There are many other branches of ma ifacture which consume large quantities of cotton, though it is difficult to form an idea of the precise amount; thus the ho siery branch was stated some years ago to employ 1,500,000 pounds, and it has cer tainly since increased considerably ; the same quantity was said to be required for candlewicks; 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 2,800,000/. The total value of the ma nufacture will thus appear to be, as be fore stated, about 11,000,0001. Deduct ing from this sum, 1,000,0001. for profits of a capital at ten per cent, and 4,443,650/. for cost of the raw material, at 2s. 641. per pound, there remains 5,556,350/. for wages, which, if divided at the rate of only 16/. per annum for each person, on account of the large proportion of women and children employed, makes the whole iiumber 347,271 persons. The silk-ma nufacture was formerly, of greater ex tent than at present, but has not experi enced 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 883,438/.; 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 245,454/. 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 manufac turer in this and some other branches, in casting up the selling price of his goods, they are frequently sold much under this price ; which must be admitted : hut, as an advantage is taken on most of the com ponent 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-manu factory has been stated at 200,000 and up wards, but there appears no reason to be lieve that it exceeds 65,000 of a11 descrip tions.
The linen manufacture of Great Britain is chiefly confined to Scotland, though some branches of it are carried on in Man chester and other parts of England. The value estimated at the current prices, of linens exported, on an average of three years preceding 5th of January, 1799, was 1,278,734/. therefore, if the quantity retained for home consumption is not greater than the export, the value of the whole must be upwards of 2,500,000/.; and it probably will not exceed the truth if the yearly value of the whole of this manufacture in Great Britain, with the thread, and other branches of the flax trade, is stated at 3,000,000/. The linen4 which most of the families in Scotland make for their own use are not stamped, and consequently are not included in these returns, which must therefore be less than the quantity actually manufac tured by several millions of yards ; and the value stated is certainly much below the actual selling prices. There is no account kept of the linen manufacture in England ; and as it is considered as an ob ject of subordinate importance, its annual value is probably under 1,000,000/. but even if it is somewhat less than this amount, it will appear that the total value of the manufacture, rated at the current prices, cannot be less than the sum be fore stated, or 3,000,000/. The number of persons employed in it is probably not less than 95,000.
The hemp-manufacture at present ex ceeds 1,600,0001. per annum, but is less in time of peace ; the persons employed in it are probably about 35,000.
The paper-manufficture has been great ly advanced of late. A hundred years ago scarcely any paper was made in this country but the coarse wrapping pa pers ; and fbr a long time most of the superior kinds continued to be import ed; the export is, however, at present considerable. The annual value of the manufacture, at the present high prices of the article, cannot be less than 900,0001. and the number of persons em
ployed in it 30,000.
The glass-manufacture was much im proved in the course of the last century, particularly in the article of plate-glass, and it has greatly increased of late years ; it may now amount to 1,500,0001. per an num, and the persons employed in it to about 36,000.
The potteries, and manufactures of earthenware and porcelain, advanced during the last century, in conse quence of the great improvements made in them, and the introduction of many new and beautiful wares, both for our own use and foreign markets. The arti cle of queen's-ware was invented in 1763, by Mr. J. Wedgewood, to whom the public are also indebted for most of those elegant species of earthenware and porcelain which, moulded into a thousand different forms for ornament or use, now constitute the most valuable part of this manufacture. The annual value will pro bably not be over-rated at 2,000,0001. and the number of persons employed at 45,000.
The iron-manufacture is supplied part ly by the produce of our own mines, and partly by those of other countries ; with respect to the first, it appears that the total produce of pig-iron in Britain is at least 100,000 thus ; and reckoning on an average, that 33 cwt. of crude iron pro duce one ton of bars, and that the manu facture of malleable iron amounts to 35,000 tons per annum, this branch will require 57,750 tons of crude iron ; and the value in bars, at 201. a ton, which is considerably under the present price, is 700,0001. the remaining 42,250 tons, cast into cannon, cylinders, and machinery, &c. at 141. a ton, are worth 591,5001. The supply of foreign bar-iron is chiefly ob tained from Russia and Sweden ; and the quantity imported on an average of six years, ending with 1805, after deducting what was re-exported, has been 33,628 tons, value 865,182/. which, with the sums before mentioned, amount to 2,156,6821. This value is greatly increased by subse quent labour : but the proportion of the increase cannot be easily determined, the quantity of labour being to very different in different articles. Some years ago the value of the iron manufacture was esti mated at 8,700,000/. which sum appears rather too high at present ; but including tin and lead, the value of the whole will probably nut be taken too high at 10,000,0001. and, the number of persons employed at 200,000.
The copper and brass manufactures are now established in this country in all their branches. Till about the years 1720 or 1730, most of the copper and brass utensils for culinary and other pur poses, used in this country, were import ed from Hamburgh and Holland, being procured from the manufactories of Ger many; even so late as the years 1745 and 1750, copper tea-kettles, saucepans, and pots of all sizes, were imported here in large quantities ; but through the severing industry, capitals, and enterpris ing spirit of our millers and manufactur ers, these imports have become totally unnecessary, the articles being now all made here, and far better than any other country can produce. The discovery of new copper-mines in Cornwall, Derby shire, and Wales, about the year 1773, contributed to the extension of the manu facture in this country ; and it appears tQ be still increasing, notwithstanding the very great advance in the price of copper, which must certainly be attended with borne disadvantage with respect to foreign markets. The value of wrought copper and brass exported during the year 1799, was 1,222,1871. and there is reason to be• lieve, that the whole value of these manu factures at present is at least 3,600,0001. and the number of persons employed about 60,000. The steel, plating, and hardware manufactures, including the toy trade, have been carried to a great extent of late years, and may amount in value to 4,000,0001. and the persons em ployed to at least 70,000..