"The staple manufactures of Sheffield embrace the metallic arts in all
their varieties. The chief articles are sharp instruments, as knives,
scissors, razors, saws, and edge-tools of various kinds, and to these
may be added, files and plated goods to a great extent, besides
stove-grates and fenders of exquisite beauty. It is altogether performed
by hand, therefore the fabrication may always be rendered correspondent
with the demand, and may be arrested when the demand ceases. This
confers a definite advantage on the manufactory, not enjoyed by other
trades which operate in the large way. The result is mediocrity of
wealth, and little ruinous speculation. At the same time, the sanguine
expectations of manufacturers often lead them to overstock themselves,
and as the demand has been, so they expect it always to be.

"Sheffield employs about 15,000 persons in its various branches, and of
these full one-third are engaged on knives and forks, pocket-knives,
razors, and scissors. The rest are engaged in the plated trades, in
saws, files, and some fancy trades. The following is an exact
enumeration of the hands employed in the various departments two or
three years since:--


"On table-knives 2,240
On spring-knives 2,190
On razors 478
On scissors 806
On files 1,284
On saws 400
On edge-tools 541
On forks 480