The average amount of the real value of the different articles, made of iron and steel, annually exported, is between 3,000,000/. and 4,000,000/.; the 'value of arti cles manufactured of copper and brass exported, seems rather to be on the decline; in the years 1799 and 1800, the official value was between 800,000/. and 900,000!. ; whereas for three or four years past, it has varied be tween 200,000/. and 300,000/. The value of all the ar ticles made of iron may safely be rated at 10,000,000/.; and the number of persons employed at 200,000. The value of all the articles made of brass and copper is about 3,000,000/.; and probably the number of persons em ployed about 50,000; and the value of the steel plating and hardware manufactures, including the toy trade, can not be estimated at less than 4,000,000/. ; the number of persons employed being at least 70,000. Thus the total amount of the value of all these branches of manufac ture from different metals, carried on in England and Wales, may be estimated at 17,000,000/.; and the num ber of persons employed at 320,000.
Under this head may be classed the 'manufacture of watch-tools and movements, which is carried on to a con siderable extent, and with great ingenuity and skill, at Prescot, in Lancashire, and its neighbourhood. This place has already been mentioned for the excellence of its files. They are entirely of the smallest size ; and it is supposed that the celebrity of this place for watch movements, is principally' owing to the superior quality of their files and tools. The drawing of pinion-wire had its origin at Prescot; and the manufacture of watch tools has been carried on beyond the memory of the oldest watch-makers. The workmen likewise excel in what is called motion-working, such as dial-wheels, locking springs, hour, minute, and second hands. 1\ fain springs,. chains for movements, and watch-cases, were not part of the original manufacture, but are now made here. All the bianchcs of this curious and ingenious trade are, however, gradually removing to Liverpool, in the same manner as the fustian trade, which originated in Bolton, has centered in Manchester. The tool and watch-move ment makers occupy small farms in conjunction with their manufacturing business : in this circumstance they resemble the weavers about Manchester. A manufacto ry of watch-spring chains has been established, within these few years, at Christ-church in Hampshire, in which many children are employed.
English earthen-ware forms a branch of its manufac tures of considerable importance. It is made with the
greatest taste, and in the greatest variety, at the potte ries in Staffordshire. The towns and villages that are so denominated, extend about seven miles, commenc ing about a mile from the borders of Cheshire, and ter minating at a place called Lane-end. Of these villages, Burslem and Etruria are the most remarkable : The first is the ancient seat of the manufacture, earthen-wares of one kind and another having been made there for cen turies. Etruria belongs solely to Mr Wedgewood, whose father gave to the Staffordshire ware all the celebrity that it has so deservedly and universally acquired. Besides earthen-ware, china-ware is also manufactured in the pottery district.
The clay for this manufacture is brought principally from the isle of Purbeck in Dorsetshire, and from De vonshire; the flint from Greenhithe in Kent, whence several thousand tons are shipped annually : these, and other raw materials, arc also brought from Cornwall, Hampshire, Sussex, and Wales. It is computed that nearly 40,000 tons of shipping are annually employed in bringing these materials to Liverpool. When the Ame rican trade was open, about 30,000 tons were employed in exporting the manufactured articles to the United States; and nearly as many tons in carrying them coast wise, besides what is sent by the canals. The number of packages exported from Liverpool, between 1803 and 1811, varied from 25,000 to 47,000.
The population of the pottery district is from 38,000 to 40,000, of which about 15,000 or 20,000 are employ ed in this manufacture. Women and children are em ployed, as well as men; and a family of three or four children will, with their father and mother, in good times, earn from 40s. to 45s. a week. They live in cot tages of from 5/. to 8/. annual rent ; and, in general, are healthy, industrious, and well-behaved. It is customa ry to hire them from Martinmas to Martinmas, allow ing them a fortnight's holidays in winter ; of course, when the frost is very severe, they cannot follow their work.
Earthen-ware is made in various other parts of Eng land; and china-ware, of a 'very superior quality, at Wor cester, Derby, and Colebrookdale.
In consequence of the great improvements that have been made in this manufacture, and the introduction ti many new and beautiful wares, both for our•• own use and foreign markets, the annual value of the whole will probably not be over-rated at 2,000,000l.; nom- the number of persons employed at between 35,000 and 40,000.