MANUFACTURES. 
several of our manufactures, in consequence 
of whicli tlie total amount exported had fallen 
in 1781 to 7,633,33^1 and on an average of 
six years, ending with 1783, it was 8,616,660h 
During the peace which followed, the ex- 
port trade rapidly revived, and, in the year 
preceding the war with France, had attain- 
ed do a magnitude beyond all former ex- 
ample ; it w'as checked a little by the mer- 
cantile embarrassments in 1793, but a few 
years after the unsettled state of several 
of the principal European powers threw 
many additional branches of foreign trade 
into the hands of our merchants, and car- 
ried the export of our manufactures to 
its present important extent. The real 
value of British produce and manufac- 
tures exported, as far as it can be ascer- 
tained, under the ad valorem duties, or 
computed at tiie average current prices of 
the goods, amounts to more than forty mil- 
lions sterling. The woollen-manufacture, 
which is the most ancient and important, 
has increased during the last twenty years, 
and appears to be still increasing, notwith- 
standing the high price of the material, and 
the precarious slate of the foreign markets. 
On an examination of the principal woollen- 
manufactures, by a committee of the House 
of Commons, it was estimated the quantity 
of wool grown in this country at 600,000 
packs, of 240 pounds each, which at 111. 
per pack, makes the value of the.whole 
6.600.0001. But it was justly observed 
that it is difficult to ascertain how much 
the wool is increased in value by being 
manufactured ; some sorts are increased 
rather more than double, some nine times 
or even more; but if the average is taken 
at only three times, which will be under 
the truth, the total value of the wool manu- 
factured in the country will amount to' 
19.800.0001. It must be remarked, that 
this calculation is founded on a supposition 
that, in 1791, the number of sheep in the 
kingdom was 28,800,000, which, as far as 
any idea can be formed from the propor- 
tion of the consumption of the metropolis, 
to that of the whole island, and the stoek 
requisite for the supply, greatly exceeded 
the truth at that time ; and it is the general 
opinion, particularly of persons in the wmol- 
trade, that of late the number of sheep kept 
has been considerably reduced. 
The calculation is likewise made at an 
unusually high price of wool ; for though 
during the year 1800, tlie average price was 
about eleven guineas, the average of the 
three or four preceding years was certainly 
not more than from ten pounds to ten 
guineas; upon the whole, tlie estimate, 
therefore, will be much less objectionable, 
if formed on 500,000 packs at 101. 10*. pep 
pack, which will make the value of the 
wool 5,250,0001. ; to this must be added 
at least 500,0001. for tbe value of Spanish 
w'ool imported, and the manufactured value 
of the whole will be 17,250,0001. That 
the total value of the manitfacture cannot 
exceed this sum will appear highly pro- 
bable from the exports. The average value 
of woollen goods exported from Great 
Britain at the close of the last century vm 
5,647,9281. 
Most of the Custom House values of 
goods exported are greatly below their pre- 
sent value, but not so much so in this 
article as in some others; they are found, 
however, to be about thirty-eight per cent, 
below the actual value and this addition 
being made to the average amount, the 
value of woollen goods exported will ap- 
pear to be 7,794,1401. 
The value retained for home consump- 
tion may be nearly equal to tlie value ex- 
ported, although in quantity the former 
may greatly exceed the latter, a very con- 
siderable proportion of which consists of 
superfine and second cloths, whereas tlie 
consumption of fine woollens in Great 
Britain has much diminished of late years, 
from the general use of Manchester manu- 
factures of cotton in clothing, particular for 
waistcoats and breeches. The whole value 
of the manufacture thus appears to be 
about 15,588,0001. and, as a medium be- 
tween this sum and the amount before 
stated, it may be taken at 16,400,0001. 
Deducting from this amount at the rate of 
ten per cent, on the cost of the goods for 
the profits of the manufacturer, including 
the interest of his capital, there remains 
14,909,0901. consisting of the cost of the 
material, and the wages of labour; the 
value of all the wool employed, we have 
seen, is about 5,750,0001. and including the 
cost of some other necessary articles, the 
materials cannot be valued at less than this 
sum ; the remainder therefore, or 9,159,0901. 
is the amount of workmanship, or the wages 
of all the persons employed in tlie manu- 
facture. 
It is scarcely possible to assume with 
precision an average rate of wages, with 
respect to any manufacture, as they vary 
in different parts of the comitry, and the 
proportion of the different classes of per- 
sons employed is in no instance known 
with certainty. In the West, wdiere the 
woollen manufacture has been for som 
