DERBY. The principal manufactures of this interesting town are of silk and cotton goods, porcelain, jewellery, and ornamental articles made of the various kinds of spar found in the county, red and white lead, lead pipe, sheet lead, cast iron, ribbed stock ings, and bobbin-net, and other lace. Silk hosiery is extensively made. There is a con siderable printing and publishing establish ment, besides several printing offices.
In the early part of the 18th century the art of spinning or 'throwing' silk, which had been exclusively possessed. by the Italians, was introduced into Derby by a Mr. Crotchet, who did not succeed in business. In 1717 Mr. John Lombe, who had obtained access to the machinery of the silk throwstcrs of Pied mont in Italy, agreed with the corporation of Derby to rent an island or swamp in the river Dement, 500 feet long and 52 feet wide. Here he erected, at a cost of 30,0001., an im mense silk-mill, now the property of the cor poration, the lease having expired. In 1718 Lombe took out a patent, and was proceeding successfully in his business when he died. He was succeeded in his mill by his brother William, and afterwards by his cousin, Sir Thomas Lombe. The accounts of the ma chinery of this immense mill have been much exaggerated : the wheels have been said to amount to 26,000; Hutton, who served an apprenticeship of seven years in the mill, states that the number of wheels was 13,384.
The whole machinery was moved by one water wheel. Many throwing mills have since been erected at Derby, and this branch of industry may be regarded as the staple of the town. The cotton manufacture is of later introduction and of smaller extent. The spars of the county, especially the fluor spar, or blue John,' are wrought into vases and other ornaments, and the black marble of Ash ford into vases, columns, chimney-pieces, Sm.
The Derby Arboretum is an honour to the town, both or its own beauty, and for the cir cumstances under which it was formed. This Arboretum is a piece of ground of about 16 acres in extent, well laid out and arranged with trees and shrubs, so as to combine instruc tion with recreation. The originalArboretum, a piece of ground about 11. acres in extent, carefully arranged by the late Mr. London, was given to the town by Joseph Strutt Esq. ; an adjoining portion of about 5 acres has since been purchased arid laid out in a similar manner. The inhabitants are admitted to the grounds on payment of an admission fee, the proceeds of which defray the expenses of maintaining the establishment.