39 Geo. 3. c. 3. Duty on Pensions, Sugar, 39 Geo. 3. c. 100. 26 G. 3. c.81. British Fisheries. Vide 39 Geo. 3. Disembodied Militia Allowances. 39 Geo 3. c. 87. Thames Police. See 42 Geo. 3. c, 76. §. 23, the continuance of which Act is until 1 June, 1807, &c. See also 43 Geo. 3. c. 115, as to Seizure of Exciseable Commodities, under the Act 39, 40 Geo. 3. 1807. 41 Geo. 3. c. 44. Warehousing British Sugar. 41 Geo. 3. c. 74. Sugars' Drawback, exported from Ireland. 42 Geo. 3. c. 61. Police Offices adjacent to London. 43 Geo. 3. c. 11. Discontinuing Sugar Draw- 43 Geo. 3. c. 97. Irish Revenue Regulation. 43 Geo. 3. c. 103. Warehousing Portugal 44 Geo. 3. c. 32. Irish Militia Service-46 44 Geo. 3. c. 101. Bahama American Salt Trade. 44 Geo. 3. c. 103. Customs and Excise, 45 Geo. 3. c. 18. Customs in Ireland. 45 Geo. 3. c. 19. Excise and Inland Duties. 45 Geo. 3. c. 22. Duty on Irish Malt and Spirits. Continued 46 Geo. 3. c. 120. 45 Geo. 3. c. 47. Examination of Military Abuses.-Vide 45 Gco. 3. c. 70. 45 Geo. 3. c, 98. Increasing Drawbacks on Linens exported to West Indies. Foreign Plain Linens, 45 Geo. 3. expires same time. 45 Geo. 3. c. 105. Hearth-Money, and As- Paper, and Paper Hangings, Ireland. 46 Geo. 3. c. 30. Trade to Cape of Good 46 Geo. 3. c. 66. Mutiny Act. Expires in Great-Britain, March 25; Ireland, April 1; Jersey, &c. May 1; Gibraltar, &c. March 25, 1808. 46 Geo 3. c. 103. Imported Salt Fish from Newfoundland, with Bounty. 46 Geo. 3. c. 118. Time for purchasing legal Quays in London: compare 43 Gec. 3. c. 124 46 Geo. 3. c. 126. Innkeepers' Subsistence of Soldiers. 46 Geo. 3. c. 139. Regulation Malt Duties. 46 Geo. 3 c. 152. To stay ProsecutionsBark and Leather. 8 Geo. 1. For Encouragement of the Silk Manufactures: but this Act is continued, so far as relates to the Encouragement of the Silk Manufactures of this Kingdom, by 46 Geo. 3. cap. 110. (No. 198), by which the Bounties specified in this Act are increased during the War. 29 Geo.2. Bounty on British and Irish Linens.-See 23 Geo. 3. cap. 21. (No. 38.) 4 Geo. 3. c. 19. For importing Salt from Europe into the Province of Quebec, in America. Continued by 6. c. 42. 13. c. 69. 20. c. 19. 26. c. 53. 31. c. 43. 36. c. 40. §. 7. 43. c. 29. §. 7. Expires 24th June, 1808. 4 Geo. 3. c. 26. Bounty on Importation of Hemp from America. Continued by 28. Geo. 3. c. 52. §. 12. 46. Geo. 3. c. 29. §. 4. 6 Geo. 3. c. 28. Prohibition of Foreign Wrought Silks and Velvets, and Combination among Workmen employed in Silk Manufacture. Continued as to prohibition of Foreign Silks and Velvets, except so far as is repugnant to 43 Geo. 3. cap. 63. Schedule A. tit. Silk. Continued also by eight other Statutes, all of which are referred to in the margin. 17 Geo. 3. c. 43. Permitted Exportation of Tobacco-pipe Clay to West Indies. Continued by various Acts marked in margin. 38 Geo. 3. c. 68. Duties on Spices. But query? See 43 Geo. 3. c. 63. 39 Geo. 3. Duties on Pensions, &c. also on Sugar, Malt, Tobacco, Snuff.-See Land-Tax Act, 38 Gco. 3. c 5. and Land-Tax Redemption Acts, 38 Geo. 3. c. 60. 42 Geo. 3. c. 116.-See also the Customs Consolidation Act, 43 Geo. 3. C. 68 §. 10. and Excise ConsolidationAct, 43 Geo. 3. c. 69. §. 1. 41 Geo. 3. c. 77. Importation of Salt Fish from Newfoundland.-See 46 Geo. 3. c. 103. as to Bounty. 41 Geo. 3. c. 95 Warehousing British Plantation Spirits in Ireland. 43 Geo. 3. c. 35 Grain and Flour to and from Ireland. The Act 43 Geo. 3. c. 14. is also " for "permitting the Exportation of Seed "Corn from Great-Britain to Ireland; and the Importation of Malt into "Great-Britain from Ireland." [Repealed as to Malt by 44 Geo. 3. c. 89. §. 1.—And now see 46 Geo. 3. c. 97, which permits the free Interchange of Corn and Flour between Great-Britain and Ireland.] 43 Geo. 3. c. 68. Newfoundland Fishery. 44 Geo. 3. Importation Hides, Tallow, Wool (not Cotton Wool), in Foreign Bottoms.-See 45 Geo. 3. c. 57, for West Indies. 46 Geo. 3. c. 119. Prohibition Slave Trade. Those Laws which expire in following years, as 1809, 1810, 1811, are very properly reported also. The importance of these regulations is cvident from a mere inspection of the subjects we have extracted, which is but a small proportion. It is proper that those who are any way affected by these Acts, should have a sufficient time allowed them to mature and to state their sentiments, together with what improvements have occurred to them, if they are to be revived, or continued ; as many things occur incidentally, which may not be thought of suddenly. We conclude this article by observing, with what diligence the various branches of our trade have been fostered, by bounties, by exemptions, &c. continued for a time; at the end of which time, fresh regulations have confirmed the advantages which experience had demonstrated, and removed those that had been found injurious. Our commerce, then, is not wholly spontaneous, or natural to our island; but has been gradually improved, enlarged, accumulated, the work of ages, till, at length, it is all but boundless. REGULATIONS OF THE WOOLLEN MANUFACTURES, AND SYSTEM OF APPRENTICESHIP. Different stages and states of society require different regulations to promote their welfare. That nourishment which is proper for infants, is unappropriate to adults. When commerce and manufactures are in an infant state, they demand a fostering care, that, operating as a bounty, may strengthen and advance them : but, when strengthened and advanced, other measures may be proper to establish and govern them. We presented, in our first Number, the Report of the Committee of the House of Commons on the State of the Woollen Manufactory, that staple article of our country! As this subject will speedily be re-considered by Parliament, as appears by a motion of Lord Temple, we think it may not be amiss to remind our readers of the probability, that the system established in the days of Queen Elizabeth is likely to undergo some alterations. We desire to be understood as giving no opinion at present on a subject of so great importance, but shall merely insert a pro and con state of the question. We shall, in the first place, transcribe a few paragraphs from the Speech of Randle Jackson, Esq. before the Committee of the House of Commons, on behalf of the Clothworkers and Sheermen of Yorkshire, Lancashire, Wiltshire, Somersetshire, and Gloucestershire.-London, Stockdale, 1806. By turning to the Panorama, pp. 120, 121, it will be seen that the Committee recommended the repeal of the Act of 5 and 6 Edw. VI. for putting down gig-mills. On this subject Mr. J. declaims at some length in behalf of his clients; observing that, Mr. E. S. of Uley, in Gloucestershire, ad mits, upon his cross-examination, "that cloth may be overstrained, so as to afford an extraordinary profit at foreign markets, without breaking the thread; that great art is required in using the gig-mill, and that the cloths done by the hired or public mills have been done badly." In which state the cloth is pressed, and goes to the customer without the damage being discoverable. And even when the ground is broken, we have abundant proof that it is the custom in those cases, so to fine-draw, flock, and press, as almost to defy detection. Mr. W. of Dursley, allows it to be his opinion, that the medley cloths dyed in the wool will not bear the pressure of the gigmill, like the white cloths of his county; and he goes on to say, that they leave their lists longer on the cloths meant to be dressed by the gig-mill than on those dressed by hand, to provide for the necessary degree of straining in the gig mill;" he adds, that the great advantage of gig-dressed cloth is in its appearance, and that they sell such cloths for a higher price than those done by hand." Mr. William S. of Frome, in Somersetshire, allows, that they mill their cloths one yard short in an end, to bear the force of the gig-mill." 66 It is admitted that three persons, with the assistance of the gig-mill, would dress about as much cloth as twenty-four persons could dress by hand. In speaking of the sheering-frame, on which also the Committee reported, he thus reasons against it: The sheering-frame has this mischievous effect, it will not sheer even; and if the cloth is not put on perfectly even, it will knib, that is, catch it with the blade. Now, if it knibs when they sheer by hand, the sensasion of the sheerer immediately detects it, and the injury is stopped. The fine-drawers have said, that the holes made in the cloth by the sheers are of the size of a pea, or a gun-shot; while, on the other hand, those made by the sheering-frame are generally three or four inches long: the reason is, that when a hole is made, it cannot be detected till the blade, which is some inches broad, and fixed in the frame, has passed over a space equal to its breadth; they then find out that a hole is made, and they stop the machine. They say it is not necessary to have a man after each machine, as you have after a pair of sheers, but that one man superintends half a dozen of them. The witnesses have uniformly stated the extra straining of the cloth to average, at least, two yards in twenty above the legal measure. One of the Yorkshire masters, a respecta. ble magistrate in that county, was called: an honourable member of the Committee reminded him of the unfortunate circumstance which led to the loss of the Russian market; namely, that a Russian brigade, newly clothed with English cloth, happening to be exposed to a drenching shower, their coats shrunk into waistcoats. Mr. C. the witness, adınitted the anccdote, and added, that they had the most exorbitant demands made upon them by the German factors and merchants, on account of extraordinary straining! Mr. Lambert is, by profession, an overlooker or examiner of cloths for the drapers; that is, when the draper looks out a certain quantity of cloths at the warehouse of the factor, they are sent to a person whose peculiar business it is to examine and report upon them. Mr. Lambert tells you he examined, at least, two hundred cloths a week for various drapers; that by far the greatest proportion of those which pass through his hands are dressed by the gig-mill; and that he pursues a mode which cannot fail of detecting the injury, if any be done to the cloth. He begins with taking out the press, that is, getting off the gloss, he can then discern what injuries there are; and he tells you, that out of two hundred cloths he is obliged to throw aside a considerable number.-He says, that the gig-cloth is looser; it feels more hollow in the hand, and the injuries are of a diffe rent nature from those which he finds in the hand-dressed cloths. He examines all the hand-dressed cloths which come from an eminent manufacturer in the West of England, and in the course of the last two years he has not had occasion to return five of them. The cloths, whether over-strained at the tenter, or by gig-dressing, go abroad in that state of extension :-those intended for home consumption, especially for the London wear, are damped and cold-pressed; the damping drives them in, perhaps, half a yard upon twenty; but the cloths meant for the foreign market are not damped, but merely pressed, which does not drive them in more than a very few inches at inost.--Mr. E. one of the Yorkshire masters, admits, that the coarser kind of woollen cloths are strained in the proportion of five yards upon twenty-five. -Mr. E. says, truly, that these cloths shrink back towards the legal length every time they are exposed to the air. When cloths are taken from the tenter, though notoriously overstrained, nevertheless the length is found fraudulently to correspond with the scal put on at the fulling-mill. Í hed been informed, that by some management at the fulling-mill, it was not unusual to put on seals, these denoting a longer length than the cloth actually measured, so as to allow for subsequent straining. The clothiers well know, and it is in evidence before you, that the searchers have not the common means of living, if they do their duty-that they are cast for sustenance upon betraying their trust-that their families must starve if they are faithful, so scanty is their allowance; while, on the other hand, he is liberally rewarded if he refrains from visiting them, or makes his visits in a complaisant way. Adverting to the system of apprenticeship, which now stands for seven years of learning; but which there is a general persuasion, that it might be shortened, to advantage, Mr. J. proceeds: I stated, in my opening address, that the abrogation of the system of apprenticeship appeared to me to be one of the most awful propositions ever submitted to the Legislature. It is not enough to shew that a weaver or a cloth-worker can get a knowledge of his trade in a few months or a few years!Who | shall say that the superior morals of our countrymen have not been owing to the prevalence of a system which places youth under proper controul during that most critical period of life, when even parental authority is not so effectual as the authority of the master? It is a custom which has prevailed time out of mind, till within these few years, that in some parts of the country it has been relaxed, principally owing to the introduction of machinery, and the factory system. I submit to the Committee, that, whether looked at in a moral or political point of view, the strongest objections present themselves against that freedom from restraint which you are urged to enact. If you give way in this instance, it would be absurd to argue that the abrogation of apprenticeship will be confined to the woollen trade, and that it will not extend to all the various other branches of manufacture. No man can imagine for a moment that you can do away apprenticeship among the clothiers, and support it among the manufacturers of leather, iron, and other But, take it, that persons in elevated stations may say, We cannot endure these troublesome rogues under our roof. Let them, in that case, discharge their duty by deputymay appoint, receive the apprentices into let the foremen, or others whom the master their houses and families, and exercise over them, as far as may be, a delegated authority. In opposition to these sentiments, on this latter subject, the following paper has been handed to us with a view to its general circu、 lation. We also refer our readers to the 6th Resolution of the Committee, before which Mr. J. advocated the cause of the sheermen. Panorama, p. 134. A few Opinions of some great and good Men, and sound Lawyers, on the Apprentice Laws of Queen Elizabeth; applicable to the Era of 1806-7. Rep. p. 2.-Lord Mansfield, in his arguments Rennard and Chase, Brewers, 1 Bur. on this case, says, "It hath been well observed that this Act (viz. 5 Eliz. cap. 4.) is, A Penal Law. 2. It is a Restraint ou Natural Right. 3. It is contrary to the general Right given by the Common Law of this Kingdom. 4. The Policy upon which this Act was made, is from experience become doubtful. Bad and unskilful Workmen are rarely prosecuted. This Act was made early in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, when the great number of Manufacturers, who Alva's persecution, had brought Trade and took refuge in England after the Duke of Commerce with them, and enlarged our ne articles. You must annihilate the system tions. The Restraint introduced by this Law altogether, or you must have the courage to was thought unfavourable; and the Judges, enforce it in this manufacture as well as in by a liberal interpretation, have extended the others. I do not mean that you need enforce qualification for exercising the Trade much it according to the extent of the statute of beyond the letter of it, and confined the PeElizabeth, that is, in many respects, an obso-nalty and Prohibition to Cases precisely withlete statute. I do not say that it is absolutely in the express letter." Burn's Justice, Vol. necessary that apprenticeship shall be for I. Art. Apprentices. seven years. I do not say that you shall not listen to the observation of an honourable member, which I felt forcibly when it was urged, namely, that when one youth is bound an apprentice, and sees another working by his side who is not bound, getting five or ten shillings a week, while he is getting nothing, he will feel great uncasiness and inpatience. If seven years be inconvenient, say six, or even five years. If it be necessary 2 Salk. 613. The Queen v. Maddox.-It to give to youth progressive wages, in God's was held by the Court, "that upon Indictname let it be so.-What I contend for is, ments upon the Statute of 5 Eliz. the follow the continuation of that system of apprentiee-ing of a Trade for seven years to be sufficient 3d Modern Reports, p. 317.-Judge Dolben, in delivering his Opinion, said, that "No encouragement was ever given to Prosecutions upon the Statute 5 Eliz. and that it would be for the common good if it were repealed; for no greater punishment can be to the Seller, than to expose to sale goods illwrought, for by such means he will never sell more." without any binding; this being a hard Law."-And so held in Lord Raymond, 738. Burn's Justice.-" So detrimental was this Statute thought, that by 15 Car. II. all Persons spinning or making Cloth of Hemp or Flax, or Nets for Fishing, or Storin or Cordage, might exercise those Trades without serving Apprenticeships.-And so little did the Legislature, at subsequent periods, think that any benefit was to be derived from the Statute of 5 Elizabeth; or that Manufactures were made better, or improved by this Restraint ;-and the minds of men being more liberal, that Trade should, as much as possible, be flung open; it is enacted, by 6 and 7 William III. that any Apprentice discovering two persons guilty of Coining, so as they are convicted, shall be deened a Freeman, and may exercise his Trade as if he had served out his time," And, in order still stronger to shew how little the Legislature esteemed the seven years binding ameliorated Manufactures, it is enacted, by 3 Geo. III. cap. 8. that "All Officers, Mariners, and Soldiers who have been employed in His Majesty's Service, and not deserted, may exercise such trades as they are apt for, in any Town or Place." So dangerous and fatal has been the evil of Combinations and Conspiracies amongst Journeymen, that in particular instances, as in Trades where many hands are required and very little skill, as Dying, and such like, the Legislature have made express Laws to give relief to Masters. See 17 Geo. III. cap. 33; which enables Dyers, in Middlesex, Essex, Surrey, and Kent, to employ Journeymen who have not served Apprenticeships.-And to such a pitch has this mischief, in the West Riding of Yorkshire increased, by the conspiracies facilitated by the Act of 5 Eliz. that it goes to the total annihilation of our staple Manufactures, and every other Trade, which hopes for success not only by the Home, but -See the Refrom Foreign Consumption. port from the Committee of the House of Commons, on the Woollen Trade and Manufacture of these Kingdoms, made in the last Session of Parliament. 4th July, 1806. Paporama, pp. 119, 135. After stating the above, let us quote the Words of the immortal Lord Chief Justice Coke on this point.—“ That, at the Common Law, no Man could be prohibited from working in any lawful Trade; for the Law abhors Idleness, the mother of all evilOtium omnium vitiorum Mater-and especially in young men, who ought in their youth (which is their seed time) to learn Jawful Sciences and Trades, which are profitable to the Commonwealth, whereof they might reap the benefit in their old age; for idle in Youth, poor in Age." And therefore the Common Law abhors all Monopolies, which prohibit any from working in any lawful Trade. And that appears in 2 Hen. V. 5. b.—A Dver was bound not to use the Dyer's Craft for two years and there Judge Hall held, "that the Bond was against the Common Law; and by G-d if the Plaintiff was here, he should go to Prison, till he paid a Fine to the King." And vide 7 Edw. III. 65 b. "And, if he who takes upon himself to work is unskilful, his Ignorance is a sufficient Punishment to him, for Imperitia est maxima mecanicorum pœna et quilibet quærit in qualibet arte peritos :which is, that want of skill is the greatest punishment of Mechanics; for every body will employ those that are the best skilled in their business. And, if any one takes upon himself to work, and spoils it, an Action on the Case lies against him." Having observed thus much, and stated the Opinions of two such great men as Lord Coke and Lord Mansfield, we can only add one dixit of Lord Coke's, that, "Acts of Parliament which are made against the Freedom of Trade, Merchandizing, Handicrafts, and Mysterics, never live long." 4th Inst. 31. It is to be observed, that this very great check upon Trade, by not being able to employ any hands that are able to perform the work required, and especially in those Trades which are so easily learnt in a very short space of time, greatly enhances the prices of all articles, and that at a time when population is daily increasing, and the demand proportionably increasing. And this Statute is not only a restraining Statute, but also an enabling Statute, as it cupowers the Workmen to enter into Combinations against their Masters, and to dictate their own terms, encouraging vice, idleness, and drunkenness; demands being made on the Masters for an increase of Wages; these demands supported by dangerous Combinations and Conspiracies, and extorted by Threats. And such increase, when obtained, not applied for the wholesome purpose of supporting themselves and their families, but to that very destructive purpose, ruinous to their families, and highly detrimental to the Public at large, the enabling of the parties to spend more days of the week in idleness, drunkenness, vice, and immorality. In many Manufactures, so much money is extorted by the Journeyinen, by means of these Combinations, from their Employers, that the Journeymen will work but three days in the week; so that 600 are necessarily required to do the work that 300 might do. Until these Laws, restricting the binding of Apprentices, are repealed, all Laws made for the prevention of Combinations among Workinen, can be of no avail, and will re |