The census returns of 1801, 1841, and 1851, show the following remarkable increase of population in some of the chief manufacturing boroughs, in which the borough boundary is taken :—Manchester, from 90,399 to 240,367, and, with Salford iu 1851, to 401,231; Liverpool, (whose prosperity depends mainly on the cotton trade) from 79,722, to 282,656, and 376,955; Stockport, from 19,250 in 1811, to 50,154 and 53,835; Leeds, from 53,162 to 151,063, and 172,270; Bradford (York shire) from 6393 to 66,508 and 103,778; Bolton, from 17,416 to 50,163 and 61;171 ; Huddersfield, from 7268 to '24,931 and 30,880 ; and Macclesfield, from 8743 to 32,523 and 39,048. In Scotland the same results have followed from the use of machinery. The population of Glasgow increased from 77,058 to 261,004 and 329,097 ; Dundee, from 27,396, to 64,629 and 78,931; and Greenock from 17,458 to 36,936 and (the parliamentary borough only) 36,689.
Thus far of the manufactures of cotton, wool, and silk. The seats of the iron and hardware trades exhibit similar results. In the same periods Birmingham increased from 73,670 to 181,116 and 232,841; Sheffield, from 31,814 to 109,597 and 135,310; Wolverhampton, from 12.65 to 92,943 and 119,74S; Merthyr Tydvil, from 77u5 to 34,977 and 63,080; and West Bromwich from 56S7 to 26,121 and 34,591.
A Large extenalon of employment In any one branch, necessarily pro duces aortesions in most others. It may therefore be not uninteresting to state the number of persons directly engaged in the etaplo employ ment of the towns named. In Manchester and Salford, 65,000 are engaged in the manufacture of cotton, silk, and wool • at Stockport, 17,000, cotton ; at Leeds, wool and flax, 23,714 ; at worsted and stuff, 33,000 ; at Bolton, cotton, 14,500 , at Huddersfield, woollen cloth, 13,935 ; Macclesfield, silk, 14,500 ; Glasgow, where the employ ments are more miscellaneous, cotton and flex give employment to only 14,830 persons; Dundee, in linen and flax, 19,742. The various metal trades employ in Birmingham, 26,900; in Sheffield, 20,000; in Wolver hampton, 10,530; Merthyr Tydvil, 13,412; and West Bromwich, 7032; in the tut-named three the coal-miners are included.
In this extraordinary ratio has the population increased in the seats of our staple manufactures, which by the aid of machinery have supplied the whole world with articles wrought by the industry of our people. Let us now compare these places with those agricultural counties in which machinery has exercised the least influence, and let us see if the absence of machinery has been equally favourable to the support of a growing population. In the same period, Devonshire,'
Somersetshire, Dorsetahiro, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Lincolnshire, have increased on an average little above 50 per cent. ; while, setting aside the extraordinary increase exhibited in the particular towns already enumerated, the population of six manufacturing counties, viz. Lancaster, Middlesex, York (W. It.), Stafford, Chester, and Durham, including all the agriculturists, nearly 120 per cent.
These facts prove conclusively that machinery, so far from dimin ishing the aggregate employment of labour in those trades in which it is used, increases it in an extraordinary degree. And not only does it give employment to larger numbers of persons, but their wages are considerably higher. We will not stop to compare the income of an agricultural labourer with that of operatives engaged in the infinite variety of trades carried on in manufacturing towns, in connection with machinery : but it is sufficient to ask, whence has come the manufacturing population I Its natural growth would have been com paratively insignificant if thousands had not been attracted to the towns from other places. And what could have induced them to leave their homes and engage in new trades but the encouragement offered by more certain employment and higher wages I It has been shown that machinery has had a beneficial influence upon the employment of labour in the particular trades in which it has been used, and it now remains to consider its effects upon the employment of labour in other trades. In the first place, a few of its obvious results may be noticed. For example, the manufacture and repair of machinery alone gives employment, directly and indirectly, to vast numbers of persons who are unconnected with the particular trades in which the machinery itself is used. Again, the production of all commodities is increased by machinery ; and thus the producers of the raw materials of manufactures, the carriers of goods by land and sea, the merchants, the retail-dealers, their clerks, porters, and others, must find more employment. It is clear also, that while the manu facturing and commercial population aro thus increased by the use of machinery, the cultivators of the soil must receive more employment In supplying them with food.