241 



Sect. 3. 



Of the Cotton Manufadure. 



I come now to the cotton manufac^lure, which has already obtained 

 confiderable footing in Ireland; and employs a large portion of pro- 

 duftive capital, and ufeful induftry. The aflonifliing progrefs of the 

 cotton manufafture is partly to be afcribed, to a great and general 

 revolution of fafliion in the furniture of houfes, and the wearing ap- 

 parel of perfons of both fexes, which has fubftituted the light, cheap, 

 and elegant fabricks of this manufafture, for the more coftly and cum- 

 brous trappings of filk and woollen-velvets, fattins, the filk daraaJk, 

 and heavy flowered Clks, for wearing apparel, velvets, filk, and (tuff 

 damasks, paragons and morines for furniture, which were formerly in 

 univerfal ufe. 



The progrefs of this manufafture in Great Britain is fomething al- 

 nioft miraculous.* In the year 1768, the cotton trade of that ifland 

 did not return to the country more than 200,000/. for the raw ma- 

 terials, combined with the labour of the people j and at that period, 

 and before the introdu£tion of water-machines, and hand-engines, the 

 power of the fingle wheel did not exceed 50,000 fpindles employed, 

 in fpinning the cotton wool into yarn. In a little more than twenty 

 years, from that period, the power of fpindles thus employed exceeded- 

 two millions, the grofs returns, for the raw materials and labour ex- 

 ceeded feven millions. 



It was about the year 1784, that the expiration of Sir Richard 



Arkwright's patent caufed the eflablifliment of water-machines, for the 



Vol. IX. ( H h ) fpinning 



* See Aikin's hidory of Mancic/Jer, and a pamphlet on the fubjeft, written in the 

 year 1787. Since that year its population is much increafed, and the number of engines 

 is daily increafjog. 



