1V00LLWN lEADE.] 



AND TILKIU VAUIOL'S BllEEDS. 



[woollen tbadb. 



tlio cruel Diiko of Alva ou tho protestant 

 inaiiufiictunTs of the Netlierlanils, caused 

 many of tlioin to omigrato to this country. 

 To tlicse it was tho policy of Elizabeth to 

 cxioiul luT protection, well kno\vin<; tlio skill 

 which they had in wi-aving, and tho iinprove- 

 nicuts which they wcro likely to introduce 

 amongst her own native subjects. Eivo hun- 

 dred of tlicse refugees settled in London ; and 

 the southern seats of maiuifacturo had large 

 accessions of weavers. The scarcity of hands 

 complained of in tho reign of Henry VII., was 

 no longer heard of; and Norwich was not 

 necessitated any more to deplore the paucity 

 of manipulators in her manufactures, lu this 

 reign, trade with Kussia, and the formation of 

 a Kussian trading company, followed, and still 

 further increased the foreign relations of tho 

 country. Tho Turkish Company was estab- 

 lished in 1581 ; the African Company in 1585 ; 

 and the East India Company in 1600. 



In 1GG7, importation of foreign dyers took 

 place. They arrived under the guidance of a 

 person of the name of Brewer. The principal 

 English dye had hitherto been wood ; but he 

 taught them all the mysteries of dressing cloth 

 as well as dyeing. In the reigns of Charles I. 

 and II., the public turbulence and arbitrary 

 interference seem to have crippled the trade. 

 By Charles II., as well as by the Common- 

 wealth, the exportation of wool and sheep 

 was strictly prohibited. But in the reign of 

 William III., manufacturers made steady pro- 

 gress. Considering Ireland to be a linen manu- 

 facturing country, he discouraged the woollen 

 manufacture there. Florentine wool manu- 

 facture was stimulated by every means, legiti- 

 mate and otherwise, and Sweden began to 

 rival England ; the silk trade was pushed, and 

 a general activity pervaded all classes of tho 

 community. 



The Georges encouraged the woollen trade ; 

 and thej were indebted to it in more ways 



than one. Manufacturers and staplora raiacd 

 troops to assist them to repel invaders. John 

 llouth, a stapler of Thorplield House, in York- 

 shire, raised a troop, and had colours prcBcnted 

 by his sovereign, George II., for his loyalty. 

 Tho king also granted h charter, conceding 

 freedom of tolls to John llouth and othern, on 

 tho Aire and Calder rivers — an immunity of 

 great value to a wool-stapler. In tho reign of 

 George 111. our manufactures rose to their 

 [)innaclo of greatness; and, though heavily 

 taxed, wo were enjoying the blessings of 

 peace when all tho rest of the world was at 

 war. A largo portion of our national debt 

 doubtless passed into the hands of tho British 

 manufacturers for the cloths they made ; and 

 fortunes were realised, which created the 

 inillocracy of England. In this reign, inven- 

 tions in mechanical appliances, stimulated, 

 doubtless, by the vast demand for woollen 

 goods during tho war, raised the English 

 clothier to the highest opulence. At this 

 period we obtained wool from Auntralia, Ger- 

 many, Spain, Eussiii, the Cape of Good Hope, 

 South America, and the East Indies. In 

 England, the woollen manufactures will always 

 bo intimately bound up with its pastoral 

 character. Though dependent on foreign 

 countries for a large amount of the raw ma- 

 terial, it still produces within itself a vast 

 proportion of what it requires ; and the paying 

 character of sheep, both directly and indii-ectly, 

 has a great tendency to maintain mutual de- 

 pendence and reciprocity between the wool 

 grower and the manufacturer. The present 

 extraordinary rage for cheapness is amongst 

 the most wonderful tendencies of the age. It 

 is inducing the English manufacturer to make 

 up fabrics mixed with calico, and to work up 

 wool-dust, which is not only unprofitable to 

 the wearer, but must ultimately have a ten- 

 dency to bring discredit on himself, and those 

 with whom he is connected. 



727 



