the great superiority in
future, in point of numbers Of the Americans
to our population and, indeed, to the popula-
ton of any single empire Of the world, except
China, there is no doubt Betwixt 1901, and
1851, the population Of Great Britain and
Ireland has nearly doubled, or increased from
16,000,000, speaking in round numbers to
28,000,000, but, in similar period, between
1900 and 1850, the population of the United
States increased from 100000 to 23,000,000,
or more than four-fold5 and there is good rea-
son to believe that it is increasing in an ac-
celebrating ratio AT the same rate Of progress,
while our population by the end of the century
may be 50,000,000, the population of the United
States will be nearly l00,000000. Without
positive evidence, it might have been inferred,
as only industry and skill can increase the
means of subsistence; that the Americans are
both industrious and ingenious; and the two
commissioners have laid before the public
much evidence Of this important fact. Not
only have the Americans large continent
before them to subdue and fill, but they are
achieving their great task with indomitable
energy. The most extraordinary part of the
matter is that means are everywhere provided
for the education Of the multitude as they in
crease. Every child Of. either sex goes, or
may 60, to school. On leaving school he is
perfectly free to exercise his faculties as nature
prompts; he shares in all public discussions
he has his newspaper; and every one, there
fore, of the increasing multitude will be, as the
rule, perfectly developed human being. There
is an abundance of the means of subsistence,
united with complete freedom, SO that all the
faculties, bodily and mental Of the vast mass,
will grow unrestrained. This is the short sum-
mary Of the astonishing information the two
commissioners have brought from the United
States, and have boldly stated to all her Majes-
ty's subjects.
II could not fail (says Mr.. Whitworth) to be
impressed, from all / saw there, with the extra
ordinary energy Of the people, and their pecu-
liar aptitude in availing themselves of the i'm
mense natural resources of the country They
call in the aid of machinery in almost every
department Of industry. Wherever it can be
introduced as substitute for manual labor, it
is universally and willingly resorted to-" For
example, in plough-making, eight men are able
to finish thirty ploughssper day; in door-mak-
inc. twenty men make hundred paneled doors
per day. in lastnaking, the process is complet-
cd in a minute and half; in sewing, by ma
chinery one woman does the work of twenty;
in net-making one woman does the work OF
hundred. "The eager resort to machinery,
wherever it can be applied, under the guidance
Of superior education and intelligence, is main
" the cause of the remarkable prosperity of
the United States" "Combinations to resist
the introduction of machinery are unheard OF
in the States. The workmen hail with salts
faction all mechanical improvements; the inn
nortance and value of which, as saving them
from the drudgery of unskilled labor, they are
enabled, by education, to understand and ap-
preciate.' an every State of the Union, and
particularly in the north education is, by
means OF the common schools, placed within
the reach Of each individual, and all classes
avail themselves Of the opportunities afforded.
The desire of knowledge, so early implanted, is
greatly increased; while the facilities for using
# are amply provided, through the instrument
tality Of the almost universal press. No taxa
tion Of any kind has been suffered to interfere
with the free development of this powerful
agent for promoting the intelligence Of the peo-
ple; and the consequence is, where the humblest
faborer can indulge in the luxury. Of his daily
papcr, everybody reads, and thought and intel
iigence penetrate through the lowest grades Of
society" :, i,
The observations made by Mr.. Wallis confirm
those made by Mr.. Whiteworth
Thus the astounding fact is revealed to us by
Mr.. Whitworth and Mr. Wallis, that the indi-
yiduals Of the mighty mass Of human beings
existing and coming into existence in North
America, are superior to the average of Euro
peans. If they are not exactly as has been
said, nation Of Franklns and stephensons,
they abound in men of energy, genius and
talent, and are as much superior individually,
as they are in national progress, to the Italians.
the Spaniards, and the Germans
Mr.. Whitworth, too, states that the Amerl-
cans, finding great plenty Of wood in their
CONTEMPLATING, in fact to clear it away in
orderto etunencumbered groundto cultivate