FOREIGN SILK MANUFACTURES, ENTERED UNDER TARIFF OF 1846. 1846. 1847. 1848. Silk or satin broad stuffs, 64,269 lbs. 85,589 lbs. 141,179 lbs. Silk ribbons, 79,541 95,906 95,881 Gauze or crape broad stuffs, 4,383 4,053 5,127 Gauze ribbons, 11,268 26,166 26,312 Gauze, mixed, 18 8 39 Mixed ribbons, 687 1,650 1,244 Velvet broad stuffs, 2,935 4,822 6,558 Velvet embossed ribbons, 4,183 3,141 10,530 ——————— ——————— ——————— 167,284 lbs. 221,335 lbs. 286,870 lbs. Now if, as it is fair to suppose, the same increase, or even half of it, has taken place in the importation of other articles upon which the duties were removed, but which have been quietly withdrawn from the official tables; these statistics are enough to condemn free trade before any tribunal in the world. Mark how the matter stands. Here is a _doubled importation_ of foreign manufactured goods. One half at least of these goods have come in to displace your home manufacture. The other half would have come in as formerly to supply the rich, who would have had to pay a high duty for the gratification of their fancy. That duty, where reduced, is now lost to the revenue. Who is the gainer, then? No one, save the rich consumer; whilst, on the other hand, the revenue has suffered, and home industry has received a prostrating blow. But—say men of the Cobden school—though the silk weaver, and embroiderer, and milliner, and plaiter, and shoemaker, and tailor, may have suffered, the country is no loser, because WE export goods in return for the articles of import. Do you, gentlemen? Let us turn to the export tables, and see how your account stands. Recollect, you have undertaken to show us a corresponding export of your goods to meet the influx of foreign manufactures. Unless you can do this, your case is utterly worthless, and you stand as detected impostors. EXPORT OF PRINCIPAL MANUFACTURES FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM. 1846. 1847. 1848. Cotton manufactures, £8,899,272 £9,248,835 £8,023,825 Ditto yarn, 3,523,793 2,628,616 2,214,431 Linen manufactures, 1,389,520 1,502,770 1,413,819 Ditto yarn, 410,277 315,196 236,076 Silk manufactures, 421,910 494,806 263,798 Woollen yarn, 377,160 444,797 291,985 Ditto manufactures, 3,143,550 3,564,754 2,578,470 ——————————— ——————————— ——————————— £18,165,482 £18,199,774 £15,022,404