MANUFACTURES. 
time past in a very depressed state, few 
workmen get above 14s. per week, and 
many much less from not being fully em- 
ployed ; in Yorkshire good workmen earn 
from 16s. to 18s. per week, children 3s. 
older children and women from 5s. to 6s. 
and old men from 9s. to 12s. If, on taking 
all classes togi tlier, 8s. per week is not 
thought too high, it will appear that the 
whole number of persons employed does 
not exceed 440,340. The value of the 
leather-manufacture was some years ago, 
stated at 10,500,0001. and from the state 
of the trade of late, particularly those 
branches of it which supply military accou- 
trements, harness, sadlery, carriages, &c. 
combined with the high price of skins of 
most kinds, it cannot he supposed less than 
that sum at present. Deducting 954,5451. 
for the profits of capital employed, and 
3,500,0001. for the cost of the raw article, 
there remains 6,045,4551. for the wages of 
persons employed therein, which, at 251. 
per annum for each person, makes the num- 
ber employefl 241,818. The cotton-manii- 
facture was formerly of little importance in 
this country, in comparison with its present 
state. The total quantity of cotton-wool 
imported into England, on an average of 
five years, ending with 1705, was 1,170,881 
pounds, and even so late as the year 1781, it 
amounted to only 5,101,920 pounds. About 
that time,however,the British calicoes,which 
had been introduced a few years before,- 
had arrived at some degree of perfection, 
and the branch of muslins being added, in 
which great improvements were soon after 
made, the whole, manufacture experienced 
, such a rapid and great increase, that pre- , 
viously to the commencement of the war 
with France, the consumption of cotton- 
wool amounted to upwards of 30,000,000 
pounds, per annum. The average value at the 
time referred to was 35,549,200 pounds, the 
value of which, when manufactured, cannot 
be less than 11,000,0001. allowing for a con- 
siderable quantity exported in a partially 
manufactured state. The total quantity 
of British calicoes and muslins printed in 
England, and Wales in the year 1800 was 
28,692,790 yards, and in Scotland 4,176,939 
yards, the duty on the whole amounting to 
479,3501. 4s. 31(1. Upon the supposition 
that the duty is one-tenth of the value, the 
value of this description of goods printed 
in 1800, will be 4,793,5021. the quantity 
of white calicoes and muslins made in 
Great Britain, is probably much greater 
than that of the printed ; and though they 
do not incur the expence of printing aruf 
duty, yet as a greater proportion of them 
are fine goods, the value of them is pro- 
bably rather above 3,500,0001. 
There are many other branches of manu- 
facture which consume large quantities of 
cotton, though it is difficult to form an 
idea of the precise amount; thus the hosiery 
branch was stated some years ago to employ 
I, 500,000 pounds, and it has certainly since 
increased considerably; the same quantity 
was said to be required for candle-wicks ; 
and it will probably be a very moderate 
estimate to value all the cotton that is 
manufactured in any other way than in 
muslins and calicoes at 2,800,0001. The 
total value of the manufacture vrill thus 
appear to be, as before stated, about 
II, 000,0001- Deducting from this sum, 
1,000,0001. for profits of a capital at ten 
per cent, and 4,443,6501 for cost of the 
raw material at 2s. fid. per pound, there 
remains 6,556,3501. for wages, which, if 
divided at the rate of only 161. per annum 
for each person, on account of the large 
proportion of women and children em- 
ployed, makes the whole number 347,271 
persons. The silk-manufacture was former- 
ly of greater extent than at present, but 
has not experienced any very considerable 
fluctuation for some time ; the average 
quantity of raw and thrown silk imported 
in three years preceding the 5th January 
1797, was 883,4381.; the value of which 
when manufactured is about 2,700,0001. 
The cost of silk to the manufacturer, if 
raw and thrown are taken together at only 
'28s. per pound, amounts to 1,260,0001. and 
the profits of the manufacture 245,4541. at 
the rate of ten per cent, on the cost when 
manufactured. 
It may be said that though this is the 
usual profit charged by the manufacturer 
in this and some oth^r branches, in casting 
up the selling price of his goods, they are 
frequently sold much under this price ; 
which must be admitted : but, as an ad- 
vantage is taken on most of the component 
parts of the price before the ten per cent, 
is laid on, it is probably not less than this 
rate on the whole, in this and in most other 
manufactures. The number of persons 
employed in the silk-manufactory has been 
stated at 200,000 and upwards, but there 
appears no reason to believe that it ex- 
ceeds 65,000 of all descriptions. 
The linen manufacture of Great Britain 
is chiefly confined to Scotland, though some 
branches of it are carried on in Manchester 
