MANUFACTURES, may be defined, the arts by which natural productions are brought into the state or form in which they are consumed or used. The princi ple manufactures are those which fabri cate the various articles of clothing; as the woollen-manufacture, the leather-ma nufacture in part, the cotton-manufacture, the linen-manufacture, and the silk-ma nufacture ; others supply articles of house hold furniture, as the manufactures of glass, porcelain, earthenware, and of most of the metals in part ; the iron-manufac ture furnishes implements of agriculture, and weapons of war; and the paper-ma nufacture supplies a material for commu nicating ideas and perpetuating know ledge. Manufactures had begun to flou. rish in different parts of Europe, long before they were attempted in Britain ; the few articles of this, description which were in request, being obtained in ex change for wool, hides, tin, and such other produce as the country in a very uncultivated state could supply. In 1337, it was enacted, that no more wool should be exported ; that no one should wear any but English cloth ; that no cloths made beyond seas should be imported ; that foreign clothworkers might come in to the King's dominions, and should have such franchises as might suffice them. Before this time, the English were little more than shepherds, and wool-sellers. The progress of improvement, since the establishment of manufactures in this country, has in most instances been re markably great, particularly of late years, in consequence of an increased know ledge of the properties of various mate rials, vast improvements in all kinds of machinery, and the great capitals invest ed in most of the different branches. The value of British manufactures ex ported to all countries, on an average of six years, ending with 1774, was 10,342,0191. ; the American war suspend ed for a time an important market for several of our manufactures, in conse quence of which the total amount ex ported had fallen in 1781 to 7,633,3321. and on an average of six years, ending with 1783, it was 8,616,6601. During the peace which followed, the export trade ra pidly revived, and, in the year preceding the war with France, had attained to a magnitude beyond all former example ; it was checked a little by the mercantile 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 carried the export of our manufactures to its pre sent important extent. The real value of
British produce and manufactures ex ported, as far as it can be ascertained, under the ad valorem duties, or computed at the 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, notwithstanding the high price of the ma terial, and the precarious state of the fo reign markets. On an examination of the principal woollen-manufactures, by a com mittee 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 diffi cult to ascertain how much the wool is in creased 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 manufactured in the country will amount to 19,800,000/. 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 flar as any idea can be formed from the proportion of the consumption of the metropolis, to that of the whole island, and the stock requisite for the supply, greatly exceeded the truth at that time ; and it is the general opinion, particularly of persons in the wool-trade, that of late the number of sheep kept has been considerably re duced.