THE COTTON MANUFACTURE 209 



and in ISOO at least 3,000,000; a truly prodigious ratio of 

 increase, which is, however, very far from having reached its 

 zenith, and >vill keep on rising and rising as long as Britain 

 remains the great emporium of the growing commerce of the 

 world.* 



In the year 1777 our cotton manufactories occupied no more 

 than 7,900 workmen ; in 1839 the number of artisans employed 

 in the mills had increased to 259,385 ; and in 1856 it amounted 

 to 379,213, in spite of the constant improvement of machinery, 

 another proof, if such were needed, that every progress of me- 

 clianical art, by rendering production cheaper and consequently 

 increasing the demand, enlarges instead of restricting the field 

 for manual labour. 



In 1857 twenty-eight millions of spindles were set in motion 

 by the 2,210 cotton-mills at that time existing in Great Britain, 

 nearly one for every inhabitant of the realm. 



The total value of the production of 1856 was estimated at 

 64,484,000/., and after deducting the value of the raw material, 

 37,526,000/. remained for expenses, wages, interest of capital 

 and profits. Never since the world stands has one single branch 

 of trade poured forth such streams of gold over a land. 



After Great Britain, the cotton industry of France ranks next 

 in importance, requiring about 400,000 bales, and occupying 

 about five millions of spindles ; but latterly the German States 

 have made considerable progress, and bid fair soon to overtake 

 their Gallic neighbours, as, in the year 1859, the Zollverein 

 consumed 236,000 bales, and Austria above 200,000. By reason 

 of prohibitions or high protective duties, every country in 

 Europe has endeavoured to naturalise the manufactory of cotton, 

 but while most of them but partially cover their own wants, 

 England's produce inundates the markets of the world. 



Liverpool, with a trade eclipsing that of London itself, and 

 Manchester with her train of minor stars, undoubtedly the scene 

 of the most gigantic industry known in the history of man, are 

 chiefly indebted to the cotton-plant for their colossal rise ; and on 

 turning our eyes to America, which in the year 1793 gr^w but a 

 few tons of upland cotton, and in 1859 produced a total of four 

 and three quarters millions of bales, we find a scarcely less remark- 

 able developement of flourishing cities, so that Arkwright and his 



* The present American crisis can, of course, produce but a temporary depression. 



P 



