T R A 
T R A 
ugh flax and linen-yam imported on an 
lerage of live years, ending the 5th of Ja- 
liary in the years stated, viz. 
Flax. 
Linen-yarn. 
1*776 
254,141 cwt. 
7,847,157 lbs. 
1787 
245,636 
8,873,866 
1792 
232,564 
9,781,275 
1799 
290,754 
8,148,936 
[The returns of the quantity and value of 
hen-cloth stamped for sale in Scotland, fin- 
ish much information respecting the state of 
lis manufacture ; and were in three Years 
nding with 1800, as follows : 
Yards. Value. 
1 1798 21,297,059 <£. 850,903 9 9 
; 1799 24,506,007 1,116,022 4 7 
1 1800 24,2 35,633 1,047,598 10 10 
*The linens which most of the families in 
cotlaiul make for their own use, are not 
ramped, and consequently are not included 
1 these returns, which must therefore be less 
nan the quantity actually manufactured bv 
Iveral millions of yards ; and the value stated 
3 certainly much below the actual selling 
rices. There is no account kept of the linen- 
nanufacture in England ; and as it is consi- 
ered as an object of subordinate importance, 
:s annual value is probably under 1,000,000/. 
>ut even if it is somewhat less than this 
.mount, it will appear that the total value of 
he manufacture, rated at the current prices, 
anuot be less than the sum before stated, or 
5.000. 000/. The number of persons em- 
iloyed in it is probably not less than 95,000. 
The hemp-manufacture at present exceeds 
l, 600,000/. per annum, but is less in time of 
>eace ; the persons employed in it are pro- 
jably about 35,000. 
it The paper-manufacture has been greatly 
ulvanced of late. A hundred years ago 
Iparcely any paper was made in this country 
nit the coarse wrapping papers ; and for a 
ong time most of the superior kinds conti- 
lued to be imported ; the export is, however, 
it present considerable The annual value 
of the manufacture, at the present high prices 
of the article, cannot be less than 900,000/. 
md the number of persons employed in it 
30.000. 
1 The glass-manufacture was much improv- 
ed in the course of the last century, parti- 
cularly in the article of plate-glass, and it 
has greatly increased of late years ; it may 
now amount to 1,500,000/. per annum, and 
the pr -'sons employed in it to about 36,000. 
i The potteries, and manufactures of earth- 
enware and porcelain, advanced rapidly 
during the last century in consequence of the 
great improvements made in them, and the 
introduction of many new and beautiful wares 
both for our own use and foreign markets. 
The article of queen’s-ware was invented in 
1763, by Mr. J. Wedgewood, to whom the 
public are also indebted for most of those 
elegant species of earthenware and porcelain 
which, moulded into a thousand different 
forms for ornament or use, now constitute 
the most valuable part of this manufacture. 
The annual value will probably not be over- 
rated at 2,000,000/. and the number of per- 
sons employed at 45,000. 
The iron-manufacture is supplied partly 
av the produce of our own mines, and partly 
ay those of other countries; with respect to 
die first, it appears, that the total produce 
>f pig-iron in Britain, is at least 100,000 
tons; and reckoning on an average, that 33 
cwt. of crude iron produce one ton of bars, 
and that the manufacture of malleable iron 
amounts to 35,000 tons per annum, this 
branch will require 57,750 tons of crude iron ; 
and the value in bars at 20/. a ton, which is 
considerably under the present price, is 
700,000/. the remaining 42,250 tons, cast into 
cannon, cylinders, and machinery, &c.at 14/. 
a ton, are worth 591,500/. The supply of fo- 
reign bar-iron is chiefly obtained from Russia 
and Sweden ; and the quantity imported on 
an average of six years, ending with 1 805, 
after deducting what was re-exported, has 
been 33,628 tons, value 865,182/. which with 
the sums before mentioned, amounts to 
2,156,682/. This value is greatly increased 
by subsequent labour; but the proportion of 
the increase cannot be easily determined, the 
quantity of labour being so very different in 
different articles. 
Some years ago the value of the iron-ma- 
nufacture was estimated at 8,700,000/. 
which sum appeal's rather too high at present; 
but including tin and lead, the value of the 
whole will probably not be taken too high at 
10,000,000/. and the number of persons em- 
ployed at 200,000. 
The copper and brass manufactures are 
now established in this country in all their 
branches. Till about the years 1720 or 
1730, most of the copper and brass utensils 
for culinary and other purposes, used in this 
country, were imported from Hamburgh and 
Holland, being procured from the manufac- 
tories of Germany ; even so late as the years 
1745 and 1750, copper tea-kettles, saucepans, 
and pots of all sizes, were imported here in 
large quantities ; but through the persever- 
ing industry, capitals, and enterprising spirit 
of our miners and manufacturers, these im- 
ports have become totally unnecessary, the 
articles being now all made here, and far 
better than any other country can produce. 
The discovery of new copper-mines in Corn- 
wall, Derbyshire, and Wales, about the year 
1773, contributed to the extension of"the 
manufacture in this country ; and it appears 
to be still increasing, notwithstanding the very 
great advance in the price of copper, which 
must certainly be attended with some disad- 
vantage with respect to foreign markets. The 
value of wrought copper and brass exported 
during the year 1799 was 1,222,187/. and 
there is reason to believe, that the whole va- 
lue of these manufactures at present is at 
least 3,600,000/. and the number of persons 
employed about 60,000. 
The steel, plating, and hardware manu- 
factures, including the toy trade, have been 
carried to a great extent" of late years, and 
may amount in value to 4,000,000/. and the 
persons employed to at least 70,000. 
It must be confessed, that many of these 
estimates are unavoidably defective from the 
want of public documents respecting many 
important branches of trade ; they may, 
however, be sufficiently accurate to shew, in 
a general view, the relative extent of the 
principal manufactures of Great Britain, 
viz. 
Annual Persons 
value. employed. 
Woollen <£. 16,400,000 440,340 
Leather 10,500,000 241,818 
Cotton 11,000,000 347,271 
Silk 2,700,000 . 65,000 
5 K 2- 
TIjA 
Linen and flax 2,000,000 
Hemp ] ,600,000 
Paper 900,000 
Class f, 500, 000 
Potteries 2,000,000 
Iron, tin, and 
lead 10,000,000 
Copper and brass 3,600,000 
Steel, plating, 
&c. " 4,000,000 
=£.67,200,000 
95.000 
35.000 
30,00(7 
36.000 
45.000 
200,000 
60.000 
70,000 
1,665,429 
There are many other manufactures, such 
as those of hats, horn, straw, &cc. which, 
though of themselves ot less importance than 
most of those above enumerated, are toge- 
ther ot very considerable amount, and em- 
ploy a great number of hands. There are 
likewise some, which, though not generally 
included among the manufactures, are cer- 
tainly such in a great degree, and might, with 
much propriety, be classed with them. 
It may be proper to observe, that those 
who have rated the number of persons em- 
ployed in the different branches very con- 
siderably higher than is here stated, have ge- 
nerally included a variety of collateral em- 
ployments, as mariners, carriers, miners, 
&c. whereas the numbers here given are 
meant to include only the persons direct lv 
employed in the various transactions and 
operations necessary for bringing the raw 
materials into their finished consumable 
state. 
Trade-winds. See Wind. 
'I EADESCANTIA, a genus of the hex- 
andria monogynia class of plants, the flower 
of which consists of three orbiculated, plane, 
and very patent petals ; and its fruit is an 
oval trilocular capsule, containing a few an- 
gulated seeds. 19 species. 
TR AG AC AN T H . See Astragalus. 
Tragacanth, gum, or, as some call it, 
gum-adragant, or gum dragon, is the produce 
ot the above and some other shrubs. 1 he gum 
is brought to us In long and slender pieces, of 
a flatted figure more or less, and these not 
straight, or rarely so ; but commonly twisted 
and contorted various ways, so as to resemble 
worms. We sometimes meet with it like the 
other vegetable exsudations, in roundish d rops, 
but these are much more rare. It is moderate- 
ly heavy, of a firm consistence, and properly 
speaking, very tough rather than hard ; and is 
extremely difficult to powder, imLss first care- 
fully dried, and the mortar and pe-tle kept 
dry. Its natural colour is ?. pale whitish, 
and in the cleanest pieces it is something 
transparent. It is often, however, met with 
tinged brownish, and of other colours, and 
more opake. It has no smell, and very little 
taste, but what it has is disagreeable. Taken 
into the mouth, it does not grow clammy, and 
stick to the teeth, as the gum arabic "does, 
but melts into a kind of very soft mucilave. 
It dissolves in water but slowly, and commu- 
nicates its mucilaginous quality to a great 
quantity of that fluid. It is by no means so- 
luble in oily or spirituous liquors, nor is it in- 
flammable. It is brought to us from the isl- 
and of Crete, and from several parts of Asia. 
It is to be chosen in long twisted pieces, of a 
whitish colour, very clear, and free from all 
other colours; the brown, and particularly 
the black, are wholly to be rejected. 
Tragacanth has the same virtues with-gum 
