648 



SCOTLAND. 



Mr. Crcrnpton Invented a machine denominated the 

 mule-jenny in the year 1779. This machine is so per- 

 fect, that 'cotton of a good quality may be drawn to 

 the fineness of 200 hanks in the pound weight. Some 

 of it, indeed, is spun so fine as 312, or nearly 149 miles 

 in length. In Scotland, very little yarn is spun finer 

 than 16'0 or 170, and the "average of the whole by 

 weight is about No. 4<8. 



Arkwright's water-mill, and Crompton's mule-jenny, 

 are the two great inventions in cotton machinery, which 

 have brought this manufacture to so high a state of im- 

 provement. 



Soon after the invention of Arkwright's machinery, 

 the Scotch entered keenly into the cotton manufacture, 

 and water-mills were erected in many different situa- 

 tions. The first regularly at work was that at Penny- 

 cuick near Edinburgh, and those at Barrhead and John- 

 stone in Renfrewshire ; Woodside in Lanarkshire, Pais- 

 ley in Aberdeenshire, and the very extensive works of 

 the late Mr. Dale of Glasgow soon followed. Owing 

 to the difficulty of obtaining water-falls of sufficient 

 power, mills were erected in situations not well adapt- 

 ed for conducting the business ; and the proprietors 

 were often subjected to much inconvenience, as well 

 as great expence, in regard to carriages, &c. and in 

 building houses for the accommodation of their work- 

 men. These inconveniences, however, were in a great 

 measure obviated by the introduction of steam-engines, 

 and the number of cotton-mills was greatly increased ; 

 altogether 120 have been erected in Scotland, of which 

 112 are at present employed, besides several small 

 works in different parts of the country, comparatively 

 speaking of little importance. 



The introduction and general use of the fly-shuttle, 

 have greatly tended to promote the cotton manufac- 

 ture, by facilitating the operation of weaving ; and 

 power looms are now used, having been introduced at 

 Stockport in England at nearly the same time. These 

 machines were at first very imperfect; and although 

 only coarse goods can as yet be woven on them, there 

 is still every reason to expect, that in time, they may 

 be made to answer for weaving fine fabrics. 



There are 234 power looms at Catrine in Ayrshire, 

 on many of which excellent tweeled cottons for shirt- 

 ings, &c. are woven ; but power looms in general are 

 employed to weave plain cloths for printing. Several 

 large manufactories are fitting up at present for the 

 reception of about 500 of these machines in Lanark- 

 shire, &c. and 1500 are working in Scotland, chiefly 

 in Dumbartonshire, Stirlingshire, Ayrshire, Renfrew- 

 shire, and Lanarkshire. There are also sixteen of these 

 looms of the most elegant mechanism working at Grand- 

 holme mill, near Aberdeen. These looms have been 

 successfully employed in weaving both woollen and 

 linen cloth as well as cotton ; but the last material af- 

 fords facilities for working superior to the others. 

 These machines are driven by a water-wheel or a 

 steam-engine, and from 10 to 20, according to circum- 

 stances, may be wrought by one horse power. The 

 frame and other parts are constructed of cast iron, 

 which is better, and ultimately cheaper than wood. 

 The advantage they possess over the common loom, 

 may be estimated at about 20 per cent, on the amount 

 of weaving, and from 6 to 10 per cent, on the value of 

 the goods ; but they are as yet only adapted to the 

 -weaving of coarse fabrics. 



Preparatory to weaving cotton or linen yarn, it is Statistics. 

 requisite to dress the warp of the web with starch or 

 gome other glutinous substances to smooth its surface, 

 that it may pass easily through the needles and reed, 

 Hence dressing machines were constructed, consisting 

 of two cylinders, in length equal to the breadth of the 

 web ; the surface of each being set with bristles form- 

 ing a brush. These cylindrical brushes dress the warp 

 in revolving as it passes slowly along their surface. 

 The warp is afterwards dried by one or more revolving 

 fanners, driven by the same power that moves the cy- 

 linders and the other parts of the apparatus. Dress- 

 ing machines, however, have made but little progress, 

 there being not more than 60 or 70 employed in Scot- 

 land. 



Winding machines were recently introduced. Each 

 contains from 20 to 144 spindles, on every one of 

 which there is a bobbin that winds the yarn from th 

 cope. 



The flower and tambour work of Flanders was suc- 

 cessfully imitated in Scotland ; and a great manufac- 

 ture was quickly established, which flourished beyond 

 expectation. Although still carried on to considerable 

 extent, it has in & great measure given place to hand- 

 sewing, which is applied in every way that fanciful 

 ingenuity can devise. Satin, chain, seed, bead, open, 

 and a variety of other stitches are performed with co- 

 loured and white cotton, linen, and silk ; and also with 

 coloured worsted, gold and silver thread, spangles, 

 &c. &c. About twelve years ago, a successful attempt 

 was made at Glasgow to tambour muslin by machin- 

 ery, for which the inventor obtained a patent. A ma- 

 nufactory was then established, and at present there 

 are 16 frames in full employment. Twelve of them 

 having each 54 needles, one inch asunder, tambour 

 6'-4ths muslins, the other four, with 100 needles each, 

 3-4ths of an inch asunder, are intended for either 

 8-4ths muslins, or two webs of 4-4ths each. The 

 whole are wrought by power from a steam-engine ; 

 and a female attends each, who performs as much 

 work as eighteen girls could accomplish by hand- 

 sewing.^ 



Some kinds of cotton cloth, before bleaching, are 

 subjected to the process of singeing. The machine em- 

 ployed for this purpose consists of two cylinders, with 

 a handle on the end of each, and they are placed eight 

 or ten feet asunder ; the one receives the cloth, while 

 the other delivers it, and vice versa. A furnace, sur- 

 mounted by a cast-iron plate, about eight or ten inches 

 broad, and six or eight feet long, is placed between 

 the cylinders. When the fire in the furnace brings 

 the metal to a red heat, the cloth is wound from one 

 cylinder to another, and both sides of it are alternately 

 passed on the surface of the heated plate. The art of 

 muslin singeing is carried on as a separate business, 

 and the usual price is about a penny for each piece. 



The glazing machine was introduced at Glasgow some 

 years ago under a patent. It consists of two rollers, be- 

 tween which the cloth is passed ; and as the one re_- 

 volves quicker than the other, a fine polish is produced 

 on the surface of the web. This machine is capable of 

 glazing about 100 pieces of 28 yards each per day ; 

 and the work gives satisfaction to the exporting mer- 

 chant, both from its quality and the ease with which, 

 in cases of emergency, he can complete his shipments. 



The most approved gloss for cambrics and sheetings 



A full account of 'the tambouring machinery will be found under our article CHAINWORK. 



