English wool. That this is a correct view of the matter would have been obvious, though there had been no direct evidence on the subject, from the magnitude of the importations of foreign wool in the period from 1820 to 1824, both inclusive, notwithstanding the operation of the duty, which added more than FIFTY per cent to the cost of all the coarser descriptions of foreign wool, and from 20 to 35 per cent to the cost of most other descriptions that were then brought into the country. We subjoin a note of the quantities of wool imported, and the rate of duty, in each of the following years:

Years ending

:

5th January.

1819,

1820,

1821,

9,794,620

The importation of upwards of nineteen millions of pounds weight of foreign wool, in 1823 and 1824 respectively, in despite of the high duty of 6d., shows conclusively how indispensable it is to the manufacture; for, had this not been the case, it is quite clear that the duty would have prevented its importation. The importation of nearly 44 millions of pounds weight, in the year ending 5th of January, 1826, must be ascribed as much to the spirit of overtrading that then affected every branch of industry, as to the reduction of the duty; but the large importations during last year are a fresh proof of the necessity of foreign wool to the successful prosecution of this important department of national industry.

But we are not left to inferences, however clear and indisputable, as to the absolute necessity of importing foreign wool. On this point, the evidence taken before the Lords' Committee is complete and decisive. Mr Gott of Leeds, one of the most extensive and intelligent manufacturers in the Empire, informed the Committee, that in his own works he now used only foreign wool. On being asked whether he could carry on an export trade to the same extent as at present, if he manufactured his cloth of British wool, Mr G. replied, that in certain descriptions of cloth, he could not make an article that would be merchantable at all for the foreign market, or even for the home market, except

' of foreign wool.' We subjoin a few additional extracts from the evidence of this most competent witness.

Can you give the Committee any information with respect to the competition that now exists between foreigners and this country in woollen cloths?-I think the competition is very strong; in some instances the foreigner has probably the advantage; and in others, the superiority of the British manufacture, I think, has greatly the advantage; that would apply, I 'should say, particularly to the fine cloths of Great Britain compared with foreign cloths; in some descriptions of low cloths, the foreigners are nearly on a footing, and, in some instances, 'perhaps, superior to us.

Speaking of the finer cloths, is the competition such as to render an additional duty on the importation of foreign wool likely to injure the export trade?--I have no doubt, speaking on " my oath, that IT WOULD BE FATAL TO THe foreign cLOTH trade of the COUNTRY. I would say further, that it would be equally injurious to coarse manufactures of all kinds made ' of English wool. The competition now with foreigners is as nearly balanced as possible; and the disturbing operation of attacks of that description would necessarily enable the foreigner to buy his wool cheaper than we should do it in this 'country; the result would be, that foreigners would, by such a premium, be enabled to extend their manufactures to the 'exclusion of British manufactures of all descriptions.'

In another part of his evidence, Mr Gott says, 'If two pieces of cloth, at 10s. a-yard, were put before a customer, one made of British wool, the other of foreign wool, one would be sold and the other would remain on hand: I could not execute an 'order with it. If any person sent to me for cloth of 7s. or 8s. a-yard, and it were made of English wool, it would be sent back to me, and I must resort to foreign wool, or foreign mixed 'with British, to execute that order.'

On Mr Gott being asked whether, in his opinion, the price of British wool would have been greater or less than it actually is, had the duty of 6d. a-pound on foreign wool been continued, he answered: My opinion is, that the price of British wool would " have been less at this time-the demand for British wool would have been very much less. British manufactures would have been 'shut out of every foreign market; and the stock of wool would have accumulated, as it will do if ever that duty be imposed ' again.'-(Mr Gott's Evidence, pp. 279-292.)

The view taken by Mr Gott of the effect of the importation of foreign wool on the price of British wool, is supported by the concurrent testimony of all the manufacturing witnesses

examined by the Committee. Blankets, flannels of all sorts, baizes, carpets, bear-skins, &c. are made principally of English wool; and the command of foreign wool enables the manufacturers to use a considerable quantity of English wool in the manufacture of certain descriptions of cloth, which, if made entirely of it would be quite unsaleable.-On Mr Goodman, a wool-stapler of Leeds, being asked whether, if a duty were laid on foreign wool, it would force the use of English wool in the manufacture of cloths, from which it is now excluded, he answered, Certainly not: We could not get people to wear such a cloth; they want a better, finer cloth; it is so much handsomer in its wear, and so much more durable.' (p. 241.) Mr Francis of Heytesbury, declared that there was no demand for cloth made wholly of British wool; that it was principally ' applicable to the manufacture of blankets, baizes, &c., and that 'the exclusion of foreign wool would only injure the manufacture without raising the price of British wool.' (p. 268.) Statements to the same effect were made by Mr Webb, (p. 270,) Mr Sheppard, (p. 294,) Mr Ireland, (p. 319,) and, in short, by every one of the witnesses conversant with the manufacture.

If any thing further were required to show the ruin that would follow to the manufacture from increasing the duty on foreign wool, it would be the fact, that the exports during the last two years have declined considerably, their real value being, in 1826, only L.4,990,998, and in 1827, only L.5,292,418. This is a decline of about four millions, as compared with 1816; and of between one and two millions as compared with 1823. The truth is, that the manufacture has not recovered, and it is very questionable if it ever will recover the blow inflicted on it by the high duties from 1819 to 1825. They had the double effect of raising the price of wool in this country, and of lowering it on the Continent; and in consequence of the advantage thus given to the foreign manufacturers, they were enabled to obtain a superiority over us in several markets, which we have not been again able to wrest from them.-Report, p. 178, &c.

It is, therefore, clearly established, first, That the free importation of foreign wool is absolutely essential to the very existence of our own woollen manufacture; and, second, That its importation has not occasioned the fall in the price of English wool; but that, on the contrary, by enabling the latter to be partially worked up into cloth, which cannot be wholly manufactured of it, its price has been sustained at a higher elevation than it would otherwise have reached. In proof of the accuracy of this view of the matter, we may mention the fact, that the price of English wool fell in 1819, when the high duty was laid on, and

that it continued to decline during the whole period of its operation. Hence it follows, that the re-imposition of the duty would not effect the object in view-that of raising the price of British wool; and it has been shown, that in attempting to accomplish what is thus evidently impracticable by such means, we should inflict a mortal blow on a branch of industry on which not fewer, perhaps, than a MILLION of individuals are directly dependent.

The present low price of English wool is owing to a variety of causes partly to the increased consumption of cottons, which, owing to their extreme cheapness, are supplanting woollen goods in every direction; partly to the increased number of sheep, and the greater weight of the fleece, both of which have been much augmented since 1800, and partly to the deterioration that has latterly taken place in the quality of English wool. That such deterioration has taken place, is fully proved in the evidence before us; and the extent to which it has gone would, of itself, sufficiently account for a considerable fall of price. It should not, however, be forgotten, in inquiries of this sort, that though the value of the fleece has declined, the value of the carcass of the animal has greatly increased; and it seems doubtful whether, taking the two together, and making allowance for improvements, sheep-farmers are not now in as favourable a situation as they ever were, except during those periods when their rents were artificially reduced, and prices enhanced, by the depreciation of paper money. But be this as it may, it is certain, that the low price of British wool has not been occasioned by the repeal of the duty laid on foreign wool in 1819; and it is further certain, that the re-imposition of that duty would go far to ruin the woollen manufacture, without raising prices.

ART. VIII.-Rationale of Judicial Evidence, specially applied to English Practice. From the Manuscripts of JEREMY BENTHAM, Esq., Bencher of Lincoln's Inn. In five vols. Lond. Hurst and Co. 1827.

OU UR dramatic critics have often expressed a natural regret that there should be no materials left, beyond a vague tradition respecting Beaumont's judgment and Fletcher's fancy, for enabling us to separate a fame which the partnership of genius and affection, married to immortal verse,' has so beautifully intertwined. 'They were lovely in their lives, and in their deaths 'they have not been divided.' But these double-cherries are, it seems, too romantic and Hesperian for the field of Jurisprudence; and a writ of partition is now in progress for the due apportion

6

ment of that tenancy in common, under which the joint names of Bentham and Dumont had become household words' among the legislative students of Europe. Several of Mr Bentham's original manuscripts have been of late successively published; so that the English reader (at least he who is sufficiently conversant with that dialect which we hear commonly called the Benthamée) may now appreciate the labour which it must have cost to lick into shape these noble ursine offsprings; at the same time, that he is enabled to ascertain the respective shares, in which the learning and the logic belong to our Van Dale-the precision and the grace to his legal Fontenelle. Whatever else may be the result of this order of filiation, (which, in some respects, realizes the paternal menace in the Rivals, You dog, I will unget you,') we fear it will not tend to modify the conclusion at which the French litterateurs have long arrived; to wit, that they are the only nation in Europe who feel the necessity of literary form and method. Though this opinion seems expressed rather flippantly, to be sure, by La Harpe, when he calls Tom Jones the only book' in the English language; yet the comparative paucity of French Folios to those of other catalogues is some presumption in favour of its truth. At all events, the assumption has been widely acted on. The learned ox, from the stalls of Germany and England, has been stewed down, into one small pot of portable soup for French consumption; and many a foreign author must have had as much difficulty in identifying his migrated ideas, as our honest country squires still occasionally experience in recognising their daughters under the similar transformation of a Parisian toilette.

Be this as it may, Mr Bentham's reputation (to borrow Sir Walter's epithet) is at present thoroughly European; but, on the other hand, he has been left almost a stranger in his father's 'house.' Whilst he is known by his great qualities abroad, we have been amusing ourselves, like the valet-de-chambre of a hero, with his foibles and peculiarities at home. The correspondent of Corteses, Liberators, and reforming Princes, has had among ourselves little choice but between ribaldry and neglect. There is an amusing notice of his astonishment at the latter half of the contingency, towards the close of one of his Spanish Letters—where, after mentioning among the signs of that now forgotten crisis, that Hobhouse was in prison and Burdett on his trial, he is evidently (like a maid of honour passed over in a lampoon) no less mortified than puzzled at the strange fatality by which he was himself defrauded of that crown of martyrdom, to which he felt his right to be at least as good as theirs, and left in his hermitage to ruminate over this novel grievance, at once inglorious and