ENGLISH MANUFACTURES.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 92, 5 July 1879, Page 3

ENGLISH MANUFACTURES.

" Civis," writing to the New York Tribune from Manchester, England, on the Ist of April, says:— The present depression in the grent manufacturing strongholds of the Nation creates wide-spread alarm, and nothing like it has ever been seen before in Great Britain. The causes which have brought about this dangerous shrinkage in the demand foi English manufactures are discussed in the clubs, in reviews and in the daily press, and widely different reasons are advanced to account for the unprecedented stagnation in trade. All admit that a crisis is at hand, and that a remedy must be found—and that without delay, or wide-spread disaster will fall upon the heretofore invincible inanutures of the United Kingdom. It is doubtless surprising to many to find that Free Trade under the fostering influence uf cheap money and a gold standard 'has over-reached itself so that now, so far as the wisest can judge, England may possibly be compelled to nioilify her present commercial policy in order that waning National industries may ho rescued from ultimate ruin.

The commercial policy of England has been of vast benefits to tho Nation. Situated as these isles arc. small in area and with a large {population, the theory of Free Trade was founded on the wise basis of full trade. It drew to these shores the raw materials from other lands, and educated a superior race of artisans. There was a profit at a very point to English manufacturers and carriers Mills, and factories multiplied, capital accumulated, and the Nation increased in wealth in a marvellous ratio. The past fifty years have been freighted with commercial blessings to this country ; and while rival Nations have been convulsed by wars, tho manufacturers of England have onjoyed, without Borious exception, one unbroken series of success. Few peoples havo been so favored by exceptional and external loircunistances. The statesmen of England long ago foresaw that Free Trade, to be permanent, must command a controlling influences over the manufactures of the world. Unless this was done, sooner or latter disaster wovld fall upon England. It was this view probably that led Brougham, in IMIH, to declare in the House of Commons that

" Englund could afford to boar MUM loss on tlio export of hor goods for tho purpose of destroying foreign manufactures in the cradle." Ho anticipated thon, what has now came to put, that unless England could monopolize manufactures foreign competition might bring distress and even ruin upon her vast industries.

And vol it is true that England cmbraced t'rec Trade only wliou she bad reached a point of strength which cni ablml her manufacturers In defy out-

side eoinpetion. The development ot manufactures followed rapidly in the wake of constantly iner-asing capital, liie I nitri Mates, owing to various reasons, never seriously entered the field as a competitor in manufactures until ISti.V Cheap money and cheap skilled labor, united with long experience, unlimited commerce and banking facilities, overmatched her dear money, dear labor and imperfect communication with distant markets. Added to thi.f was the further fact that her varying commercial policies from 1814 to 1800 did much to discourage the development of American manufactures, and so strenghened those in England, In lsGl the Uvil War came, and for fouryears the conflict raped. The South was without manufactures and the North was unable to keep up with the terrible wastes of wars South ami North were compelled to draw upon England for supplies. The uupreceudciited demand called into operation immense additions to the already enormous producing power of this country. Never before Were fortunes amassed so quickly and clos.-al wealth poured in upon these shores. When peace come in the United States the manufacturers in England were indulging in every luxury and believed that their supremacy was secured. The Franco-German War followed the Rebellion, and the needs thereby created left no bread in the stupendous drain on the mills and factories here. The present was prosperous and little heed was paid to tho future. In 1873 the climax was reached. Peace was restored between France and Germany ; the United States had turned to manufactures with a skill aud success almost beyond belief, and all at once a shrinkage in the volume of orders to English manufacturers began. In 1874 the loss was still greater; in 1875 it grew worse ; in 187 li it caused deep unrest; in 1877 it was alarming, and in 1878 wide-spread disaster threatened the diversified industries of the United Kingdom. In 1874 the falling off in round numbers was 875,000,000 ; in 1875, $93,000,000; in 1870, 8280.000,000, and for 1878 at least 8300,000,000.

This tells its own story, and very sail it is, indeed. But, a* may be anticipated, it is only one phase of a very dark outlook for English manufacturers. During the years of falling prices and falling orders the moneyed institutions of the country have been loyally, if not wisely, lending a helping hand to distressed and drooping enterprises. This has gone oil to an extent that, would be appalling were all the facts known. The terrible depreciation in coal, in iron, ill chemicals, in manufactures of all kinds has caused looses almost bewildering in their totals. The result is that a period of fear and doubt has fallen on the Nation. Capital is timid ; banks arc breaking; mills and factories are closing down; unrest anil gloom fill the minds of the wisest and most hopeful.