1802]. 
high prices in the ware-rooms of the 
wholefale dealers, who aflume an Englith 
firm ; but the manuta&turers themfelves 
receive very little encouragement. Of 
various kinds of perfumery, likewife, large 
quantities have ot late been fent from 
France to the Leipzig-fair; whence it 
would appear that Pcuchet muft be mif- 
informed, when he afferts, in his Diéion- 
naire de la Géographie Commergante, that 
the confumption of thefe articles jo is great 
‘among his {weet-fcented countrymen, that 
but an inconfiderable part can be {pared 
for exportation. 
Linen, Birmingham Wares, @c.—\t has 
been acknowledged by a Minifter of State 
ina debate in Parliament, that in two 
branches of manutaéture, filk and linen, 
the Englith muft for the prefent give up 
all pretenfions to monopoly; and in faét,the 
Jinen-merchants from — Siiefia, Bohemia, 
Lufatia, and Biekfeld found a more fa- 
vourable market this year than for fome 
time palit; as, in addition to the bufinefs 
ufually tranfaéted at the Leipzig-fair, the 
channels of communication with Spain and 
Portugal were again opencd by the peace. 
Large quantities of yain, however, are fill 
fent to Britain every week from Lu/atia 
and Silefia, If England lofes a little by the 
competition of the linen-manufacturers of 
Germany, fhe amply reimburfed herfelf 
by the vait fums fiie drew from that coun- 
try for patent-faddles, ftirrups, fnuffers, 
flice-buckles, buttons, and ‘a thoufand 
Various articles, uvfeful and ornamental, 
from the great toy-fhop of Europe—Bir- 
mingham. Though the Germans poflefs 
many of the materials of a (uperior quali- 
ty,and the wages of the workmen be much 
lower, they have never been able to rival 
the Englifh in thefe articles, whofe fupe- 
riority is generally afcribed to the ule of 
powerful machinery, and the great divi- 
fion of labour. In the manufaéture of fire- 
arms, too, the Englifh bore away the 
prize of excellence from their French and 
German competitors. A gun made by 
Profler, in London, with one of his patent 
locks, was fold for 18 guineas. Prefle 
had brought from Paris a good affortment 
from the celebrated manufa&cry at Ver- 
failles. It is well known that great en- 
couragement is given to this manufattory 
by the French Government, and that all 
the barrels muft be proved in the prefenceof 
the Commiflary of the Police, who ftamps 
thofe that have ftood the teft. Still, how- 
ever, a competent judge, after a careful 
examination of the merits of both, would 
preter the well-finifhed workmanfhip of the 
English gunsmith te the {plendidly-orsa- 
Account of the Leipzig Commercial-fair. 203 
~ 
mented production of the French. Several 
manufacturers of arms from Suh! and Sch- 
lingen, &c. attended the fair again, alter 
an ablence of many years. Their loud 
complaints of the decay of their bufinels 
fince the ceflation of hoftilities, reminded 
us of the comedy of Ariftophanes, enti- 
tled ** The Peace,’ where the {word-cutiers 
and manufaclurers of warike inttruments 
retire with their heads hanging down and 
Icoks full o! fadneis, while on the oppefite 
fide of the ftage the bafket makers and 
{cythe-fmiths are ente:ing with loud ex- 
preflions o' joy. Some of them, however, 
have fuccefsfully turned their induttry into 
another channel. Thus J. W. Kummer, 
of Suhl, exhibited for fale at the fair.a 
large aflortment of files, cut with ma- 
chines, which were allowed by competent 
judges to be nearly equal to the Englith 
in beauty and durability, though fold at 
far more reafonable prices: 
Leather. —It has been remarked, that 
the number of dealers in Jeather from 
the Palatinate and the Rhine decreafes 
every year ; asthe finer forts of white and 
chamois leather whichare manufaétured in 
that part of Germany, are diel Ba in 
danger of being beat out of the market by 
the Englih fatin-leather, of which the 
thoes ef ladies and gentlemen of fathion 
are now generally made in Saxony. Shoe- 
makers from every country-town of any 
note, within a circumference of 50 and 
more miles, flocked to the fair to lay in a 
ftock of Englith materials ; and the Ger- 
man leather-dreflers were under the necef- 
fity of giving Englith names and Englith 
marks to their goods. The leather-ma- 
nufaciories of the Moravian Brethren in 
Lulatia, however, confidently enter into 
a compctition with the Englifh, as they 
are conducted entirely on the plan of the 
latter. ‘The dealers in the ftronger forts of 
leather from Bremen and Stetin did a great 
deal of bufinefs at the fair. But {till, 
from the immenfe quantities and great va- 
riety of articles for fhoemakers, faddlers, 
coachinaKers, &c. and, from the compa~ 
ratively low prices they were fold at, it 
was evident that the Englifh were making 
a great progre{s towards beating their op- 
ponents out cf the market. Large affort- 
ments of Englifh gloves, and leather caps; 
efpecially fuch as are rendered wter-proof 
by the patent proceis of Mr. Walker, like- 
wife met with a ready fale. 
Horfe-market.—Vhe number of horfes 
here offered for fale was cftimated at above 
s000; but thisnumber was too fimall to 
fupply thofe who wifhed to become pur- 
chaiers. A more than ufual proportion 
was 
