New-York tribune., 1879-04-26
ENGLISH MAhUF1CTCRES.
LETTEPS FROM AN OFFICIAL.

| JE1TEPS FROM AN OfFlClAL'
THE RISE OF rNGLAND's MANUFACTURING PROS
| PKRITY-F'tEE TRADE AND MoNOPoLf-fhks-
| RST CON- .TiON AND SYMPTOMS.
| 70 ne RditOr or The Trtonne
Sir: II, present depression in the great manu-
faciurinQ ,trongholds of the Nation creates wide
spread alarm and nothing like ii has ever been seen
! before II Great Britain. The causes which have
brourL' about this dangerous shrInkage In the
domauo for English manufactures are discussed IN
the q lbs. in reviews and III the daily press ana
| wide different reasons are advanced TO account
for ne unprecedented stagnation In ;I'de All
adj { that q crisis is at hand. aid that remedy
uu t be- found-and that without delay-or vide
81 cad disaster viii fall upon the heretofore IN
,ncib!c manufactures Of the United Kingdom.
a. doubtless surprising to many to find that Free
lrado under the fostering influence Of cheap money
aud gold standard has oyerrcachcd itself SO that
now, 50 far as the wisest can judge, England NAV
possibly bc compelled to modify her present COM
III, rcal policy in order that waning National indus
tries NAV be rescued from ultimate ruin.
The commercial policy OF ENGLAND has bee of
vast benefit to the Nation. Situated as these isles
are. small in area and with a large population, tie
,.,ry Of Free Trade was founded the wise basis
u - tradr. II drew 10 these shores the raw ma
t. rom other lands, and educated a superior
u" uti,dns There was profit at every point
.' .. ., manufacturers and carriers. Mills and
."' '' nui'iptcd. capital accumulated and the
N'."' t.'r,as.1 ia wealth III marvellous
~ . past ht'y years have been frcighted
WIN '"' -r,I bl ',,Inc- 20 tins country and
"''' n d 1us have been clnyulscd by wars
'"e manu- '''s ~. oi England have enjoyed. with
out 'et'",' .i"' 'iou ouc unhroken series OF sue
''Ss,N wv ''''.irs have been So favored by ex-
Cef''' = II circumstances. The states
men 'i '- ago fprcsaw that Free Trade,
10 Ue pen '' d" '' snimsnd q controlling in-
iH'ht' '''' ''c H''-. Iur-s uf the world. Tn
les liz .vas done sr,'. 40 ,o,.r d,s,s,e, ,yonId
iall uron T. gland u ~rs - ,,,y nror,blv that
led Br.u'i an, 'I' -i~ - e.. O., tho U,rse ~
Commons that q" J. .-., i,orli u Fl ~ h,ar same
loss on the exror of tar goods -, ,,. r,,,os. of
destroyinc foreign manufactures - ,b ,r.l,a - He
anticipated then. what has nov CONF g.. n,s. that
unless England could mrnoD '!lk- ,,1rf,c,ur..
foreign competition might bring Glsf -. and ,y.n
RUIN upon her vast industries.
And yet il i3 true that England 4 nl-oco1 Fran
Trade only when she hat rcsclf mir. y,
strength which enabled her manufF ,,rors ,o dofy
on side competition The develof ,,o,, 30 ,,.r,,-
iactur,- fo'owcd rapidly IN the W 90 cors,onhr
iutreu-' . capital. The Lifted s,,,csovir.,to to
various rc,>ous, never s,Iuu>i " r..,J tho ,,eId
rs COZ pntitor ~ mau0idctnieB ,rtI1ACI Clc.n
money ,ud cheap skilled labor. ,,,,t With LAM, o1
p"ucl' g. Uh'lhl' '"Nh'.C md banking fa"li-
l',' 'l'. '.'."''"'u "i "V"f 10y money, dear labor
ann, I'M. l' - ''.''''- ion with distant
maik, :. AH"r' l." ~ was the further
1921 10 lN6O did much 10 c,,,,c. ithc d.v .Io,.'
mcni Of American manutaQ -. :" / a." et,.,rtf
eucd those Ia England. L isci tio CiyI IV"r
came. AMI for four ycarsF ,s. c,nH;rt r,,,cI Ji
south WAS without mag co,,'r.', and th. Nrtb
vac "n""r w P.rIH th thU ton bic wastes of
"W' ,c'L,h anu .'I were compelled to draw
uP"u a. . 'P'A :. The unprecedented de
in'!'!I ''.," ''4.n "" II non inmcnst additions 70
iHe a,''''.l ou'.uu'E ndurng p0werOf this cOun-
"; .'fNI "l"Ir" ~ fortunes aInas-ed So qIIckIy,
az ,".'NNai "rai CURED upou these shores
tg,. 4Tn rCtgSE n Eng sSI the United States the qnu
.d were nduging IN every .Nur,
~" y" II their SUPREMACY was sccUIC !. The
! I"c,T'irY % Y War followed the Rebellion, and the
heous tmcIo created lcit 10 break IN the ftrPen-
u 'u' "ii tho mills and factories here. he pres
fntnTr nt T perous and little heed was pad t, the
.,iq.I n II the climax was reached Ieace vas re;
SH,oI S,m,n Hecn France aud Germany the United
~ tuTued t. m3nutarIuie with sklii and
,uooI1 almost beyond belief. aud al at once
ntm4 a. ia the volume oi orders to Engl Ish manu-
- ~ ~ bcran In 1874 the los. was stu greater;
~ II grew wOrs" ; IL 1876 II caused dep un-
~ In 1877 II was alarming, and In 1N1t wide-
~ Al disaster Threatened the diversified Industries
o. y. United Kingdom. In 1874 the falling on IN
" o.OOO; IN 1876 S2oO,OOO,OOO and for 1875 at
AL $500 100000
deed. Eut as may be anticipated, II IS ONLY one
phase Of a very dark outlook for English manuiac-
iurrrs during the years of falling prices and
failing orders, the mUueycd Institutions OF the
country have been lOyally. if not wisely lending
h,pIu. hand to dstr SOD and dropping enterprises
his has gone on 10 an extent that would be ap-
pallIug were all the facts known. The terrible de-
pTcci.ion coal IN iron, IN Chemicals, In manu-
iietures Of all kluds has caused losses almost be-
wI!deriug IN their totals. The result IN that n
period Of fear and doubt has fallen on tie Nation
Capital is tmd banks arc breaking; mill, and iac-
inrIns are closing down unrest and gloon MI the
I!His ~ tho wIscat and most hopeful. CiVIS.
Manchester Eng, April |. 1879