AUTHOR OF A DICTIONARY OF TRADE PRODUCTS, ETC.'
EDITOR OF DR. URE'S PHILOSOPHY OF MANUFACTURES,"

HISTORY OF THE COTTON MANUFACTURE.'

LONDON:

HENRY G. BOHN, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
1863.

Trausfort.

PREFACE.

WATERSTON'S CYCLOPEDIA OF COMMERCE is in my estimation one of the most reliable, authentic, and complete of the portable works of reference at present before the public, whether regard be had to the descriptive articles of places and Trade Products, or to those on Finance, Law, Shipping, and Commerce. Various important changes have however taken place in Manufactures and Commerce, Colonization and Legislation, since the work was first published twenty years ago. Many new trade articles, such as alpaca, mohair, guano, gutta percha, vegetable wax, &c. have been introduced and risen into considerable importance, and he general commerce of the United Kingdom and other countries has vastly increased. Various important alterations have been made in the boundaries and divisions of States in Europe, Asia, and America; Emigration and Colonization have been largely extended; new and important manufacturing industries have sprung up, and old ones raised to a position scarcely dreamt of in former years. The textile manufactures alone have become gigantic in their several features of raw material, capital, machinery, and labour employed. Navigation, especially aided by steam, has been greatly extended and facilitated. The gold discoveries of California, British Columbia, and Australia, have had a great effect on Commerce and Colonization. International Exhibitions have been held from time to time in various countries, where exhibitors have competed with each other in the production of novelties and articles of excellence. These and numerous other influencing causes, and among them the extensive adoption of freetrade measures, have widely extended the range of Commerce and led to a great development of manufactures and raw products in this and other countries of Europe.

The original work was placed in my hands with the view that I should revise and bring down the information to the present time. In a stereotyped work it is often difficult to expunge and re-write the information of the several articles. A supplement therefore appeared the best mode of accomplishing the desired object, and this has accordingly been adopted for such articles