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luodities are fubjed to different duties of import and excife, on their 

 entry in the ports of this kingdom ; then come the charges, for the 

 carriage from the Cuftom-houfe quay, for ftorage, and fadlorage ; (for 

 mofl of the trade in hardware between Britain and this country is 

 managed by faclors.) It is a faft, that mofl: of the arms, if not the 

 whole of them, which are required for the ufe of the troops, on this 

 efl;ablifliment, are furuiflied from Birmingham and Sheffield. This can- 

 not be attributed wholly to the want of manufaclurers in the coun- 

 try, were the contraftors for government difpofed to employ them ; 

 much lefs would I fuppofe the ungenerous defign of giving a prefe- 

 rence to the fifiier country, at our expence ; in the very crifis, when 

 Ireland is {training every nerve to affifl: her. — It mud be attributed, to 

 the more profperous ftate of the Britijh manufactures, which enables 

 the workmen, to fupply us, with their fabricks, on cheaper terms. 



Much of this difference in price may be attributed to the fuperi- 

 ority of capital, by which the mafter manufafturer is enabled, to divide 

 and fubdivide labour, by employing a very great number of workmen ; 

 fo that lefs time is expended in the fabrication of any given article 

 of the manufaflure. Much of the firfl: cofl; of a manufacture arifing 

 from the price of labour or hire of workmen, it is obvious, that, in 

 proportion as the time requiCte to produce any given fabrick is dimi- 

 niflied, the firfl coft of the things in queflion, mnft be leffened. Add 

 to this, what I have obferved more than once, that a large capital 

 acquires primum of the beli quality, on the cheapeft terms ; laflly, it 

 is to be confidered, that the manufafturer, with the greatefl capital, 

 will content himfelf with the fmallefl: profits. The extent and multi- 

 plicity of his dealings will counterbalance the fmallnefs in any indivi- 

 dual dealing. Great capital mufl; overlook petty details, and proceed 

 on an enlarged fcale. The manufaflurer will readily perceive, that the 

 accumulation of wealth mufl rather depend, on the quick return of fo 

 large a capital, that it may again become more produftive, than on 



partial, 



