New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-05
INDUSTRIAL ENGLAND.
ONE QUESTIONS WORTH CAREFUL STUDY

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TIE ARIZONA Dec. 1.-THE popular idea OF
passage at this season Of the year the Allan
tic is associated with high and bleak winds, heavy
seas excessive cold and no chance for exercise on
deck. And, as rule, suppose the popular NOTION
is correct though up to this, the seventh day OUT
we have had no use for the tableracks: the weaher
has been bright and mild. everyone has been en-
Toying himself on deck not a half dozen missing
from the table, and the as calm as midsummer
The satisfactory surroundings rather encoui"so an
attempt TO write an Introductory TO the series Oh
letters from the industrial centres OF Great britain
which hone TO prepare for THE TRIBUNE. Last
sprinp when ENGLAND looked like beautiful garden,
made a rapid move through most OF her qnalnb
old cathedral cities and great manufacturing CEN
tres, and took what could hardly be called more
than superficial dip into the rich history OF many
of the old oorporations and passing glance at the
prodigious industrial progress of those northern
and northwestern cities that have made her tle
workshop of the world The work laid out should
have occupied at least twelve moaths' out was
called home to take part in a more practical and
difficult though not more interesting. inquiry, ana
few weeks later, after bidding adieu to the cathe-
draI towns, rich In all the antiquarian lores and
indeed i'm all that shows the history Of our ances-
tors. I was speeding through the great centres OF
industrial energy in the newer western word
travelling by night and listening to testimony In the
day. 1t was experiences and one calculated
70 awaken new interest In the industrial and COM
mercial history and progress of England and the
United States and to create desire for more tllne
and better opportunity for investigation ana
reflection. While the average American is
better acouaipted with what may
be called historic England than the
average Engshman, the testimony of over six
hundred intelligent witnesses before the Tariff
Commission shows how little definite knowledge
even representatives Of American industries have
of industrial England. On the important question
of the amount Of wages paid to operatives IN Eng
land as compared with the amount paid for the
same work in the United States but SIX out OF the
six hundred who gave testimony presented exact
information and yet the basis of the protective sys-
tenn is the difference In the cost of home and foreign
labor. The difference in the purchasing power OF
wages, another vital element in tariff legislation.
was only touched on in desutory manner BY Wit
nesses here and those who had inquired the price of
clothing for workingmen at home and abroad, or
who from observations believed q dollar would buy
more provisions in the United States than in Eng
land or who had arrived at conclusions by reading
consular reports The social condition of artisans
and laborers In Europe and America, another I'M
portant element was wholly overlooked Ill the tes-
timony, il may except few partisan statements
on both sides,no Of which assumed higher value
than preudiced Impressions
These brief hints of imperfections in labor
which Congress decided should be performed so rap
idly, indicate the rich unexplOred field in
Great Britain for careful work and study
in q direction that cannot fail to be interesting even
if IT should fall far short of results important enough
to take part In the settlement of broad economic
questions. -Four times have traversed the mana
featuring regions of the United StateC Once saw
them lurd with the flames of Plttsburg, and as
travelled from city to city, one day conversng with
the socialist in Jail and the next day with the cap
italist in his marble residence had abundant OPP
portunity of OF ring the weakness as well as the
streneih of the ku.e. , system A few years later
when better tim ned upon the country, was
sept through the regions and witnessed the
awakening of American manufacturing third
opportunity came in carrying out branch OF the
census work and the fourth with the Tariff Com
mission. With the knowledge of our home indus
tries that these inquiries have afforded, have glad
Nv accepted the mission of TIE TRIBUNE 20 continue
The investigation of these questions in Great Brit
ain-to visit the great industrial centres to find
out how the working people live and how much
they earn, how far capital and machinery and
credit are concentrated in the hands OF the few what
win be the ultimate effect her industries OF the
dependence for food supplies countries thousands
of miles distant and what really the chances for
aman to rise out of the wage-earnlng classes The
introductory to such an inquiry must necessarily
point out some of the characteristics of the indus
trial history of the country to be visited; present
q general idea of the distribution OF the industries
and the cities and regions to be visited. With
this in view perhaps no apology is needed for what
follows.
At the opening of the present century England
though politically q frst-class power, had accom-
pljshed none of her prOdgious industrial progress
Manchester was not glorying in her tall and ever
smoking chimneys, hut was " an inland town Of no
preteus ons for beauty. and at some distance from
the sea-" Liverpool had scarcely any of her Gori-
almost daily ply between New-York and Engl land
had not yet found their way to her harbor. Leeds
and Bradford wore not very conspicuous either lor
trade or manufacture. Even London, the only
place of real Importance In the kingdom, had not
fithe of the shipping and commerce. which now en-
fioh the banks of the Thames. The quantity OF
roal annually mined in Great Britain did not
ezceed ten million tons, while to-day II has reached
one hundred and forty million tons. Lew, in his
History of Commerce. has almost dramatically
shown that with the dawn OF the present century
rapid and wonderful change was produced IN com
6 and aaqsy g saS sfPa to%n LST
Extension Of %Snuiaciq5s: IN L 6"nnaioS
In the United States from the new acquisitions OF
England IN Canada and the extended cultivation
of the West Indies Birmingham felt all the adj,
yantaees of the opening of the Staffordshire and
Worcestershire canals which enabled heT 10 re-
ceive all her snppnes OIL coal anu inaIeiia ioL
manufacture and building, at prices much under
tie usual carriage rates. The inventions of Watt,
of Hargreaves of Arkwright and of Crompton.
though hindered by prejudices were slowly rey9lu.
tionizine the industrial system OF England. w nat
England possessed then, as she does now" says
feyi twas geographical situation. the most fav-
orabIc for purposes Of maritime commerce, in close
proximity TO the continent OF Europe. aud bordering
on the ocean, the great open highway to America;
mineral riches oil enormous value, and, aboye all
people of sturdy race, the ADglo-Sa1on, ais
tinguished for an innate sentiment OF independ-
ence ami right for energy of character and apti-
rude for work, for capacity for material conquess,
and courage and tact cOlonizers and discover,
ersn At this time, strange as 1t may seem, OF all
Ind tha the least cOn9Dlcu-