SCBSTITUTE FOR LEGHORN PLAIT. 275 



the wear of straw hats as the whim of the day; but I be- 

 lieve, that the superior comfort, in summer weather, arising 

 from the wear of a light hat in preference to a heavy one, 

 wil! induce gentlemen more and more to make use of the 

 British legliorn ; and as to the predilection of ladies for hats 

 manufactured of split straw, I think I hazard very little in 

 considering that as establisht^d ; and when to our home con- 

 sumption is added a consideration of the demand for the 

 East and West Indies, the coast of the Mediterranean and 

 South America, 1 think myself very aafe in asserting, that 

 these inainifactures will employ not less than 60OOO 

 children. 



Our poor's rates amount to more than five millions per Foot rates. 

 annum; and there can be no remedy for so great a burden 

 equal to the setting the children or the poor to work, so 

 that they shall earn their own bread, instead of being 

 chargeable to the parish. It is true, that the demand for 

 straw-plait has caused an increased quantity to be made ; 

 yet the demand is still superior to the quantity ; and in the 

 spring, the price often advances from 30 to 60 per cent 

 beyond lis' fair value, even allowing sufficient profit to the 

 poor employed, and the dealer in the article. I believe. The manufac* 



therefore, that this branch of manufacture is still in its in- ture of straw 

 „ ,,..,.,,, -, **t'» >n Its 



fancy, and that it is likely to have great permanency ; and infancy. 



although it may, by some, be considered as an insignificant 

 source of revenue, yet when it is considered, that Providence 

 has given u&the means of improving the agricultural state of 

 the kingdom, in raising the raw materials, and that so many 

 thousands of our poor may be employed in its manufacture, 

 I trust that every assistance will be afforded to so extraordi- 

 nary a source of national wealth. 



If any person should doubt my arguments, I will beg x{,g ^3]„3 ^j^ 

 leave to state a fact in confirmation of my positions. I once ^^^^ wholi/ 

 bad the curiosity to put into the scale some straw I was about labour. 

 to sell, and I found that it netted upwards of twenty three 

 pounds sterling per lb. weight. If therefore, an article, 

 which in its unmanufactured state is considered as of little 

 worth, can, merely by the industry of children, be rendered 

 so valuable, T think I risk very little in affirming, that by 

 the encouragement of the British Leghorn, together with 

 T .1 th«t 



