There arc in Great Britain about five hundred and fifty paper-mills, making paper to the amount of 2,300,000/. yearly. There are about sixty of these machine mills, making about 650,000/. worth of paper yearly. These last are rapidly on the increase, from the circumstance of Fourdrinier's patent having expired in August, 1822. There are three machines, and about fifty vat-mills in Scotland ; and two machines in Ireland. The paper made in the United Kingdom is in general superior to what is manufactured in any other part of the world. The United States come next ; then Holland.
It is curious that the manufacturers of Britain have not succeeded in making a card-paper to the satisfaction of the card-makers in England, but that that article continues to be imported from Genoa. Several imitations have been made, but not with great success, as the Genoa litteriss is still preferred by many card-makers, though at double the expense of the home made.
In France, there are about two hundred and fifty paper mills, mostly small, and about five of Fourdrinier's ma chines. The mill at Annonay, upon the Rhone, belong ing to the brothers Alontgolfier, and styled " La Papeterie Royale," is by much the most extensive, and in best or der. Trade is, however, much crippled by the late re strictions on the French press. In the Austrian dominions, there are about three hundred paper-mills ; in Bohemia alone, one hundred and seven; and in the kingdom of Italy one hundred and five, celebrated for the manufacture of card-paper. They, and most of the foreign mills, are worked by mallets. The value of Austrian paper is about 2,000,000 florins. In the Prussian dominions there are three hundred and one paper-mills, delivering about 360,000 reams annually, value 120,000/. sterling. Saxony
makes 640,000 reams, but uses three times that quantity. In Hanover there are about 40 paper-mills. In Russia there are 67. In Denmark they do not make enough for the consumption. In Sweden there are about 40 paper mills, but they also import from Holland. The duty on paper is 3d. per lb. for paper made of rags, and 11 for brown papers.
The manufacture of brown paper is carried on to an immense extent in Britain, not only for the usual purpose of packing paper for grocers and other tradesmen, but in a much greater degree for extensive manufacturers of linen and cotton. The consumpt in this way is prodi gious in Manchester and Glasgow. In the neighbourhood of the former place, are large machine mills, constantly employed in making brown paper for these two cities. The material, old rope, costs nearly 12d. per lb. ; the duty as much more ; and the cost of manufacture not much above 4d. per lb.
Printing papers are now most generally made by ma chines, and are preferred machine-made, as the thickness of a sheet is more regular, and the surface better from its passing between the smooth cylinders. One machine of the full width of 60 inches, is equal to six vats work; and consequently produces from 40 to 50 reams printing decoy in 10 hours.
The cost of production of fine writing papers, exclusive of duty, is about Is. per lb ; and that of fine printing pa pers about 10d. Our exports of paper are considerable, principally to the East and West Indies, Canada, and the United States of America.