's68 on cotton manufactures. -^ug. 8. 



so. There is hardly a field in Lancafhire in which 

 you do not see built or building, a cluster of four, 

 five, or six manufacturers houses ; land round theiif 

 towns lets at L. 4 or L. ^per acre ; and a general ap- 

 pearance of wealth and plenty diffuses itself where 

 ever the cotton businefs is carried on. Favoured as 

 the India cotton is, the parliament will not hesitate to 

 impose duties, and even prohibitions, on such articles 

 as we are able to furnifh for ourselves. Not only 

 the Britifh market is open to us, but all Europe calls 

 for our Manchester and cotton goods. Some states 

 admit them freely, others, under higher duties ; andL 

 the rest in a contraband way contrive to obtain 

 them. The consumption in France, by the way of 

 Holland, is immense. Considering how much we 

 have got the start of other nations, considering our 

 liberty, our industry, our capital, it is hard to say 

 when they will be able to vie with us. It is belie- 

 ved there would be full employment for them all, if 

 every parifh in Scotland contained a spinning ma* 

 chine, five times as big as its parifh kirk. The five 

 already erected in Scotland go on with a degree of 

 succefs which cannot fail to produce more. 



Prudence requires us to forbear entering upon one 

 of the most important considerations relative to this 

 subject. I mean the proper way to proceed in order 

 to introduce this branch most speedily into Scotland. 

 There are certainly difficulties in the way, which 

 would be increased by discoursing about them. The 

 more quietly this is undertaken the better chance it 

 has to succeed. Little fhould be said till we are ful- 

 ly pofsefsed of every machine, whether for weaving 



