GREAT BRITAIN. 
S24 
1797, was 883,438lbs. and the ufual quantity cannot be 
Hated at lefs tlian 9oo,ooolbs. the value of whicli, when 
inanufaftured, is about 2,700,000). The coft of the 
filk, averaging that of the raw and thrown at 28s. 
per pound, amounts to 1,260,000!. and the profits 
of tl:e inanufadturer to 245,454!. at the rate of lo per 
cent, on the cofi'wlien inanufadlured. The number of 
perfons employed in this manufacture has been ftated at 
200,000 and upwards; but there is reafon, fays Mr. 
Grellier, to believe that it does not exceed 60,000 of 
all defcriptions. 
The linen manufadlure of Great Britain is chiefly 
confined to Scotland, though confiderable branches of 
it are carried on in Manchefter and other parts of Eng¬ 
land. 'The total quantity of Britidi linen exported dur. 
ing the years 1797, 1798, 1799, was 56,481,000 yards ; 
and it the quantity retained for home confumption is 
not greater than the export, the value of the whole 
mufl: be at leaft i,6oo,oool. and that this does not ex¬ 
ceed the truth is probable, if the yearly value of the 
whole manufacture in Great Britain, with the thread 
and other branches of the flax trade, is Hated at 
2,ooo,oool. and the number of perfons employed at 
60,000. The hemp manufacture ;it prefent exceeds 
j.,500,000!. but it is lefs in time of peace; and the 
number of perfons employed is probably not lefs than 
35,000. 
TJie paper manufacture has of late greatly advanced. 
About one hundred years ago, the paper made in tiiis 
country was almoH wholly the coarfe wrapping paper, 
and for a long time the fuperior kinds were imported ; 
but the export is now' confiderable. The annual value 
of the manufacture, at the prefent high prices of the 
article, cannot be lei's than 900,000). and the number 
of peribns employed is 30,000. 
The glafs manufacture has of late very much im¬ 
proved and increafed ; fo that it may now amount to 
1,500,000). and the perfons employed in it are about 
36,000. The potteries and manufactures of porcelain 
have alfo rapidly advanced during, the prefent century, 
in conlequencc of the improvement they have received, 
and the introduction of many new and beautiful wares 
both for our own ufe and foreign markets. This coun¬ 
try is particularly indebted to Mr. Wedgwood, “for 
'^converting clay into gold.’’ The annual value will 
probably not be over-rated at 2,000,000!. and the number 
of perfons employed at 45,000. 
The iron manufacture is lupplied partly by the pro¬ 
duce of our own mines, and partly by thole of other 
countries. 'With refpeCt to the fiiit, it is faid the tot.d 
produce of pig-iron in Britain does not at prefent ex¬ 
ceed 100,000 tons ; and reckoning on an average, that 
33 cwi. of crude iron produces one ton of bars, and that 
the manufacture of malleable iron amounts to 35,000 
- tons per aimum, this branch will require 57,750 tons of 
crude iron; and the value in bars at 20I. a ton is 
700,0001. the remaining 42,250 tons, calt into cannon, 
cylinders, machinery, &c. at 14I. a ton, is worth 
591,5001. The .lupply of foreign bar-iron is chiefly ob¬ 
tained from RuHia and Sw'eden ; and the quantity im¬ 
ported, on an average of twelve years, has been 44,135 
tons, worth, at 22I. per ton, 970,970). which, together 
with the former fums, ;mounts to 2,262,470!. Some 
years ago, the value of the iron manufacture was elti- 
mated at 8,700,000). but if this fum fliould appear too 
high, we may include tin and lead, and the value of 
the whole will probably amount to io,ooo,oool. and the 
number of perlons employed to 200,000. 
The copj er and brafs manufactures are now eHablifli- 
ed in tonlitlcrable perfection. Till about the years 
X720 or 1730, molt of the copper and brafs utenlils tiled 
for culinary and other purpofes in this country were 
imported from Hamburg and Holland, being procured 
from the manufactories of Germany : and even fo late 
as 1745 and 1750, copper tea-kettles, faucepans, and 
pots of all fizes, were imported in large quantities. 
But by the perfevering induHry and enterprifing fpirit 
of our miners and manufacturers, thefe imports have 
become totally unneceffary ; fo that the articles are 
now all made here, and far better than any other coun¬ 
try can produce. The difeovery of new copper-mines 
in Derbylliire and Wales, in 1773, contributed to the 
extenfion of the manufacture in this country ; and it 
appears to be Hill increafing, notwithftanding the late 
great advance in the price of copper. The value of 
wrought copper and brafs, exported during the year 
1799, 1,222,r87l. and there is reafon to believe, 
that the whole value of thefe manufactures at prefent 
is at leaH 3,500,000). and the number of perfons em¬ 
ployed 6o,oool. 
The Heel, plating, and hard-ware, manufactures, in¬ 
cluding the toy-trade, have been of late much extend¬ 
ed, and may probably amount in value lo 4,000,000). 
and the perfons employed to at leafl 70,000.—Though 
thefe efiiinates muH in fome meafure be defective, from 
the want of more authentic documents, they may never- 
thelefs ferve to lliew the relative extent of our principal 
manufactures, as in the following fummary : 
Woollen 
Leather 
Cotton ... 
Silk - 
Linen and Flax 
Hemp 
Paper 
Glafs 
Potteries 
Iron, tin, and lead 
Copper and brafs 
Steel, plating, &c. 
Annual Value. 
Perfons employ 
5,500,000 
4 ^ 5.043 
- 10,500,000 
241,818 
- - 9,500,000 
322,140 
2,700,000 
60,000 
- 2,000,000 
60,000 
. 1,500,000 
35*000 
900,000 
30|Ooo 
- 1,500,000 
36,000 
- 2,000,000 
45,000 
10,000,000 
200,000 
- 3,500,000 
60,000 
. 4,000,000 
70,000 
J: 63,600,000 
1,1:85,000 
Though thefe manufactures are principally carried 
on tlirongh the medium of paper currency, this in re¬ 
ality takes nothing from the genuine riches of the coun¬ 
try, nor contributes, in the llighteH degree, to the en¬ 
hancement of the prices of provifions. It may be pru¬ 
dent, however, to limit, the total amount of paper if- 
fued, and to refort for this purpofe, whenever tlie temp¬ 
tation to borrow is too flrong, to fome efieCtual princi¬ 
ple of reHriction ; in no cafe, however, materially to 
diminifli tlie fum in circulation, but to let it vibrate only 
witliin certain limits; to afi'ord a flow and cautious ex¬ 
tenfion of it, as the general trade of the kingdom en¬ 
larges itfelf; to allow of fome fpecial, though tempo¬ 
rary, increafe in the event of any extraordinary alarm or 
difficulty, as tlie beH means of preventing a great de¬ 
mand at home for guineas ; and to lean to the fide of 
diminution, in the cafe of gold going abroad, and of the 
general exchanges continuing long unfavourable'; this 
feerns to be the true policy of the directors of an infti- 
tution circumHanced like that of the Bank of England. 
To I'uffcr either the folicitations of merchants, or the 
wiflies of government, to determine the meafure of the 
bank iifues, is unqueHionably to adopt a very danger¬ 
ous principle. See Bank of Eng land, vol. ii. p. 672. 
That the popular opinion which has been entertained 
of the great influence of paper credit in raifing the price 
not only of commodities in general, but of provifions in 
particular, is without foundation, admits of an eafy 
proofBy the account which the Bank rendered to 
parliament, it appears, that the amount of Bank of 
England notes was, on the 25th of February, 1795, 
13,539,1601. In the tliree months immediately follow¬ 
ing tlie 25th of P'ebruary, 1795, the average price of 
wheat, in the London corn-market, was about 57s. per 
quarter.—By tlie fame Bank account, it appears, that 
tlie amount of Bank of England-notes was, on the 25th 
of February, 1796, 11,030,116). In the three months 
immediately 
