154 



REPORT 1856. 



factories of ornamental vases, chimney-tops, gas retorts, drain- and water-pipes, fire- 

 bricks, figures and fountains from fire-clay, and several very extensive works, wholly 

 engaged in the production of coarse earthenware, sugar moulds, and drips and chim- 

 ney caps from the red clay of the district. For the purpose of exhibiting more palpa- 

 bly and clearly the present extent and importance of this almost new branch of manu- 

 facture in Glasgow, the following statistical facts have been obtained, which cannot 

 fail to prove the rapid rise of this important department. During the year 1854 the 

 eight manufactories of porcelain and earthenware imported and used 7805 tons of clays 

 from Dorset, Devon, and Cornwall, 1240 tons of Cornish stone, and 2850 tons of flints, 

 employing in all 11,895 tons of shipping, while in these works were consumed about 

 50,000 tons of coals. The number of persons employed during the same period, 

 consisting of men, boys, and girls, were 2000, who, on an average, gained 12s. per 

 week of wages ; making an aggregate of £62,400 paid to workpeople in the Glasgow 

 potteries during the twelvemonth. The total value of this branch may be fairly esti- 

 mated at £120,000, while the quantity exported in 1854 from the Clyde amounted to 

 4,931,166 pieces. At first sight it might be supposed that a manufacture which requires 

 to draw such heavy products as clays, flints, and Coi-nish stone fi'om so great a distance 

 would be disaclvantageously placed as to profit. But as respects this, Glasgow is not 

 less favourably situated than the great seat of the porcelain manufacture in England, — 

 Staffordshire; while in regard to the price of fuel, and the ready means of conveyance to 

 all parts of the world, it is even more advantageously placed. In the manufacture of 

 porcelain, however, there are a vast variety of articles required, in addition to clays 

 and flints. As a somewhat curious picture of the variety of articles which enter into 

 the manufacture of porcelain, we find the following rather long list used in a Glasgow 

 pottery employing 315 persons: — 



Blue clay 600 tons. 



China clay .... 500 „ 



Cornish stone . . . 300 ,, 



Flints 700 „ 



Fire-clay used . . . 500 „ 



Borax used for glaze . 15 „ 



Lead ,, » • 16 „ 



Calcined bone ... 25 ,, 

 Gypsum used for moulds 40 „ 



Paris whiting ... 12 ,, 



Chromate of iron . . 1 ,, 



Oxide of zinc ... 15 cwt. 

 Pink, green, black, 



brown, and coloiu'3 . 1200 lbs. 



Oxide of cobalt. . . 600 „ 

 Paper used for printing 550 reams. 

 Cost of engraving and 



copper .... ^200 



Linseed oil used . . 100 galls. 



Tar used with colour . 

 Flannel used for trans- 

 ferring prints, &c. . 

 Gold used for gilding . 



Straw used for packing . 



Crates used during year 



Cordage used . . . 



Fire-bricks used for 

 keeping up kilns and 

 slip pans .... 



Covers 



Granite stone used for 

 grinding purposes . 



Enginepower for grind- 

 ing materials . 



Coals consumed . . 



30 galls. 



320 yards. 

 30 ozs., 

 [pure. 

 17,000 stones. 

 3,000 

 14 cwt. 



40,000 

 600 



70 tons. 



60 horse 

 [steam-engine. 

 5,000 tons. 



In the flint-glass manufactories of Glasgow there was produced during the year 

 1854 about 1,640,000 lbs. of finished goods, which employed 323 persons ; and there 

 were used in these glass-houses 330 tons of white sand, 220 tons of red lead, and 115 

 tons of saltpetre and pearl-ashes ; the wages paid out of the manufiictories being 

 £16,000, and the whole value of the branch being about £40,000, while the quantity 

 exported from the Clyde amounted to 2262 cwt. From the twelve bottle-houses which, 

 during 1851, employed 400 workers, there were produced bottles to the extent of 

 208,000 cwt., or 14,992,667 bottles — the value of the branch in 1854 being about 

 £104,000. The amount of wages paid was £31,200 ; and the export from the Clyde 

 90,430 cwt. 



In the manufacture of tobacco-pipes, there has of late years been perhaps a greater 

 proportional advance than in that of porcelain or glass. This is a handicraft which 

 may be said to belong peculiarly to Glasgow, being carried on to a far greater extent 

 there than in any other part of the country. Within little more than twenty years, 

 there were not above fifty persons employed in this manufacture in that city, and at 



