PREFACE.
5
reality the masters of their business, and to emancipate them from a staieof bondage to such as are too commonly the slaves of blind prejudice, andvicious routine.
Secondly, to afford to Merchants, Brokers, Drysalters, Druggists , andOfficers of the Revenue, characteristic descriptions of the commodities whichpass through their hands.
Thirdly, by exhibiting some of the finest developments of chemistry andphysics, to lay open an excellent practical school to students of these kindredsciences.
Fourthly, to teach Capitalists , who may be desirous of placing their fundsin some - productive bank of industry, to select judiciously among plausibleclaimants.
Fifthly, to enable Gentlemen of the Law to become well acquainted withthe nature of those patent schemes which are so apt to give rise to litigation.
Sixthly, to present to our Legislators such a clear exposition of our staplemanufactures, as may dissuade them from enacting laws which obstructindustry, or cherish one branch of it to the injury of many others : and,
Lastly, to give the General Reader, intent chiefly on intellectual cultivation,a view of many of the noblest achievements of science, in effecting thosegrand transformations of matter to which Great Britain owes her paramountwealth, rank, and power among the kingdoms.
The latest statistics of every important object of manufacture is given fromthe best, and, usually, from official authority, at the end of each article.*
The following summary of our manufactures is extracted from Mr.Macqueen’s General Statistics of the British Empire, published in 1836. Itshows the amount of capital embarked in the various departments of manu-facturing industry, and of the returns of that capital:—
Woollen ditto -
Silk ditto -
Linen ditto -
Leather ditto -
Iron ditto, to making pig iron -
Iron, hardware, cutlery, &c.
Copper and brass ditto -
J a t>er, furniture, books, &c.
P'rits (British ), ales, soap, &c.sundries additional -
- Totals -
Capital.
Produce.
£
40,973,872
36,000,000
8,000,000
12,000,000
13,000,000
10,000,000
25,000,000
3,600,000
8,600,000
10,000,000
37,600,000
£
52,513,586
44,250,000
10,000,000
15,421,186
16,000,000
7,098,000
31,072,600
4,673,186
10,892,794
14,000,000
47,163,847
9,000,000
201,773,872
262,085,199
agent COnse< l' u ence of an arrangement with Mr. William Newton, patentlures P ro P r i et °r of the London Journal of Arts, Sciences, and Manufac-descriet- ave k een permitted to enrich this Dictionary with many interestingmerits !S S ar, d illustrative figures of modern patent inventions and improve-Newto n i C 1 ^ c0l, ld not otherwise have presented to my readers. Mr.catalogue ^ ^ ate ty enhanced the value of his Journal by annexing to it ain the entitled “ An Analytical Index to the Subjects contained
°lumes,” which constitute the first and second series. The
The statist,;™ f .r . , ,. ,
air. M’Culloch’s 7 t■ a S ncu lwre, trade, and manufactures is ably and fully discusseo iniclionary already referred to.