THE CASE OF WILLIAM GƲTTERIDGE, and other Glass-makers, against Passing a Pattent for Incorporating Sir Joseph Herne, and Others, by the Name of the Glass-makers in the Cities of London and Westminster, and Ten Miles Compass of the same.
THE Allegations upon which they desire their Incorporations are false; Namely, 1st. They suggest, That by their continued Pains, Industry, long Experience in the Trade of making of Glass, and at their great Cost and Charges, they have attained to greater Knowledge in the said Manufacture than any others, and make better Glass than any heretofore made, and some never before made.
Respons.
Supposing this were true; then indeed where they proper to have a Patent for their New Invention, but not to have a Corporation.
Besides in the Corporation of all the Persons therein named, not above two are Glass-Makers, all the rest are Persons to whom the Trade doth not of right belong. Besides, The very Artists that now mix their Mettal, and Work their Glass, oppose their being Incorporated.
2dly. They say, if the said Manufacture were well Managed, great Quantities might be Exported, and none Imported; whereas now great Quantities are Imported.
Respons.
There were indeed some years since, great Quantities Imported, but now there is little or none, because the Petitioner make better and cheaper Glass, than any heretofore Imported, and do daily Export great Quantities of Glass, and could do more, were there a Market for the same; and many of the Petitioner Glass-Houses now stand unimployed, there being more Glass by them than they can sell.
3dly. They pretend that Joynt-Stocks are necessary for carrying on the said Manufacture.
Respons.
That cannot be true; for the said Manufacture is at present managed by separate Stocks, and so managed that more is made of all sorts, than can be sold at Home or Abroad.
4thly. They say many Artist have been forced for what of Imployment here, to go beyond the Seas for Work.
Respons.
This they ought to prove; but admit they should, yet if more Glass of all sorts are here made than can be vended, what can a Joynt-Stock do more?
It is true; two Artists indeed were forced to go beyond the Seas, but it was Mr. Bowles, one of the Glass-Makers named in the intended Corporation, forced them to go, having by Promising them greater Wages than Mr. Bellingham gave, drawn them into Covenants to serve them for a time, and then not performing their promise, not releasing their Covenants, they were forced to go.
5thly. They pretend that they had agreed with most of the Proprietors Interessed in the Glass-Houses in London and Westminster, and 10 Miles distance of the same.
Respons.
There are but about two and twenty Glass-Houses in London and Westminster, and ten Miles distance of the same, of which, those named in the intended Corporation have but five, and the Petitioners, have twelve; the rest may be presumed to stand Neuters.
Besides most of the Glass-makers at New-Castle and Sturbridge, oppose the said Corporation; and though their Glass-houses are fair remote, yet there Market is here in London, and they have Agents here.
And so if their Allegations and Pretensions, upon which they desire to become Incorporated are false, then the Corporation or Substructure on such a false Foundation should certainly be destroyed.
But further; they have not mentioned one Inconvenience that will attend the said Incorporation, so it must be done for them and
1st. It is plain, the Corporation, if passed, will destroy Mr. Bellingham's Patents and others, which have already been granted, to some Ingenious Artists, that have travelled, and spent much Money, and mightily improved the said Manufacture in England, and to whom the pretended Incorporators are beholden for the very Engine they now Work withall; for they are in General called Glass-makers, without any Restriction, ad no restraining Words after, can prevent their overthrowing a less powerfull than themselves.
2dly. They are not obliged to take into their Corpo-ration all Glass-makers that shall be willing to come into them.
3dly. None must come in, without great Stocks, or if they doe, those of the Corporation, who bring in Money only, will have as great a share of the Profits, as any of the said Artists, who bring in Money and Art too.
4thly. The Thing plainly speaks it self to be a Corporation of Rich Men to oppress the Artists in the said Manufacture, and will in Effect be a Monopoly, and engross that Commodity into a few Hands, and so raise the price of it, and frighten the Artists away.