ince was imported from Great Britain, and sometimes from Ireland. But, considering the excessive price of labour in New England, the merchants could afford what was imported cheaper than what was made in that country. "That there were also a few hatters set up in the maritime towns: and that the greater part of the leather used in that country was manufactured amongst themselves. That there had been for many years some iron-works in that province, which had afforded the people iron for some of their necessary occasions; but that the iron imported from Great Britain was esteemed much the best, and wholly used by the shipping. And that the iron works of that province were not able to supply the twentieth part of what was necessary for the use of the country. "III. New York. "That they had no manufactures in that province that deserved mentioning; their trade consisting chiefly in furs, whale-bone, oil, pitch, tar, and provisions. "IV. New Jersey. "No manufactures here that deserve mentioning: their trade being chiefly in provisions exported to New York and Pennsylvania. "V. Pennsylvania. "Its chief trade lay in the exportation of provisions and lumber; having no manufactures established; their cloathing and utensils for their houses being all imported from Great Britain. "VI. From New Hampshire, further advices, viz. "That the woollen manufacture of this province is much less than formerly; the common lands on which the sheep used to feed, being now divided into particular properties, and the people almost wholly cloathed with woollen from Great Britain. That the manufacturing of flax into linen (some coarser, some finer) daily increased by the great resort of people from Ireland thither, who are well skilled in that business. And that the chief trade of this province continued, as for many years past, in the exportation of naval stores, lumber, and fish. "VII. Later accounts from Massachuset's Bay, in New England, viz. "The assembly have voted a bounty of thirty shillings for every piece of duck or canvas to be made in this province. Some other manufactures are carried on there; as the making of brown Hollands, for womens wear; which lessens the importation of calicoes, and some other sorts of East India goods. - They also make some small quantities of cloth made of linen and cotton, for ordinary shirting and sheeting. By a paper-mill, set up three years ago, they make to the value of two hundred pounds yearly. There are also several forges for making of bar iron, and some furnaces for cast iron, or hollow wares, and one slitting mill: and a manufacture of nails. "The governor writes, concerning the woollen manufacture, that the country people who used formerly to make most of their cloathing out of their own wool, do not now make a third part of what they wear, but are mostly cloathed with British manufactures.The governor (Belcher) by some of his letters of an older date, in answer to our annual queries, writes, that there are some few copper mines in this province, but so far distant from water carriage, and the ore so poor, that it is not worth the digging. — The Surveyor General of his Majesty's woods writes, that they have in New England six furnaces and nineteen forges for making of iron: and that in this province many ships are built for the French and Spaniards, in return for rum, melasses, wines, and silk, which they truck there by connivance. - Great quantities of hats are made in New England, of which the Company of Hatters of London have likewise lately complained to us. That great quantities of those hats are exported to Spain, Portugal, and our West India islands. They also make all sorts of iron-work for shipping.That there are several still-houses and sugar bakers established in New England. "VIII. Later advices from New York, viz. "There are no manufactures here that can affect the manufactures of Great Britain. - There is yearly imported into New York a very large quantity of the woollen manufactures of this kingdom, for their cloathing, which, 'as the President of the Council of this province writes,' they would be rendered incapable to pay for, and would be reduced to the necessity of making for themselves, if they were prohibited from receiving from the foreign sugar colonies, the money, rum, sugar, melasses, cocoa, cotton-wool, &c. which they at present take in return for provisions, horses, and lumber, the produce of that province and of New Jersey; of which, he affirms, the British sugar colonies do not take off above one-half. But the Company of Hatters of London have since informed us, that hats are manufactured in great quantities in this province. "IX. New Jersey. "No particular returns from this province. "X. From Pennsylvania, later advices, viz. "The deputy-governor writes, that he does not know of any trade carried on in that province that can be injurious to this kingdom: and that they do not export any woollen or linen manufactures: all that they make, which are of a coarse sort, being for their own use. We are further informed, that in this province are built many brigantines and small sloops, which they sell to the West Indies. "XI. Rhode Island. "The governor informs us, in answer to our queries, that there are iron mines there; but not a fourth part iron enough to serve their own use. But he takes no notice of any sort of manufactures established there. "XII. Connecticut. "No return from the governor of this province." . . . "But," says this report of the Board of Trade, "we find by some accounts, that the produce of this colony is timber, boards, all sorts of English grain, hemp, flax, sheep, black cattle, swine, horses, goats, and tobacco. That they export horses and lumber to the West Indies, and receive in return sugar, salt, melasses, and rum. - We likewise find, that their manufactures are very inconsiderable; the people there being generally employed in tillage; some few in tanning, shoe-making, and other handicrafts; others in building, joiners, taylors and smiths work, without which they could not subsist." "No report is made concerning Carolina, the Bahama, nor the Bermuda isles: and as for Newfoundland, it is scarcely to be called a plantation, and Hudson's Bay not at all. . . . "From the foregoing state," continues the report, "it is observable that there are more trades carried on and manufactures set up in the provinces on the continent of America to the northward of Virginia, prejudicial to the trade and manufactures of Great Britain, particularly in New England, than in any other of the British colonies; which is not to be wondered at; for their climate, soil, and produce, being pretty near the same with ours, they have no staple commodities of their own growth to exchange for our manufactures; which puts them under greater necessity, as well as under greater temptation of providing for themselves at home: to which may be added, in the charter governments, the little dependence they have upon their mother-country, and consequently the small restraints they are under in any matters detrimental to her interests. "And therefore, we would humbly beg leave to report and submit to the wisdom of this Honourable House, the substance of what we formerly proposed in our report on the silk, linen, and woollen manufactures herein before recited; namely, (whether it might not be expedient to give those colonies proper encouragements for turning their industry to such manufactures and products as might be of service to Great Britain, and more particularly to the production of all kinds of naval stores. "Whitehall, Feb. 15, 1731-2. PAUL DOCKMINIQUE, &c." B. Few Manufactures in New York, 17321 The following extract is a good example of a report from a governor who was friendly to the colonists and who minimized the growth of manufacturing in the colonies and the infraction of the acts of trade. Cosby was governor of New York. My Lords, .. New York. 18. Dec 1732. I acknowledge the receipt of your Lordpps to me of the 16th of June last, and in pursuance of His Majty's directions to Your Lordpps's Board have made the strictest enquiry in respect to Manufacturers sett up, and Trade carryed on in this Province of New York and can discover none that may in any way affect or prejudice the Trade, Navigation and Manufactures of the Kingdom of Great Brittain; . . . The Inhabitants here are more lazy and unactive that the world generally supposes, and their manufacture extends no further then what is consumed in their own famillys, a few coarse Lindsey Woolseys for cloathing, and linen for their own wear; the hatt makeing trade here seemed to promise to make the greatest advances to the prejudice of Great Brittain, but that the Parliament having already taken into their consideration, needs no more mention, whatever new springs up that may in the least affect and prejudice the Trade or Navigation of Great 1 Documents relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York. Edited by E. B. O'Callaghan (Albany, 1855), V, 937-8. Brittain shall be narrowly inspected and Annual returns of Your and most humble servant. (signed). W COSBY C. Manufactures in New York, 17671 The slight development of manufacturing establishments and the difficulties which the manager of such enterprises had to cope with in the uncertainty of labor and the competition of the cheaper and better English goods are clearly brought out in this report of Governor H. Moore of New York to the Lords of Trade. There is a small Manufactory of Linen in this City under the Conduct of one Wells, and supported chiefly by the Subscriptions of a set of men who call themselves the Society of Arts and Agriculture. No more than fourteen Looms are employed in it, and it was established in order to give Bread to several poor families which were a considerable charge to the City, and are now comfortably supported by their own daily Labour in spinning of Flax. It does not appear, that there is any established fabric of Broad cloth here; and some poor Weavers from Yorkshire, who came over lately in expectation of being engaged to make Broad cloths, could find no Employment. But there is a general Manufactory of Woollen carried on here, and consists of two sorts, the first a coarse cloth entirely woollen of a yard wide; and the other a Stuff which they call Linsey Woollsey. The Warp of this Linen and the Woof Woollen; and a very small quantity of it is ever sent to market. Last year when the Riots and Disorders here were at their height, on the occasion of the Stamp Act, these manufactures were greatly boasted of, and the Quantity then made greatly magnified by those, who were desirous of distinguishing themselves as American Patriots, and would wear nothing else; they were sometimes sold for three times their value; but the manufacturers themselves shewed, that they had more good sense than the persons who employed them; for they never cloathed themselves with the work of their own hands, but readily brought it to market, and selling it at an extravagant price there, bought English cloth for themselves and their families. The custom of making these coarse cloths in private families prevails throughout 1 Documents relative to the Colonial History of New York. Edited by E. B. O'Callaghan. (Albany, 1856-1887), VII, 888-9. |