1 6a THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



the lowest price, then the cotton manufacture is a failure. Instead of 

 even studying to improve the fabric, manufacturers have, ever since 

 the manufacture of carding and spinning machines, thought only of 

 the problem of cheapness. The fabrics they produce are of the worst 

 quality, and quickly wear out ; and it may be doubted if there can be 

 found in all Europe, to-day, a single piece of such cotton cloth as used 

 to be manufactured twenty years ago, which gave many times as much 

 wear as the present textures. 



The United States annually produce 4,000,000 bales of cotton for 

 the European market, or 1,200,000,000 of pounds, which sells at an 

 average price of one franc per pound. Europe thus pays to the United 

 States 1,200,000,000 of francs every year, simply for cotton, and the 

 1,200,000,000 pounds of cotton is spun by 50,000,000 of spinning-jen- 

 nies and wove by 625,000 looms. In, the process of manufacture there 

 is a waste of 25 per cent. ; hence 1,200,000,000 pounds of raw material 

 give only 900,000,000 pounds of manufactured cotton goods, worth 

 two and one-half francs per pound, being a total of about 2,250,000,000 

 francs. The process of manufacturing, therefore, does not even double 

 the value of the raw material. 



If, now, we estimate the number of workmen engaged in the cotton 

 manufacture from beginning to end, on the basis of six workmen to 

 every 160 spinning-jennies, we shall have 1,875,000 hands so employed. 

 Add to this the number of those employed in raising the cotton-crop, 

 and the crews of the ships which bring it to Europe, and it will be no 

 exaggeration if we estimate the number of employes at 3,000,000, and 

 the amount of capital at 3,000,000,000 francs. No other industry 

 can compare with this for magnitude, and the epithet King Cotton is 

 well deserved. If we do not take care, this industry will prove the 

 ruin of Europe, whence it annually drains 1,200,000,000 francs, without 

 making any return. Cotton alone is answerable for the ever-increasing 

 wealth of the United States, and the relative misery of European coun- 

 tries. It is full time to put an end to this state of affairs, by compel- 

 ling the manufacturers hereafter to produce only firm and durable tex- 

 tures. But, inasmuch as the state can scarcely interfere in such ques- 

 tions, it remains for individuals to apply the remedy. It is in the 

 power of the consumer to apply this remedy, as he alone is accountable 

 for the present painful crisis of the cotton-manufacturing industries of 

 Europe. 



We have grown so accustomed to cheap cotton fabrics, that, when 

 prices are advanced, we turn to linen, hempen, or woollen textures, and 

 then the manufacturer is forced to adulterate his products, the con- 

 sumer shutting his eyes to all defects, provided the article is cheap. It 

 will scarcely be believed, and yet it is the simple truth, that, whereas 

 ten years ago the piece of cotton weighed eight pounds, it now weighs 

 but six, or even less, and thus is 25 per cent, less strong than it used 

 to be. But, further, instead of employing good United States cotton, 



