Total

2,087,672 29,185,193 31,272,865

Accounts of Commerce, &c., A. No. 1, copied from Sir F. M. Eden's Letter. Sir Frederick Morton Eden concludes his Letter thus: :"I have thus endeavoured to show that though a great part of the Colonial trade acquired by us during the war must revert to other countries, and our commerce with the neutral powers in the north must be reduced within much narrower bounds than it is at present, we may reasonably expect that the export of our manufactures to the United States will increase, the West Indies and Asia will be improving markets, and that returning amity and tranquillity will supply us with new customers in those belligerent States of Europe with whom our intercourse has been suspended, or embarrassed during the contest. It is, however, material to recollect, that neither the tonnage nor the value of imports and exports furnish a fair comparison of the relative importance of the different branches of our foreign trade. The exportation of a piece

of British broad cloth is more beneficial to us than the

re-exportation of a quantity of Bengal muslin, or of West India coffee of equal value. The exportation of a piece of broad cloth to a neighbouring country is more beneficial to us than the exportation of the same commodity to a distant country. The reasons are obvious. The vent of British manufactures gives more employment to British industry, and contributes more towards our internal improvement, than the vent of foreign manufactures or of Colonial produce. The circuitous trade carried on with the East and West Indies, for the supply of other nations of Europe, is much too slow in its returns to set so much labour in motion, and to afford employment and subsistence to so great a part of the nation, as a direct trade with our neighbours; a trade which, whilst it enables them to benefit by vicinage, and to procure what they want at the cheapest rate, enables us to purchase the linens of Holland with the woollens of Yorkshire, and the wines of France with the hardware of Birmingham. It is truly observed, that exclusive of British manufactures and produce exported, our export trade is, properly speaking, a trade of transit, of merchandise coming either from other parts of the British empire, or from foreign countries, and passing through our ports, having been brought to them either in consequence of our Colonial laws, or otherwise as a safe and convenient place of deposit in the way to the nations by which it is consumed. This branch of trade, though of great advantage in a political view, and in its collateral benefits, yet, as a direct source of national profit, when contrasted with the interior sources of profit, will appear almost insignificant in the comparison, though of no inconsiderable value in itself. It will immediately occur to any one who considers the subject with attention, that this portion of our export trade must at all times, whether of war or peace, return far less national profit than an equal value of commodities of our produce and manufactures.'-Beche on the Income Tax.

6

"The flourishing state of our commerce, which, during a long and arduous struggle has been extended by British industry and protected by British valour, affords a memorable example of what may be effected by the sense, the spirit, and the perseverance of the people."-Eden's Letters, (page 172 and following.)

CHAPTER VI.

FROM 1738 to 1774.

HISTORY of Mechanical Inventions, from BAINES'S "HISTORY OF THE COTTON MANUFACTURE"-Remarks on Inventors and Inventions-Obstacles to the Extension of the Manufacture, from the Rudeness of the Machinery -Invention of the Fly Shuttle by John Kay, in 1738; and of the Drop Box by Robert Kay-The One-Thread Spinning Wheel-Invention of spinning by Rollers, by John Wyatt, of Birmingham-Description of the Process of Spinning-Patent for Spinning by Rollers taken out, in 1738, in the Name of Lewis Paul-Proofs that Wyatt was the Author of this great Invention-Cotton Spinning Mills at Birmingham and NorthamptonLetter of Mr. Charles Wyatt on his Father's Invention-Paul's Second Patent for a Spinning Machine in 1758-Probability that Sir Richard Arkwright knew of Wyatt's Invention-Claims of Thomas Highs to the Invention of Spinning by Rollers-Sir Richard Arkwright; his humble origin; his Construction of a Machine for Spinning by Rollers; his Settlement at Nottingham; Partnership with Messrs. Strutt and Need; his first Patent for the Spinning Machine-James Hargreaves invents the Spinning Jenny; his Machine broken by a Mob; Riots against Machinery; Hargreaves retires to Nottingham-Effects of the Spinning Machines on the Cotton Manufacture Other Improvements in the Spinning Machinery Carding; the old Methods; the Carding Cylinder invented by Lewis Paul in 1748— Subsequent Improvements in the Carding Engine by Arkwright and othersGreat importance of Watt's Improvements in the Steam Engine-National and Universal Benefits derivable from it—Paul and Arkwright's Inventions adapted to the Woollen Manufacture, by B. Gott, Esq.-Popple and Cartwright's Machines for Combing Wool-Woolcombers' Petitions to Parliament-Power-Looms introduced by Cartwright.

THE great era of invention, and the application of science to manufactures, was now in full operation. The woollen manufacture, which for ages had been the staple fabric of England, giving employment and sustenance to the population of many districts, was now about to be surpassed by cotton manufactures. Sir Richard Arkwright put in his claim for the invention of spinning by machinery; and though it is evident that it was in use before his time, being mentioned in Dyer's fleece, as has been already stated, still Arkwright perfected the machinery; and from the humble occupation of a barber in a country town, by his own talent and industry,

raised himself and his family to great wealth; while by the nicety, correctness, and simplicity of his spinning frame, he established the cotton manufactory, and by its application to the woollen and other fabrics, enabled Great Britain eventually to supply almost the whole world with the produce of our national industry.

Mr. Edward Baines, jun., in his valuable work, "The History of the Cotton Manufacture of Great Britain,”* attributes the invention of the spinning machine, not to Sir Richard Arkwright, or to Lewis Paul, as stated by Dyer in his "Fleece," already quoted, page 169, but to John Wyatt, the partner in misfortune with Lewis Paul; and Mr. Baines took so much pains to investigate that subject, and has thrown so much light upon the introduction of that machinery which has been used, with some modifications, in the woollen manufacture as well as in the cotton, and has been the great agent for the vast extension of both,. that the following extracts from his work are most appropriate, and must be interesting

:

FROM BAINES'S HISTORY OF THE COTTON MANUFACTURE. "We have now arrived at the era of invention; and a series of inventions is to be opened, which for ingenuity and importance has never been equalled in any other manufacture.

"I cannot better introduce a history, which, however splendid in its national results, is sometimes obscure as to the claims of individuals, and more often melancholy as to their fate, than by quoting the following excellent remarks on inventors and inventions from an old writer:-t

"Few new inventions were ever rewarded by a monopoly; for altho' the Inventor, oftentimes drunk with the opinion of his own merit, thinks all the world will invade and encroach upon him, yet I have observed that the generality of men will scarce be hired to make use of the new practices, which them

*"History of the Cotton Manufacture in Great Britain with a Notice of its early History in the East, and in all the Quarters of the Globe; a Description of the great Mechanical Inventions, which have caused its unexampled extension in Britain; and a View of the Present State of the Manufacture, and the Condition of the Classes engaged in its several Departments. By Edward Baines, Jun. Esq. London: H. Fisher, R. Fisher, and P. Jackson. 1835."

† "A Treatise on Taxes and Contributions, published in 1769, and which I have only seen in the British Museum."

selves have not throughly tried, and which length of time hath not vindicated from latent inconvenience; so as when a new invention is first propounded, in the beginning every man objects, and the poor inventor runs the gantloop of all petulent wits; every man finding his several flaw, no man approving it unless mended according to his own device. Now not one of a hundred outlives this torture, and those that do are at length so changed by the various contrivances of others, that not any one man can pretend to the invention of the whole, nor well agree about their respective shares in the parts. And moreover this commonly is so long a-doing, that the poor inventor is either dead or disabled by the debts contracted to pursue his design; and withal railed upon as a projector, or worse, by those who joyned their money in partnership with his wit; so as the said inventor and his pretences are wholly lost and vanisht.'-p. 53.

Every stage in the improvement of the cotton manufacture illustrates the truth of these remarks. It is melancholy to contrast with the sanguine eagerness of inventors, the slowness of mankind to acknowledge and reward their merits; to observe how, on many occasions, genius, instead of realizing fame and fortune, has been pursued by disaster and opposition, how trifling difficulties have frustrated the success of splendid discoveries, and how those discoveries, snatched from the grasp of their broken-hearted authors, have brought princely fortunes to men whose only talent was in making money. When inventors fail in their projects, no one pities them; when they succeed, persecution, envy, and jealousy are their reward. Their means are generally exhausted before their discoveries become productive. They plant a vineyard, and either starve, or are driven from their inheritance, before they can gather the fruit.

Up to the year 1760, the machines used in the cotton. manufacture in England were nearly as simple as those of India; though the loom was more strongly and perfectly constructed, and cards for combing the cotton had been adopted from the woollen manufacture.

"The cotton manufacture, though rapidly increasing, could never have received such an extension as to become of great national importance, without the discovery of some method