<79 

 Blodget.] <^ [June 18, 



nineteen laws respecting the fabrication, dying, and sale of cloths and 

 stuffs, every one of which tended to make improvements in each of the 

 several manufactures" ; but two centuries later this industry had gone from 

 Spain and from the Spanish race to countries in the north of Europe. 

 From Europe to this country the transition is perfectly natural and easy, 

 coming with the immigration which all the circumstances unite in inviting. 

 It is not in opposition to race prejudices, but entirely in accord with them, 

 that the crowded populations of French or English cities should bring with 

 them the industries which found their best market here, and establish silk 

 weaving, tapestries, damasks, and all forms of ornamented tissues in silk and 

 wool, as well as the plainer fabrics which are more promptly introduced. 

 It is certain that they are being so introduced, and with a degree of rapidity 

 much greater than is usually supposed. 



The elements of permanence belonging to this movement are, however, bet- 

 ter shown in the transfer of English industries in wool and cotton, than in 

 the silk and worsted of France and Germany. The English movement has 

 been in progress for twenty-five or thirty years, with a preliminary or par- 

 tial movement from the north of Ireland and extreme north of England 

 fifty years ago. Hand loom weaving in linseys and colored cottons was 

 the distinctive form here, while the cloth fulling and woolen cloth weav- 

 ing from the west of England was common to the whole country. Closely 

 following these was the carpet weaving, which originated in Prance, but 

 was given a form better adapted to general use in the English ingrains, and 

 one which transplanted here has been extended with great rapidity and 

 success. Yet the weavers are English, and establishments whether of the 

 smallest or of enormous magnitude represent English migrations chiefly, 

 and bring with them all that English skill has attained, as well as add the 

 most recent American peculiarities. The impression they make is very 

 striking, that it is not any present commercial or business advantage that 

 has brought them, and that the 6000 men of English birth which the car- 

 pet industry alone employs in Philadelphia, are greater than all the tem- 

 porary circumstances that can surround this carpet industry as a business. 

 Their presence creates many of these circumstances, and naturalizes the 

 change. 



In the hosiery and knit goods industry there is a large preponderance of 

 English identity, as it may be said, of identity in machinery, in workmen 

 and in proprietorship, but there is also a considerable share of German and 

 French elements of each of these classes. The variety of fabrics and arti- 

 cles made in this manner is much greater than is usually supposed, scarcely 

 an article of finished clothing being excepted. Shawls, scarfs, caps and 

 head dresses, coats or jackets, sleeves, gloves, &c., with all forms of hos- 

 iery proper, enter into consumption in this country to the extent probably 

 of forty millions of dollars in value yearly. Under the efiect of recent 

 developments, four-fifths of tlie supply required is now produced here, and 

 with changes in design and adaptation constantly efl^ccted, the industry 

 itself is much extended and enlarged. 



