At the Master Cutler's Feast in Sheffield, on Thursday, to
inaugurate the year of office of Mr. W. Webster, the speeches of the day were made by Lord Wharncliffe, and Mr. Beckett Denison, M.P. for the West Rid- ing. Mr. Parker and Mr. Roebuck, the Borough Members, were ansbng the other leading guests.
Lord Wharncliffe returned thanks for himself and the House of Peers. The occasion was one of unusual satisfaction : for if he might not venture
to tell Englishmen, at any moment of their lives, that they were "prospe- rous," he might this year at least venture to say they were now assembled under "fewer conditions of discouragement" than in many former years. Among the many recollections they would all entertain of this remarkable year—a year which might be called the jubilee of arts and manufacturing industry—there was none which he should cherish with greater satisfaction than the fact that he had been thought worthy of selection to preside over the jury to which was specially committed that department of the Great Exhi- bition which comprised the productions of that particular trade over which that corporation was set. When it was first proposed to him that he
should take that position, he had 1330113 hesitation in accepting it. He felt, that although he lived in the neighbourhood of that manufacture, and
had all his life heard much of it, and looked upon it with particular interest, he had no peculiar knowledge of its details, and that for him to offer an opinion upon the comparative merits of articles produced by the ar- tisans and manufacturers of Sheffield might be regarded as an act of unpardonable presumption. He was told, however, that he would have effi- cient and well-qualified colleagues, and he was asked to work with them. He then consented to set; and he might venture to say, without revealing those secrets of the jury which he was bound to keep within his own breast, that he was satisfied, and he was sure every man who knew anything of the matter must also be satisfied, that the portion of the great display furnished by Sheffield fully sustained the reputation of that town. That portion of the products of Sheffield with which the corporation over which their chairman presided was peculiarly concerned, proved beyond doubt that there was no lack of that skill and perfection which had marked the productions of the town in former years. While he said this, however, he must add, that in looking over the articles collected in other parts of that singular building to
which he had referred, he observed that they were not without formidable competitors. This was not to be wondered at. In other days, when the Con-
tinent and the rest of the world were engaged more or less in continual con- flicts, and men were deterred from investing their capitalgin and apply ing their industry to peaceful pursuits, it was natural that the manufacturers of England should monopolize the demand. When this state of things ceased, the result was that their neighbours in other parts of the world, when they were set free from the impediments by which they had previously been harassed, devoted their attention to like pursuits with themselves ; and the conse- quence was, that English manufacturers had now to contend with some very formidable rivals. No one could look at France, the Zollverein States of Germany, Belgium, or the United States, without seeing that those coun- tries had made a most material progress in their manufactures, and that in some cases they rivalled—if they did not even surpass—the original produc- tions of that town. He confessed, however, that this fact caused him no sort of discomfort. He could not doubt that they hail knowledge and skill and resources sufficient to enable them to maintain their position, if they
only conducted their operations with prudence and energy, and he would add also with honour. He believed, no trade of any description could be expected to flourish or attain its ends, if it was not supported by pru- dence and energy, and also if those engaged in it did not conduct it with honour and justice. If, however, these conditions were observed, he saw enough in the Exhibition to satisfy him that the manufacturers of Sheffield were still able to maintain that high reputation which they had hitherto always possessed in their own line. In spite of the many opportunities which might be afforded in other parts of the world fertile improvement of such arts, they had in this neighbourhood peculiar facilities with regard to the particular branch of industry in which they were chiefly engaged.. They had ample command of those minerals which were essential to their indus- try; they had the traditional skill and ability of their artisans ; they had that name and reputation which had been so justly attained by the manufac- turers of Sheffield ; but they had still another and greater advantage than these—they had hitherto enjoyed a stable and well-ordered form of govern- ment. They might depend upon it that no business could prosper unless complete and full security was given for the employment of capital in In- dustry, and the enjoyment of the results of that industry. He thought they were now in a position to confirm all he could have anticipated of the success of their manufactures; and he trusted that hereafter they might see, as a result of the generous rivalry which had been excited by the singular and memorable events of this year, a still higher and steadier approach to per- fection on the part of British manufacturers. (Frequent cheers.) In returning thanks for "The Members for the West Riding of Yorkshire," Mr. Denison "wished it to be dearly understood" that he accepted the com- pliment which had been paid to the Members. of the West Biding and not separately." He deeply regretted thet his colleague, Mr. Cobden, was not present to perform the duty for himself. In reference to the Sheffield display in the Great Exhibition, he said that the Sheffield workmen have "done themselves great credit, and gained great honours ; but still they must not fancy they are superior to all the world." Referring to the general condition of the West Ridine, which might be regarded as an epitome of the whole kingdom—" for it embraces every description of interest, whether of trade or manufacture, that can possibly be imagined "—he declared the ex- isting state of things to be a proof of the wisdom and courage of one whom he might be permitted to call his private and intimate Mend—the late Sir Robert Peel. The Riding is "advancing in wealth, in civilization, in science " : the "working classes" in the great community which supplies the largest electoral constituency in the kingdom "are enjoying daily in- creased comforts, compared with those which they possessed twenty or thirty years ago." He admitted the depression of the agricultural interest ; but he "doubted not that in a short time that interest will rise above its diffi- culties, and be fully as buoyant and remunerative as the manufacturing interest."
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