50 



for the production of plainer sorts, in which there was not so 

 much exertion required, or so great a strain on the nerve and 

 attention of the operative, it would be well for them to continue 

 in its production, if the masters could reap the same profits as 

 from the other kinds of cloth. 



Alderman Greenwood replied at length to the various points 

 raised in the discussion. He said the fact of Continental countries 

 constantly increasing their tariffs showed their weakness as com- 

 petitors with England. The tendency was towards a continual 

 rise in the tariffs rather than in the direction of their abolition, 

 but if these imposts were removed our employers would find 

 themselves crowded with orders, they would have a difficulty in 

 finding sufficient workpeople to run their spindles and looms, 

 and the profits would be something fabulous. The fact that 

 India was open to any country in the world and that we had a 

 monopoly of the trade, showed the supremacy of our position in 

 a competitive sense. Then the manufactm-es exported from India 

 were a mere trifle, and these were divided between Persia, China, 

 and Africa. When Mr. H. H. Johnstone, the African traveller, 

 lectiu:ed in Burnley, he and a few more gentlemen impressed 

 upon him very strongly that as he was going out as consul to 

 the Cameroons, be should give special attention to the develop- 

 ment of the export trade of Lancashire, more particularly the 

 Burnley trade. He replied that his special instructions were to 

 look particularly after the trade of the district to which he was 

 sent. This was as it should be. With regard to India, Alderman 

 Greenwood explained that whenever a decided increase of our 

 exports had taken place in any year it had always been maintain- 

 ed, and contended that the tone he had adopted with respect to 

 our future trade in that dependency was not too sanguine. Very 

 little development might be looked for in our future exports of 

 yarn, but he looked to a continued increase in the exportation 

 of cotton cloth. Our spinners would have to look more to tlie 

 home market for an increased demand for this commodity, and 

 spinning mills could not continue to be built at Oldham and 

 carried on profitably without an increased demand. But while 

 the yarn market had been practically stationary for a few years, 

 the manufacturing industry had been expanding year by year, 

 and for an outlet for this expansion we must look more and more 

 to Asia, and particularly to India. In conclusion, he expressed 

 a hope that some decided effort would be made to establish a 

 Chamber of Commerce in Burnley. It was either the second or 

 third manufacturing town in the kingdom, having about 50,000 

 looms, and it was desirable that a Chamber should be inaugurated 

 to look after so gigantic a trade. 



The proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to Alderman 

 Greenwood. 



