Page:Walks in the Black Country and its green border-land.pdf/356

342 year after the Civil War, was simply prodigious; showing that the bomb, ball, and bayonet had rent and tattered the clothing of millions as well as the face and faculties of their land. At least thirty millions of needles a week must have gone to the United States through the whole of 1866.

Fish-hooks are the other manufacture of Redditch. This has followed the needle in different stages of its development, from the crooked fish-bone to the crooked pin and from that to the present implement. In size and use they almost equal in variety the needle itself. Here are hooks for all waters and for all fish that swim in sea, lake, river, and meadow brooks—for sharks, cod, salmon, herring, trout, roach, and minnow. As there are more fresh-water fisheries in America than on all the other continents, a vast number of hooks go to the States and the British provinces. Not only the bare hooks go in such quantities, but a large number all ready for use. Fishing tackle, embracing all kinds of alluring baits, such as artificial flies, frogs, minnows, &c., constitutes a manufacture of considerable extent. About 600 persons are engaged in the fish-hook trade of Redditch. Thus Redditch has virtually monopolized the manufacture of needles and fish-hooks, and, if rightly conducted, may retain the business thus created. But I was sorry to learn, that, though deeply impressed with the value of the two trades