74 
making, are ground something after the same style, but finally 
they are rubbed off lengthways and made as smooth as possible. 
This is a mistake. On the contrary, they should be ground 
more in the resemblance of a screw, Cops should also be 
broached in a similar way by gently turning, not roughly thrusting 
on, like forcing in alscrew-nail with a hammer, instead of turning 
it into its place with a screw-driver. Shuttle pegs are principally 
made of steel. This, also, is a mistake. Now, with regard to 
picking sticks. I notice that one or two patents have been taken 
out for metal, iron or steel, picking sticks, the idea being, I 
suppose, that they will not break so easily. To my mind this 
idea is wrong. A picking stick should be pliable. 
We have heard much of American methods of late, but the 
only one that strikes me of being of great utility is the plan of 
replacing the full cloth-beam in the loom by an empty one, and 
the trolleying of the former, by an assistant, to the warehouse, 
there to be plated and measured, thus economising the time that 
would otherwise be lost to the weaver in ‘pulling off.” Our 
Americanisation might well end there. Automatic looms have 
never secured a firm foothold in this country, and they are not 
likely to do so now when the ground is being cut from under 
them by the improved plain loom, the speed of which has been 
increased by 50 to 100 picks per minute. To my mind, it is just 
as important to have up-to-date and well-trained operatives as it 
is to have the most modern machinery. They are both valuable 
assets to the manufacturer, although he can only include one in 
his balance-sheet. We seem to be in for a fairly prosperous 
winter’s trade, and when the flowers commence to bud in the 
spring, some of our manufacturing friends will be dashing all over 
the country, exhibiting their latest and most expensive motor- 
cars, etc. Well, that is all right as far as it goes, but I should 
dearly love to see them taking the same pride in the machinery 
and equipment of their factories. Better also to have a plain but 
substantial building and good modern machinery inside, than a 
new and showy exterior, and machinery that is behind the times 
to commence with, and dropping still further behind daily. I am 
satisfied that in the near future we shall see more substantial 
machinery, and a higher rate of speed, as the tendency of the age 
is in the direction indicated. Given an adequate supply of the 
raw material, and a reign of industrial peace, we need have little 
fear for the future, provided that weavers make themselves 
proficient as weavers, not loomers, and tacklers merit the name. 
Trade expansion seems to be in the air, let it be the endeavour 
of one and all to secure that expansion for our own town, so 
that Burnley may speedily attain the dignity of being the largest 
manufacturing centre in the world. 
