The manufacture of glass is of very early date in this country, having been introduced, it is said, about the end of the 7th century ; but it was not till 900 years after wards, that the manufacture of fine glass was begun in London. About the beginning of the 17th century, a pa tent for making glass with pit coal was exempted from the operation of the law against monopolies. The im portance of this manufacture now becoming apparent, in the year 1670 manufacturers were procured from Ve nice; and within 15 years afterwards, the French refu gees, to whom we are indebted for so many improve ments in our manufactures, contributed to the improve ment of this, especially in the crystal branch of it. From the beginning till the middle of the 18th century, we ex ported large quantities of glass bottles to Holland ; but at the latter period, in consequence of the erection of a number of glass-houses in the United Provinces, this trade declined.
The year 1773 forms an important era in the history of the English glass manufacture. It was in this year that the British Plate-glass Manufactory, incorporated by act of parliament, erected their extensive works at Ravenhead, near St Helen's, in Lancashire. Their buildings cost nearly 40,000/. The manufacture was introduced by workmen from France, from which coun try we had previously imported our plate-glass. The article made at Ravenhead, soon rivalled the French glass in its perfection and brilliancy of colour, as well as in the size of the plates. In the year 1789, a steam engine was erected, to grind and polish the plates of glass, which not only saved a great deal of labour, per forming as much work as would employ 160 men, but did it with more exactness and expedition. Cast plate glass, with concave and convex mirrors, are now made, superior to any imported from the Continent. The works cover about 20 acres of ground ; and nearly 300 persons are usually employed in the various processes of melting, casting, blowing, polishing, &c. Plate-glass is also made now in London and Liverpool, the Plate Glass Company having been incorporated only for 21 years.
Manufactories of glass of all the other kinds are nu merous in this country. Bottle-glass is made at -Bris tol, as well as crown and flint-glass. In Newcastle, Sunderland, and Hartley-pans, there are a great many houses for making crown, common window glass, flint glass, and green bottles. Stombridge, Warrington, and several other places, have also their manufactures of glass of various kinds. Near Darlington, there is a mill for grinding optical glasses. This manufacture is so scattered, that it is difficult to form an estimate of its annual value, or or the number of hands employed in it. The former, however, may amount to upwards of 1,000,000/. ; and the latter to between 30,000 and
40,000.
Paper, which is now made in such perfection in Eng land, and to such a large annual amount, was almost entirely imported from the Continent, especially from France, till near the end of the 17th century. In 1685, this manufacture was much improved by the French refugees ; yet we are informed t• King, in the British Merchant, that before the revoluTion, there was hardly any paper made here, except brown. In 1690, white paper was first made ; and, in 1695, all the kinds, white, blue, and brown, were much improved. In 1721, ac cording to King, there were 120 vats within 60 miles of London, besides several more in Yorkshire, which all made white paper. These, together with some paper mills in Scotland, are said to have made more than 300,000 reams, which, at that time, was two-thirds of the whole consumption. Mr King mentions, that, in England, with five men to each vat, they did not dis patch above eight reams in a day; whereas, in France, with the same number to a vat, they dispatched above nine reams. At this time (1721) paper was valued at 58. a ream. In 1783, the annual value of the paper ma nufactured in the kingdom was estimated at 780,0001. ; and it was said to be increasing. At present, besides making sufficient of almost every kind for our own use, we export it to a considerable amount. The annual value of the article is probably rather more than 1,000,000/, and the number of persons employed about 30,000. There are paper mills on almost every stream, the wa ter of which is pure for the purpose ; but perhaps they are most numerous and extensive in the vicinity of the metropolis, particularly in Kent,' near Maidstone ; in Hertfordshire, Surrey, Buckingham shire, Bedfordshire, Hampshire, Sze. At Freefolk, in this last county, the paper for the of England notes has been manufactured ever since the reign of George I.
Hat-making is a very considerable branch of English manufacture, which is now brought to great perfection. It seems to have been improved, like the manufacture of paper, Sze. by the French refugees. It is carried on in various parts of the kingdom. At Newcastle-under Line, coarse or felt hats are made, under an incorporat ed company of felt-makers. Immense quantities of these hats are exported to the West Indies, for the use of the negroes. Felt-hats are also made at Rudgley, Sze.; and other kinds of hats at Stockport, Oldham, Manchester, Ashby de la Zouch, Burton, Atherstone. Cocker mouth, Hereford, Hexham, Newcastle-on-Tync, Sze. But, in point of quality, no hats are equal to those ma nufactured in London. Straw hats are principally made at Dunstable.