Should it please
the Almighty to continue the blessings of a general peace, the people
on the continent will soon recover themselves, and whenever that is
the case, and money circulates freely among them, they will then turn
their thoughts to superfluities, and as no other article will bear so
high a polish and appear so brilliant as those which are manufactured
of steel, there is the greatest probability of that trade being
revived.--An attempt to enumerate the different articles now made in
iron and steel, would be in vain; yet none of the more valuable are at
this time in request.
Previous to the year 1760, there were very few travellers, (if any,)
went from Birmingham with intent to sell the manufactures; the custom
at that time, and for many years afterwards, was, for the ironmongers
in different parts of the kingdom to bring their money and orders with
them, and to wait until the goods were brought in, and see them
packed before they left the town. The ironmongers in large towns
then supplied their neighbours in smaller places with the different
articles, and numbers of people used to attend different markets,
where they kept a stock of goods.
Pages:
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77