How much has been already done has been stated in a preceding part of thefe remarks.

In addition it may be announced, that a fociety is formed with a capital, which is expected to be extended to at leaft half a million of dollars; on behalf of which measures are already in train for profecuting on a large fcale the making and printing of cotton goods.

These circumftances confpire to indicate the expediency of the government removing any obftructions which may happen to exift to the advantageous profecution of the manufactories in queftion, and of adding fuch encouragements as may appear neceffary and proper.

Cotton not being, like hemp, an univerfal production of the country, it affords lefs affurance of an adequate internal supply; but the chief objection arifes from the doubts which are entertained concerning the quality of the national cotton. It is alledged, that the fibre of it is confiderably shorter and weaker than that of fome other places; and it has been obferved as a general rule, that the nearer the place of growth to the equator, the better the quality of the cotton; that which comes from Cayenne, Surinam, and Demarara, is faid to be preferable, even at material difference of price, to the cotton of the islands.

While an expectation may reasonably be indulged, that with due care and attention the cotton in the United States may be made to approach nearer than it now does to that of regions fomewhat more favoured by climate; and while facts authorise an opinion, that very great use may be made of it, and that it is a refource which gives greater fecurity to the cotton fabrics of America than can be enjoyed by any which depends wholly on external fupply, it will certainly be wife, in every view, to let their infant manufactures have the full benefit of the beft materials on the cheapest terms. It is obvious, that the neceffity of having fuch materials is proportioned to the unfkilfulness and inexperience of the workmen employed, who, if inexpert, will not fail to commit great wafte, where the materials they are to work with are of an indifferent kind.

To fecure to the national manufacturers fo effential an advantage, a repeal of the prefent duty on imported cotton is indispensable.

A fubftitute for this, far more encouraging to domestic production, will be to grant a bounty on the cotton grown in the United States, when wrought at a home manufactory, to which a bounty on the exportation of it may be added. Either, or both, would do much more towards promoting the growth of the article than the merely ominal encouragement which it is proposed to abolish. The firft would alfo have a direct influence in encouraging the manufacture.

The bounty, which has been mentioned as exifting in Great Britain, upon the exportation of coarfe linens not exceeding a certain value, applies also to certain descriptions of cotton goods of fimilar value.

This furnishes an additional argument for allowing to the manufac turers the fpecies of encouragement just suggested, and indeed for adding fome other aid.

One cent per yard, not lefs than of a given width, on all goods of cotton, or of cotton and linen mixed, which are manufactured in the United States, with the addition of one cent per lb. weight of the material, if made of national cotton, would amount to an aid of confiderable importance, both to the production and to the manufacture of that valuable article. And the expence would be well justified by the magnitude of the object.

The printing and staining of cotton goods is known to be a diftinct bufinefs from the fabrication of them. It is one eafily accomplished, and which, as it adds materially to the value of the article in its white ftate, and prepares it for a variety of new uses, is of importance to be promoted,

As imported cottons, equally with thofe which are made at home, may be the objects of this manufacture, it is worthy of confideration, whether it would not be for the advantage of the States that the whole, or part of the duty, on the white goods, ought not to be allowed to be drawn back in favour of those who print or stain them. This measure would certainly operate as a powerful encouragement to the business, and though it may in a degree counteract the original fafabrication of the articles, it would probably more than compensate for this difadvantage in the rapid growth of a collateral branch, which is of a nature fooner to attain to maturity. When a fufficient progrefs shall have been made the drawback may be abrogated, and by that time the domeftic fupply of the articles to be printed or stained will have been extended.

If the duty of 7 per cent, on certain kinds of cotton goods were extended to all goods of cotton, or of which it is the principal material, it would probably more than counterbalance the effect of the drawback propofed, in relation to the fabrication of the article; and no material objection occurs to fuch an extenfion. The duty then, confidering all the circumftances which attend goods of this defcription, could not be deemed inconveniently high; and it may be inferred, from various canfes, that the prices of them would fill continue moderate.

Manufactories of cotton goods, not long fince established at Beverley, in Maffachusett's, and at Providence, in the state of Rhode Island, and

at

at New York, and conducted with a perfeverance correfponding with the patriotic motives which began them, seem to have overcome the first obftacles to fuccefs, producing corduroys, velverets, fuftians, jeans, and other fimilar articles, of a quality which will bear a comparison with the like articles from Manchefter. The one at Providence has the merit of being the first in introducing into the United States the celebrated cotton mill, which not only furnishes the materials for that manufactory itself, but for the fupply of private families for household manufac

ture.

Other manufactories of the fame material, as regular bufineffes, have also been begun at different places in the state of Connecticut, but all upon a smaller scale than those above mentioned. Some effays are alfo making in the printing and staining of cotton goods. There are feveral fmall establishments of this kind already on foot.

WOOL.

In a country, the climate of which partakes of fo confiderable a proportion of winter, as that of a great part of the United States, the wool. len branch cannot be regarded as inferior to any which relates to the cloathing of the inhabitants.

Household manufactures of this material are carried on, in different parts of the United States, to a very interefting extent; but there is only one branch, which as a regular business, can be faid to have acquired maturity; this is the making of hats.

Hats of wool, and of wool mixed with fur, are made in large quantities in different states, and nothing feems wanting, but an adequate fupply of materials to render the manufacture commenfurate with the demand.

A promifing effay towards the fabrication of cloths, caffimeres, and other woollen goods, is likewife going on at Hartford, in Connecticut. Specimens of the different kinds which are made, evince, that these fa brics have attained a very confiderable degree of perfection. Their quality certainly furpaffes any thing that could have been looked for, in fo fhort a time, and under fo great difadvantages, and confpires with the fcantinefs of the means, which have been at the command of the direc tors, to form the eulogium of that public fpirit, perfeverance and judg ment, which have been able to accomplish so much.

Measures, which tend to promote an abundant fupply of wool of good quality, would probably afford the moft efficacious aid that prefent circumstances permit to this and fimilar manufactures.

To encourage the raifing and improving the breed of fheep in the United States would certainly be the most defirable expedient for that

purpofe

purpofe; but it may not be alone fufficient, efpecially as it is yet a pro blem, whether their wool is capable of fuch a degree of improvement as to render it fit for the finer fabrics.

Premiums would probably be found the beft means of promoting the domeftic, and bounties the foreign fupply; and they ought of courfe to be adjusted with an eye to quality as well as quantity.

A fund for this purpose may be derived from the addition of 2 per cent. to the prefent rate of duty on carpets and carpeting imported into the ftates; an increase to which the nature of the articles fuggefts no objection, and which may at the fame time furnish a motive the more to the fabrication of them at home, towards which fome beginnings have been made,

SILK.

The production of this article is attended with great facility in moft parts of the United States. Some pleafing effays are making in Connecticut, as well towards that as towards the manufacture of what is produced. Stockings, handkerchiefs, ribbons, and buttons, are made, though as yet but in fmall quantities.

A manufactory of lace, upon a scale not very extensive, has been long memorable at Ipswich in the state of Massachusets.

An exemption of the material from the duty which it now pays on importation, and premiums upon the production, feem to be the only fpecies of encouragement adviseable at so early a stage.

GLASS.

The materials for making glafs are found every where; in the United States there is no deficiency of them. The fands and ftones called 'Tarfo, which include flinty and chryftalline fubftances generally, and the falts of various plants, particularly the fea-weed kali, or kelp, conftitute the effential ingredients. An extraordinary abundance of fuel is a particular advantage enjoyed by America for fuch manufactures; they, however, require large capitals, and involve much manual labour.

Different manufactories of glafs are now on foot in the United States. The prefent duty of 12 per cent. laid by the ftates on all imported articles of glafs amount to a confiderable encouragement to those manufactories; if any thing in addition is judged eligible, the most proper would appear to be a direct bounty on window glafs and black

bottles.

The

The first recommends itself as an object of general convenience, the laft adds to that character the circumftance of being an important item in breweries. A complaint is made of great deficiency in this refpect.

GUNPOWDER.

No small progrefs has been of late made in the manufacture of this important article; it may, indeed, be confidered as already eftablished, but its high importance renders its farther extenfion very defirable.

The encouragements which it already enjoys, are a duty of ten per cent. on the foreign rival article, and an exemption of falt-petre, one of the principal ingredients of which it is compofed, from duty. A like exemption of fulphur, another chief ingredient, would appear to be equally proper. No quantity of this article has yet been produced from any internal fources of the States. This confideration, and the ufe made of it, in finishing the bottoms of fhips, is an additional inducement to placing it in the clafs of free goods. Regulations for the careful inspection of the article would have a favour. able tendency.

PAPER.

Manufactories of paper are among those which are arrived at the greatest maturity in the United States, and are most adequate to national fupply. That of paper hangings is a branch in which respectable progrefs has been made.

Nothing material feems wanting to the farther fuccefs of this valuable branch, which is already protected by a competent duty on fimilar important articles.

In the enumeration of the feveral kinds made fubject to duty on importation into the States, fheathing and cartridge paper have been omitted; these being the most fimple manufactures of the fort, and neceffary to military fupply as well as fhip-building, recommend themfelves equally with thofe of other defcriptions to encouragement, and appear to be as fully within the compafs of domestic exertions.

PRINTED BOOKS.

The great number of preffes diffeminated throughout the Union feem to afford an affurance, that there is no need of being indebted to foreign countries for the printing of the books which are used in the United States, A duty of ten per cent, on the importation, inftead of

4

five,