40

CHANGE IN THE BALANCE OF TRADE.

the old pottery-sites of the Celtic and Roman eras, and the more southern of the Flemish towns. But much sand being used in its composition, thus forming a paste easily vitrified and warped, the goods, as a general rule, were misshapen and otherwise defective. Yet, in spite of these drawbacks, much of this ware found its way into this country-by smuggling when its importation was prohibited, and partly in a more open manner when prohibition was relaxed and a duty imposed.

For nothing could be more protean in that day than the subject of commercial tariffs. No scientific or enlightened views guided their imposition. The whims of kings and ministers, the greed and ignorance of the commercial and industrial classes, or the belligerent spirit of an entire population, had often more to do with prohibition or heavy taxes than necessity.

But from 1730 to 1752 the balance of trade in the article of pottery began slowly to tell against France. The wares of Staffordshire showed marked improvement in form, colour, and durability; the porcelain works of Bow and Chelsea were established, and twenty-one years later those of Worcester and Derby. The French potters began to see that, if they would hold their own in an import trade with this country, they must, like the English, enter upon a career of improvement; and, as an easy way to this purpose, they sought by every means, both nefarious and open, to allure masters and workmen to France. In some few instances they succeeded. Hatred of rivals made one or two petty masters prefer retaliation to patriotism, and a larger number of workmen fallacious hopes to the comforts and stability of home; but the process was analogous to that of taking cupsful of water from a river fed by increasing springs. The tide of improve

INCREASE IN ENGLISH EXPORTS.

41

ment rolled on; it was met by the growing wants of a rapidly increasing civilization and wealth, and the two together soon revolutionized the whole balance of this and many other handicrafts. We exported instead of imported, and thus added to the national prosperity.

The first export trade of any value seems to have been with North America and the ports of the Baltic; but it was carried on differently than a few decades later, when the amount of productiveness had become so vast. Instead of sending his wares directly to the foreign agent whose business it was to supply the consumer, the potter or hardware manufacturer sold a few pieces to merchants here and there, who risked them in ventures made up of many sorts of goods. It was in this way Wheildon and other masters of their day disposed of their commodities; sending a crate or two to Liverpool, Bristol, Hull, or London, the merchant unpacking the goods, and dividing and repacking them as it best suited his trade or convenience. It was in this way that Wedgwood opened an export trade prior to 1765, by selling red earth tea-pots, green pickledishes, small dessert services, and vases, to various English and foreign merchants residing in London. By 1769 his trade with New York was direct and considerable. The same year he opened his trade with Holland by consigning goods to Du Burk of Amsterdam. In 1772 he had supplied the Elector of Saxony with goods so beautiful as to elicit the warmest praise. In the year succeeding he manufactured the first Russian service, besides completing large orders for plainer goods. In 1774 his connection with Italian merchants commenced, the ports of Italy varying in their scale of import duty. The trade with France began in a small way through supplying a shopkeeper of Dunkirk

42

DIFFICULTIES OF A TRADE WITH PARIS.

named Du Rovery; and in the year succeeding Boulton and Fothergill sent hundreds of crates for Wedgwood to the Baltic. The year 1776 saw a trade opened with Spain, the duty on imported goods being sixteen per cent. The same date was that of an opening in Eastern Europe; for pattern boxes were despatched into Bohemia. In the autumn of this year, 1776, Bentley visited France apparently with a view to see what could be done for the disposal of goods in that direction; as it must have been an anomaly to his sagacious mind to find that whilst the export trade to North America, even in spite of the war with South America, the West Indies, Russia, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, was increasing every day, that with our near neighbours the French was next to nothing. True, the earthenware of England was under the ban of prohibition in that country, but so it was in Portugal and Sweden; and yet, in spite of this, the merchants took such measures as made the restrictive policy of their respective governments a mere dead letter. This state of things was in some measure to be explained by the fact that, though near home, Paris, as well as many of the French towns, was literally far removed. Unless the port of Havre were chosen, it was easier to despatch goods by way of Liverpool to America or the West Indies than overland to Dover or Southampton, and thence across the Channel.

Bentley, who reached Paris by way of St. Omer and French Flanders, and returned by Amiens and Abbeville to Calais, appears to have opened up business relations on various parts of his route; as soon after we find papers relative to a trade with St. Omer, Nancy, Dunkirk, and Tournay; and about the same period a person named Perregaux was appointed Wedgwood

DOMINIQUE DAGUERRE.

43

and Bentley's Paris agent. Through his hands, as also that of a merchant or dealer named Honoré, a large number of choice articles infiltrated, so to speak, into the possession of the Princesses of France, the Duc d'Orleans, Count d'Artois, Cardinal de Rohan, the Duc de Bouillon, and other of the high nobility.

Yet till 1784, when Pitt's enlightened commercial policy seemed likely to take effect, the more useful class of Wedgwood's ware was comparatively unknown, even amongst dealers. At that date Charles Chappuis, a shopkeeper of Versailles, opened a correspondence with Wedgwood, offering, if the proposed Commercial Treaty between England and France were ratified, to receive orders for his ware, either for the purpose of exportation or to sell upon commission. commission. 'I have very often had the pleasure to enjoy Mr. Wedgwood's company,' he added, whilst I was a clerc at Mr. Radcliffe,1 with whom I lived many years.'

In November 1786, Byerley, accompanied by young John Wedgwood, visited Paris, on further business relative to the proposed Treaty; and amongst those whom they seem to have addressed were M. Daguerre, a merchant living in the Rue St. Honoré, and MM. Sykes and Compagnie, Place du Palais Royal. In the February succeeding, Daguerre was in correspondence with Wedgwood,2 with an ultimate settlement to the effect,

1 The eminent Manchester merchant. Chappuis to Wedgwood, August, 1784.

2 The first letter from Daguerre to Wedgwood is as follows. The translation is Chisholm's, and poorly done. It is dated from Paris, Feb. 26, 1787 ·—'The letter which you did me the honour to write to me confirms to me the project you have of establishing with me an entrepôt of your manufacture, which was agitated verbally between Monsieur your son, Mr. Beierlee, and me, while they were in this city. I believe for this effect I can assure you that in all Paris your Depôt could not be either in a house more known, or a quarter more advanta

44

DAGUERRE'S FIRST LETTER.

that the latter should keep Daguerre supplied with a choice assortment of goods, both plain and ornamental; geous, than what I live in; and that, besides being accustomed to keep only what is fine and well finished, and the public to find it with me, your articles will be the better distinguished from those which your imitators may send hither. I observed to those gentlemen, and I still think so, that, for the greater advantage of the project in question, it would be infinitely better that there should be only one house that was the depository thereof; I know generally the taste of the public, and I am of opinion that we ought never to satiate it by a superabundance of objects, with which, being too much familiarized, it is not long in receiving a disgust; and this it is important to watch over. On another side, this branch of commerce being divided among several houses, there may happen what happens but too often among men-I mean jealousy ; and from jealousy there arises pretty often diversity of prices, which I believe to be injurious to a manufacturer, whose basis ought to be in probity. Such is the light in which I see it. I am of your opinion, and think that the commencement of this business ought to be presented to the public with a complete assortment in every kind. Your manufacture being little known here, it is experience that must teach us what are the articles that will have the greatest vogue. I think that table services, for example, will have success; but I repeat it, that experience alone can enable me to pursue a sure and certain correspondence with you on the advantageous manner of making your manufacture and my commerce to prosper. What you say, Sir, has full justice: that at the end of twelve months I shall know sufficiently what part I ought to take of the articles that shall not be sold, and which I shall be at liberty to return to you. I agree to take on my own account the articles which I shall demand of you particularly on the terms of making payment in six months after their arrival with me. You will perceive that I shall be obliged to augment the price of your goods, in proportion to the charges of carriage and the duties which the two sovereigns have thought proper to lay upon objects of industry and commerce. I understand, also, that I am not to be accountable for anything relatively to breakages that may happen during the passage of the envoy you are going to make me; and, on unloading, I hope Mr. Perregaux will be so good as to send a person on his part, for your interests, to ascertain breakages, if there be any; for me, I am to be accountable only for accidents that may happen with myself.

"Tis to Rouen that the goods are to be addressed. That city, on account of its communication by water with Paris, is the most convenient, both for saving expenses and preventing breakages. I have the honour to be, with perfect consideration, your most obedient, humble servant,

'DAGUERRE.'

There is extant one brief letter of somewhat the same date in Daguerre's handwriting. His Christian name was Dominique. Mayer MSS.