Note 32 — TEXTILE FABRICS (continued 2)
Reading edition
“His Majesty maintained this factory by a monthly payment from his treasury of one hundred and fifty thousand livres; an exorbitant amount, which very possibly would not be covered by the sales of cloth.”
Townsend wrote in 1787 “Royal manufactures and monopolies have a baneful influence on population: for, as no private adventurers can stand the competition with their sovereign, where he is the great monopolist, trade will never prosper. The Spanish monarch is a manufacturer of
Broad cloth, at Guadalajara and Brihuega; China, at the palace of the Buen Retiro; Cards, at Madrid and Málaga; Glass, at San Ildefonso; Paper, in Segovia; Pottery, at Talavera; Saltpetre, at Madrid and various other places; Stockings, at Valdemoro; Swords, at Toledo; Tapestry, at Madrid; Tissue, at Talavera.
He has the monopoly of brandy, cards, gunpowder, lead, quicksilver, sealing-wax, salts, sulphur, and tobacco.”—(Journey through Spain, Vol. II., p. 240.)