No. 149.] 429 



be more readily obtained at home, the consumption would be in- 

 creased to a still greater extent. The progress of the linen trade, 

 in consequence of tlie great improyements which have been made 

 in machinery, has. within the last twenty years, been almost un- 

 paialleled. The exports of linen, haye increased since that time 

 from 50,000,000 to 105,000,000 of yards, and its declared yalue 

 from jei, 700,000 to upwards of £3,000,000. No attempt what- 

 ever, has been made on the part of our agriculturists to meet the 

 enormous and rapid increase in the demand for the raw material ; 

 and as a consequence, the foreign producer has been reaping a gold- 

 en harvest from the monopoly whicli he has possessed. The im- 

 ports of foreign flax have increased from 936,000 cwt. in 1831, to 

 1,800,000 in 1842. The value of the increased imports being not 

 less than two milliojis and a halfj nearly the whole of which is 

 paid for in money sent out of the country. 



Hemp. — We also import large quantities of hemp, which might, 

 like flax, be easily and profitably grown at home. The value of 

 the hemp annually imported is about £1 ,500.000. We have thus 

 a demand existing for flax and hemp, and for the supply of which 

 we are dependent upon foreign countries, shown in round num- 

 bers by the following figures : 



Flax fibre „ , i:.5,000,000 



Seed for crushing 1,800,000 



sowing , 200,000 



oil-cake 600,000 



nemp 1,500,000 



£9,100,000 



New Markets. — Hitherto we have spoken only of the existing 

 markets ; I am now anxious to call your attention to that great 

 demand which will be opened by my discovery of the mode of 

 adapting flax to cotton and woolen machinery. The substitution 

 of flax for cotton is now no longer a matter of doubt. Recent 

 experiments at Rochdale have completely set that question at rest. 

 Important as may be the considerations connected at present with 

 tlie linen manufactures, and cogent as may be the arguments 

 deduced from them, in order to induce you to obtain possession 

 of the ground now occupied by the foreign producer — infi:^iteJy 



