43 



YARN IN POUNDS. 



Five years Five years Four years 



Continents. 1873 to 1877 1878 to 1882 1883 to 1886 



Europe 146,000,000 ... 138,000,000 ... 156,000,000 



Percentage 67-7 660 62-0 



Asia 66,000,000 ... 68,000,000 ... 91,000,000 



Percentage 30-6 32-5 36-2 



Africa 3,600,000 ... 3,000,000 ... 4,000,000 



Percentage 1-7 1*5 1'8 



Ellison's tables of cotton products exported from the United 

 Kingdom, and distribution, are as follows : — 



Percentage 

 Continents. 1853. 1883. Increase. of Increase. 



Europe .... 11,340,000 ... 20,448,000 ... 9,108,000 ... 80-0 

 Asia . 8,361,000 ... 33,589,000 ...25,428,000 ... 311-0 



Australasia 1,049,000 ... 2,487,000 ... 1,438,000 ... 137-0 

 Africa .. . 1,160,000 ... 4,632,000 ... 3,472,000 ... 300-0 

 America... 10,943,000 ... 15,342,000 ... 4,399,000 ... 40-0 



The following table shows the percentages of cotton products 

 taken by the five great divisions of the world : — 



Percentage 

 Continents. 1853. 1883. Increase, of Increase. 



Europe 34-73 ... 26-73 ... — 



Asia 2500 ... 43-91 ... 18-91 



Australasia. 3-21 ... 3-25 ... 0-04 



Africa 3-55 ... 6-06 ... 2-51 



America ... 33-51 ... 20-05 ... — ... 13-46 



Let us now briefly summarise the result obtained by an ex- 

 amination of the data contained in the tables I have just given 

 you. First : During the 12 years from 1874 to 1886 spindles 

 increased 13-8 per cent, looms 21-1 per cent, operatives 5-3 per 

 cent, and cotton consumed 13-5 per cent. Second : From 1873 

 to 1886 our exports of yarn increased 16-5 per cent in weight, 

 and cloth 25-1 per cent in yards. Third : Of the spindles of the 

 world we have 52-6 per cent against 47-4 per cent by our com- 

 petitors. Fourth : Of the total cotton consumption of the world 

 the United Kingdom is using 38 per cent against 62 per cent by 

 our competitors, but this apparently anomalous result is owing 

 to the rest of the world spinning very coarse yarn. Fifth: 

 Shows, notwithstanding the severe competition with which we 

 have to contend, we are conducting four-fifths of the entire ex- 

 port trade of the world in cotton products. Sixth : The lesson 

 taught by the distribution of our export in yarns and cloth, both 

 as regards weight, length, and value, is that our exports to 

 Europe in cloth are practically stationary, shghtly increasing in 



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