Page:Blackwood's Magazine volume 152.djvu/7

The idea conveyed by the words at the head of this article may be a surprise to readers outside Lancashire—possibly even to some non-speculative persons within its bounds. At any time during considerably longer than a century, the mention of the name of the County Palatine has called up a vision of wonderful growth in population and wealth, and progressive development of mechanical industries and commercial operations in the department of textile and other manufactures. Whilst too many districts of the United Kingdom have been fated to decay or stagnate, Lancashire has shown a shining example of activity and increase. The people of Lancashire, in their palmy days of prosperity and afluence, have been prone to deem themselves secured against irretrievable calamity by the possession of certain qualities, or by conditions peculiar to their situation. They have been slow to allow the possibility of the ultimate crumbling of that huge superstructure of trade which their hands have upbuilt. They have cherished a firm faith in their own ability to maintain against all rivals their ground as providers of cheap clothing for the world’s populations. Nor has that complacent self-confidence hitherto proved overweening. Seasons of prolonged depression and widespread trouble have been encountered at intervals of a few years; but they have been faced staunchly, and Lancashire has emerged from the severest crises unvanquished, and after each has entered upon a term of greater productiveness than ever.

Why, then, when the trade of Lancashire has weathered so many gales of adversity, should we at this date forecast the oncoming of a definite change in the affairs of this great manufacturing county? It is not that the cotton trade,