The Portsmouth Inquirer

One reason why manufacturing is so slow to get a start in this place, is, because there is too much of a disposition prevalent among our citizens, to underrate any effort made on a small scale. They think small manufacturing establishments, of little value. Yet some of the largest establishments in the world, began business on a very small scale: If we could go into some of the oldest manufacturing districts of this, or any other country, and enquire into the history of some establishments that employ three or four hundred and some of them, perhaps, a thousand hands, we would find that some, if not all of them, commenced work under a shed, without any assistance more than the skill and ingenuity of the proprietor, was able to bestow with his own hands.

In any new country like this, capital for manufacturing purposes, is always scarce. And where it does exist. it is most generally in the hands of those who have made it by some other business, who have no practical knowledge of manufacturing, and if they should go into any large manufacturing operation, without the requisite skill to insure success, the probability is they would fail.— Therefore it would be better policy for the man of means, if he wishes to encourage manufactures, to hold out inducements to men of skill and enterprise, to start manufacturing on their own responsibility.

In some manufacturing towns in England, there are large steam boilers, located in a convenient situation, so that steam can be taken from them and conveyed in pipes to almost any part of the town, so that each manufacturer, whether large or small, Can draw as much steam as will drive whatever machinery he wishes to put in operation. A moment's reflection will convince any man, that some plan, similar to this, will be much more certain to succeed than if a man un- dertakes to manufacture, who knows nothing about it.

The principal reason why so many failures take place in every branch of business is, because people try to do too much. If they would confine their efforts within the compass of their means, failures would hardly ever be heard of, and yet the aggregate amount of wealth would be equal to what it now is. Therefore, instead of advising men of capital to become manufacturers them- selves, I would rather say to them—furnish the motive power and let the skillful me- chanic do the work on his own account, and no matter how small they might be at first they would soon grow to rival any establishments at the East, or perhaps in the world.

BOB WALKER.