“This undertaker, a silversmith by profession, from a casual acquaintance with a chymist who had some knowledge this way, was tempted to make a trial, which, upon the progress he made, he was encouraged to pursue with great labour and expense; and as the town and some of the best judges expressed their approbation of the essays he produced of his skill, he found means to engage some assistance. “The manufacture was then put upon a more extensive footing, and he had the encouragement of the public to a very great degree, so that the last winter he sold to the value of more than £3,500, which is a great deal, considering the thing is new, and is of so great extent that it has been beyond the reach of his industry to produce such complete assortments as are required in a variety of ways. This has been a great spur to his industry, so that, notwithstanding some discouragements, the ground-plot of his manufacture has gone on still increasing. “The discouragements, besides the immense difficulties in every step towards the improvement of the art, have been the introduction of immense quantities of Dresden porcelain. “It was known that, as the laws stand, painted earthenware, other than that from India, is not enterable at the Custom House, otherwise than for private use, and of course becomes forfeit when offered to sale, as well as lace from France, or any other unenterable commodity; and though it was publicly sold in a great many shops, and that there were even very frequent public sales of it, it was hoped that what was exposed to sale was chiefly the stock in hand, and when that should be got off, this grievance would cease. It has, nevertheless, happened quite otherwise, for not only the importations continue, and considerable parcels are allowed to pass at the Custom House, as for private use, by which means the shops abound with new stock, and public sales are advertised at the very beginning of the winter, and in large quantities; but there is reason to believe, from the diminution in the price of the Dresden china, that this is done on purpose to crush the manufactory established here, which was a project threatened last year. “It is apprehended that if recourse is had to the Custom House books, it will be found that considerable quantities have been entered there for private use, besides what may have been allowed to pass as Furniture to foreign ministers. “This earthenware pays eightpence by the pound when entered for private use; but a figure of very little weight may be worth five pounds, so that the real value of what is sold here will be found to be considerable; and, indeed, it must be so, as this ware makes an important article in a number of great shops, besides the number of public sales during the course of a winter, and the other private ways there are of carrying it about.