3s 
been known, if not from other fources, 
at leaft from Nemmich’s Travels, and 
Huttner’s Eughjthe Mifzeller,* how ter- 
tile the imaginations of the Englifl manu- 
faturers are in the inyention of new pat- 
terns, and how active in promoting a 
change of fafhion; in which, with regard 
to dreis, an almof total revolution gene- 
rally takes place nm England in the courfe 
of twelve months. Now st ts only fach ar- 
ticles and patterns ds are already out of 
fafhion in England, that the Engiith mer- 
chants fell fo amazingly cheap on the con- 
tinent. This was evident during the fair ; 
for the muflins with fingle leaves, flowers, 
&c. and other new patterns were fold at 
comparatively high prices ; while the an- 
tiguated oncs might be purchafed incoh- 
ceivably cheap; the merchant being able 
to cover any partizl jois by immediately 
employing in feme profitable fpeculation, 
bis capital, which would orherwife have 
lain dead perhaps a confiderable tine 
Jonger, Hence originates the clamour 
among the German manufacturers, that 
the Englith give away ther goods for the 
purpoie of beating their rivals out of the 
market. ¢ 
At this fair again the muflins manu- 
fa&tured in Saxony could not ftand a com- 
petition with the beautiful and fine Britifh 
aflortments 5; and the difcontent. of the 
merchants from Plauen and the neighbeur- 
ing places, broke forth into loud com- 
paints and bitter execrations. Some-of 
them, as, for inftance, Landrock from 
Plauen, fhat up their ware rcoms, and 
refolved to come no more to’the Leipzig- 
fair. The deputation from the Board of 
Trade in Dretden tierefore took it into 
their ferious confidcration, how this branch 
of the manutactures of Saxony might be 
moi effectually promoted. Thole bett 
acquainted with mercantile affairs, were 
of opinion, that the Saxons fhould for the 
preient give up all hope of rivalling the 
highly favoured Englith in the produ&ion 
of the finer kinds of cottons and mufiins, 
and ail other goods perietionated by 
means of machinery : and rather confine 
themieives to the middling, coarfe, and 
* Of this work, no lefs diftinguifhed for 
the various information it contains, than 
the agreeable ftyle in which it is communi- 
' cated, feven volunies have already been pub- 
lithed in monthly numbers. The editor, 
Mr Giuttner, a German gentleman refident 
in Lendon, has certainly deferved well of 
the Englifh merchants, as by means of this 
magazine he diffufes with incredible celerity 
among his countrymen a knowledge of our 
newelt fafhionable manufaiuress 
Account of Leipzig Eafter—fair. 
fAug. 1, 
very cheap forts, forwhich there was a great 
demand at the fair. The coarfe muflins 
from Reufs, and in general all thin and: 
cheap cotton-cloths, were bought up with 
the greateft avidity, efpecially by the 
merchants irom France, where they begin 
again to furnilh their houfes in a more 
elegant ftyle, and cannot difpenfe with. 
white curtains for their windows. Ina 
Memoria! ‘to the Elector, publifhed by 
Paftor Sorgel, it was propofed to lay a 
duty of 25 per cent. on all Englith mer- 
chandize imported info the EleGtorate.— 
Nothing could appear more eafy aud 
plaufible ; but the propofer of this mca- 
fure did not reflect, that there would be 
danger of thereby annihilating the fair it- 
‘elf, and the beneficial trade depending on 
it, as was lately the cafe with that held at 
Frankfort on the Oder. By fuch a duty, 
amounting almoft to a_ prohibition, the 
feliers of Englith manufactures would no 
doubt, be kept back : but probably the 
numerous buyers from the Nerth, who 
thew fo decited a predile€tion for Englith 
merchandize, and who are induced to 
come to the Leipzig-fair, only becaufe 
they there expect to meet with all kinds 
of goods to make a choice from, would. 
hikewre foon defert it, and refort toa 
freer emporium, where fomée neighbour- 
ing prince would, no doubt, foon difeo- 
ver it to be his intereft to allow an unii- 
mited importation and exportation. Thus 
the Saxon manulaéturers would no longer 
have io ready a fe for their coarfer inte- 
rior forts of calicoes, as they have hitherte 
found among the ftrangers who now twice 
a-year attend the Leipzig-fair. 
More rational are the plans of thofe, 
‘who endeavour to encourage the introduc. 
(ion and general ufe of the Englith machi- 
nery. .£9 this refpeét, much has already 
been done; and many frefh attempts are 
now making with great {pirit and perfe- 
verance. Many weavers having in 1793 
and 1794. been thrown out of employment 
througn the exe-fiive high price of cotton, 
and the impoflivility of obtaining yarn 
even from England ; they began to try 
the {pinning of cotton. by means of hand- 
machines, for the improvement of which 
the neceflary money was advanced from 
the Eleétor’s treafury. Fhus a confider- 
able quaniity of fine even yarn was pro- 
duced, and the EleStorate faved large {ums 
which ufed to be fent for itto England.— 
When the neceffity no longer exilted, 
many of the workmen, having become ac- 
cultomed to their new employment, did 
not return to their looms ; and the confe- 
quence has been, that in the lat two years 
no lefs than goo hand-machines, with at 
4 Jeaft 
