Og$ USE OF IRON TOR FUHMTURTE. 



Iron abounds Now Great Britain produces iron in abundance. I do 

 in tins country. Qot p rct(Mu i t0 assert, that iron is the best substitute : if any 

 ihirtg else can be discovered, which will answer the end; in 

 fact, if this communication gives birth to any idea in any 

 other person, so that the end can be accomplished; this is 

 all I have in view. I think, sir, that at times like the pre- 

 sent, when all the nations of the world by turns are our ene- 

 mies, it is the duty of every Englishman, to endeavour to 

 discover, if it be possible, among ourselves, resources to sa- 

 tisfy our wants. Why should we, if it be possible to avoid 

 W h Id **' ^ e dependant on an y nation? We ought to endeavour to 

 deavour to bring into the greatest degree of usefulness every article our 



render our- own coun t r y produces. By so doing, we are gaining more 



selves indepen- J » J . 



dent of foreign real wealth, than by the fluctuations and hazards of com- 



nauons. merce. Mahogany in the last six or seven years has nearly 



doubled in price, and this is still increasing: and when, as 



greaufrLsen in * s tne case ' ever y man °f tne middle class is imitating the 

 price, and luxury of the higher orders ; not only imitating them in their 

 c u»e . extravagance and expensive mode of living, hut in his furni- 

 ture, almost every article of which in his house must be 

 mahogany ; this increases the demand to a great degree, 

 and in proportion aUo the price: so that a large portion of 

 the wealth of this country goes in purchasing in a foreign 

 market this expensive article of luxury. If it were a native 

 of our own soil, the evil would not be so great; for at all 

 events the money would remain in the country, and in time 

 would find its way again into circulation. 

 Iron proposed The substitute I mean to propose is iron. In bedsteads, 

 for bedsteads. ^ i nstance> t ) ie post3 or p iu ars , a s well as the frame itself, 

 Admits of might be cast hollow, beautifully wreathed up the posts 

 much elegance w j t jj flower, festoons, or clusters of fruit, or embossed with 

 numberless fanciful ornaments, which the workman might 

 touch up with his graver and chissel, to clear the foliage, &c. 

 from the sand, and to make the flowers sharp and neat be- 

 fore they go to the finisher. The painter might colour them 

 so as to heve a more elegant and more handsome appearance 

 than it is possible to give to carved wood : and besides they 

 might be cast so light, and in such chaste symetry, as can- 

 not be accomplished in wood. This would give employ- 

 ment to many of our manufacturers, as every Japan ner 



could 



