The importation of raw hides appears to have been most considerable from the continent of Europe, till the year 1807, when it fell off nearly one-half. In 1808 and 1809, it was not onc.tenth of what it had been prior to 1807; in 1810 it rose higher than in any preceding year, (from 1803) except 1805 ; in 1811 and 1812, it again fell very low, not amounting on the average of these two years, to one-tenth of the importation of 1807. From 1803 to 1807, the importation of hides from Ame rica was next in amount to the importation front Eu rope ; but in 1808, the importation from America was tripled ; and in 1811 it was again tripled. For some time after we began to trade with Buenos Ayres, hides were the principal remittance in return for the goods sent out. The importation of raw hides from Ireland and the West Indies has continued nearly stationary. \Vith respect to the importation of tanned hides, skins, and leather, it takes place chiefly from Ireland, from the continent of Europe in time of peace, and sometimes from the East Indies.
According to the opinion of the leather manufacturers, examined before the Committee, the leather tanned within the limits of the chief office in London, bears about the proportion of one to eight of all the leather tanned in England and Wales. Proceeding on this sup position, we have, from the return of leather tanned within the limits of the chief office between the 5th January 1812 and 5th January 1813, calculated the — _ quantity of all the leather tanned within that time in England and Wales, as follows.
In almost every part of England and Wales there are tanneries ; but they arc most numerous and extensive in Cumberland, Westmoreland, Lancashire, Cheshire, particularly the middle part of the county, Shropshire, Sussex, Berkshire, (at \Vantage in this county is one of the largest in the kingdom,) Lincolnshire, and Nor thumberland. About Louth, in Lincolnshire, large sheep skins, called Lincolnshire basils, are tanned, which are used for blacksmiths' aprons. But by far the greatest tanneries are in Bermondsey, in the Borough. The ma nufacture of what is called Morocco leather is almost entirely confined to this place. The goats' skins used for this purpose are chiefly got from Mogadorc, in Mo rocco; some also come from Germany, but they arc of an inferior quality. The capital necessary for the tan ning business is very considerable, since, besides what is laid out in buildings, &c. there must be sufficient to wait the returns, which are necessarily very slow. It is calculated that the capital employed, taking in build ings, pits, hides, bark, &c. is more than double the an nual sale. The tanners complain that it requires a greater weight of hide to make a pound of leather now than formerly ; and this they ascribe to the rapid man ner in which cattle are fattened.
The principal leather manufacture is, of course, that of shoes, either for home consumption, or for exporta tion ; and the counties in which shoes are made, on the largest scale, are Northamptonshire and Staffordshire. In the former county, Northampton, and more particu larly Wellingborough and Kettering ; in Staffordshire, the county town and Newcastle-under-Lyne are the principal Manufacturing places; in most of which, the leather is delivered out by the master manufacturers to the small makers. Shoes arc also made at Nantwich, Congleton, and Sandbach in Cheshire, by the small makers, and sent to the London ware-houses, While the war lasted, the demand for shoes for the army was very great, the contractor generally supplying upwards of 600,000 pair annually ; these he procured almost entirely from Northamptonshire and Staffordshire. In Stafford there was one house which employed 1000 workmen, and made about 75,000/. worth in the course of the year. In this manufacture a considerable num ber of women and children were employed ; and it may be remarked, that during the war a number of people in Norwich and other places found employment by sew ing soles to the list shoes made by the French prisoners. Leather slippers arc made in great quantities at Bicestcr in Oxfordshire.
It is impossible to conjecture the probable quantity of leather used in various ways for home consumption in this country : perhaps the following facts may throw some light on this subject. The probable annual con sumption of leather for one pair of a gentleman's coach harness, is about 10 pounds; for a common riding sad dle and bridle, about 3 lbs.; for cart harness, about the same quantity; for boots, 16 lbs.; for walking shoes, 7 lbs.; for dress shoes, 84 lbs.; for high-laced shoes, 71 lbs.; and for soldiers shoes, 811bs.
Shoes are principally exported to the East Indies, Batavia, the West Indies, and Canada : while we tra ded with the United States, a great quantity of women's shoes were sent thither, and many females were employ ed in binding them.
Saddles are made in almost every town, but Slier borne and Lyn are particularly remarkable for this manufacture; they are made here, as well as in London, for exportation. The hog-skins which, when tanned, arc used for the seat of the saddle, are principally im ported from Russia. We shall afterwards have occasion to notice this manufacture, when we come to treat of the manufactures in the hardware line about Birming ham.