66 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



fitted a warve revolving around it. Projecting from the upper end of the 

 warvc is a tube, which, entering the base of the bobbin, gives motion to the 

 bobbin in part, the other part being secured by a pin in the base of the bob- 

 bin, suited to and entering into a hole in the upper plane of the warve. 

 Motion is communicated to the warve, and thus to the bobbin, in the same 

 way as it is given on a frame of live spindles. 



ON THE TORSION OF COTTON FIBRES. 



The fibres of cotton, as used in the ordinary manufactures of this country, 

 have a torsion by which, under the microscope, they are readily distinguished 

 from linen and other natural fibrous substances. Mr. Bauer was the first, 

 we believe, who observed and delineated the peculiarities of cotton structure 

 as to the torsion of the fibre. Dr. Ure, in his "Philosophy of Manufac- 

 tures/' gives drawings from Mr. Bauer's observations. Mr. French, of 

 Bolton, England, from some observations recently made, considers that the 

 twist does not exist in the unripened fibre in the pod, but only in the ripe 

 cotton. After the torsion is once effected by the sun or otherwise, it remains 

 through all the operations to which the fibre is subjected. Several practical 

 improvements seem to be .suggested by attending to these microscopical 

 peculiarities of structure. For instance, Mr. French suggests, that if the 

 twists in filaments of cotton are in one direction, by continuing this arrange- 

 ment throughout the process of spinning, a thread of greater tenuity, with 

 more strength and smoothness, may be procured than by the present process, 

 which twists one half of the fibres composing a thread in one direction, and 

 the other half in the reverse direction. By following the natural parallelism 

 of the fibre a degree of elasticity would also be imparted to the yarn, and its 

 fabric be altogether improved. 



STATISTICS OF TEXTILE MANUFACTURES OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



The number of factories from which schedules were received by the factory 

 inspectors in 1856, amounted to 5,117, against 4, GOO in 1850, and 4,217 in 

 1838. Of these, 2,210 were cotton factories, 1,505 woollen, 525 worsted, 

 417 flax, and 460 silk. The cotton factories have increased 14'2 per cent., 

 and the silk sixty-six per cent. The woollen trade is becoming concentrated 

 in Yorkshire, and the Avorsted manufacture is almost exclusively confined to 

 the same county. The flax trade is most vigorous in Ireland. The number 

 of spindles and looms in 1856 was respectively 33,503,580 of the former, and 

 369,205 of the latter, and the actual horse power given in the returns is 

 161,435. Power looms have increased from 115,801 (in 1836) to the 

 number already indicated, namely, 369,205. The average value of the 

 cotton goods and yarn exported in the three years, 1853, 1854 and 1855, 

 was, in round numbers, 31,000,000 ; of woollen and worsted goods and 

 yarn, the average exports for three 3 r ears amounted to 10,000,000. The 

 number of children employed has decreased considerably in flax and woollen 

 factories, while it has increased in worsted. The total number of children 

 under thirteen years of age employed in all kinds of factories last year 



