they obliged to calculate, by pounds, shillings, pence, and half-pennies, how much they ought to pay, and how much receive in change! But, in the olden time, perhaps only one of a family would go on a cheapening expedition, while ten remained at home: now, the eleven are more likely to be found hovering round the counters devoted to silk and lace, while house and children are left to the tender mercies of servants. It has been so common, in statistical records, to couple commerce with manufactures, that it might be deemed a sad loss of memory to treat of one without reference to the other. Well, now, the truth will oblige me to say very little or nothing about spinning or weaving, except in regard to one establishment situated near the town cemetery, called a duck factory, where, for a time, an article was made, in imitation of the Russia fabric; but it never proved remunerative, and was finally abandoned. I can recollect the wonderment which the clattering machinery excited in us, when, on our Saturday afternoon excursions to Miantonomi Hill, &c., we used to stop at the building, and look through the windows, and watch the strange movements of the machinery within. The spinning-jenny had not been invented. Foreign manufactures of cotton and wool were used by the "richer classes" in the large towns; but the country people depended very much upon domestic spinning and weaving. I recollect we had in our house a loom for weaving silk; but it never yielded more than a braid. But we had cheap and good music, which cost nothing, and so exquisitely soothing, notwithstanding its monotonous vibrations, as always to make it welcome: I refer to the whiz from the large old family spinning-wheel. There was a pewter manufactory, where the business was carried on quite extensively. Pewter dishes and pewter plates, mugs, &c., were kept as bright as is silver ware at the present day. Its use lessened very much, as crockery and glass ware became common. I recollect, however, that my grandfather Ellery · was accustomed to eat his meat from a pewter plate. The shoe manufacture was quite extensive. Those in Newport who were famous, and not only there, but at the South, were the Carrs, the Lawtons, Rodmans, Burdicks, Dunhams, Pryors, and Manchester. CHAPTER IX. MECHANICS. - MANUFACTURES. [EWPORT furnished accomplished work NEWPORT men in various industrial branches. The cooper's trade was extensive and profitable when the slave-traffic was sanctioned by Government. Hogsheads and smaller casks, calculated to hold New-England rum, the great stimulus to the African trade, not criticised and denounced as at the present day, kept coopers at work night and day. The capital invested in the importation and distilling of molasses was very large, and gave employment to very many skilful operatives, and to quite a number of truckmen, who hardly knew of an idle moment. The manufacture of rum from molasses increased the shipping interests of the town, and more than a dozen vessels were constantly going and coming to and from Cuba and Surinam. The coasting trade also was vastly increased from the same manufacture. Boat-building constituted a very extensive feature in the mechanical thrift of Newport. It was mainly pursued on Long Wharf and at the Point. Boats were of all sizes and shapes: some, for rough work; others, for pleasure excursions. Often in summer, when the weather was favorable, the inner and outer harbor would appear dotted with such craft. The two fastest boats belonged, one of them, to the Custom House; the other, to Captain Perry, the owner of the beautiful sloop Golden Age, already spoken of. They were rival boats. It was seldom, if ever, that the first was beaten. Her trim, after many experiments and trials in order to obtain the greatest speed, was peculiar, low at the stern, and high at the bows. Mr. John Slocum, the "boarding" officer of the port, had the control of her. I shall always hold him in grateful remembrance. When he appeared in the street, with beaming face, dressed neatly in semi-Quaker garb, all ready for a trip, the boys, within hearing of his liquid and mellow voice, would run, hoping to obtain a sail. It was not often, however, that this boon was granted; not from any lack of kindness on his part, but because of the number of applicants, and his unwillingness to show a preference. The broad-beam boats, which are now so common, were unknown sixty years ago. Long boats, of great speed and capacity, were used for transportation of goods from vessels that were too deeply loaded for entrance to the wharves near Thames Street. Perhaps nowhere on the American coast can be found so many sea attractions as around the waterline of Newport. Water excursions were of every-day occurrence. Newport boys were early educated for sea life. They were accustomed, at a very early age, to frequent the wharves, to inhale the sea air, to talk with sailors, listen to their stories, and become interested enough to plan a voyage. As preliminary to a cabin-boy's experience, nothing was more common than for lads to run up the rigging of vessels; and one, I remember, prided himself on having reached the truck, the mast-head. Many of these Newport boys became first-rate seamen. Pleasure-boating helped lads to become fearless and expert in guiding their tiny barks to the fishinggrounds in the outer harbor, to the "Dump |