TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 155 



On the Past and Present Productive Power of Cotton Machinery, 



By D. Morris. 



After stating that between 1760 and 1830 the inventions of Paul, Arkwright, 

 Cronrpton, Hargreaves, Kay, and others, really laid the foundation of the present 

 system of cotton factory operations, and giving a brief notice of the different 

 machines now in use, the author described the progress made in the productive 

 power of cotton machinery. During the last thirty years, ending in the year 1860, 

 vast improvements had been made in the blowing-room, the machines being now 

 entirely made of iron instead of, as formerly, part wood and part iron. The card- 

 rooms were now almost invariably well ventilated and lighted, whilst the improve- 

 ments in the carding machines were striking, the entire machines, including self- 

 acting strippers, better clothing, and greater working surface, having undergone a 

 total change. The drawing frame, stubbing and roving frames, had also experi- 

 enced great changes for the better. Less progress had been made in the throstle 

 frames than in any other frames in cotton machines. In the mules, both hand and 

 self-acting, great improvements had been made in consequence principally of the 

 many excellent appliances which had been introduced into the headstock, to save 

 weight and bodily labour on the part of spinners. The author went at consi- 

 derable length into the improvements made in looms since 1830. In the winding 

 apparatus the only improvement was in its form, and the invention of a motion to 

 shape the bobbin. In warping machines the latest improvement was by Messrs. 

 Howard and Bullough, of Accrington. The tape-sizing machine, by Mr. W. Ken- 

 worthy, of Blackburn, would do the work of six of the old ball-sizing machines 

 used in 1830. The invention of knitting-machines to knit healds was a saving of 

 50 per cent, in the cost of production. The folding or plaiting, or measuring 

 machine was generally adopted, and effected a great saving of time and wages, as 

 was also the hvdraulic press. Finally, in 1764 the cotton imported into this country 

 was 3,870,392 lbs., in 1830 239,837,350 lbs., and in 1860 1 ,083,600,000 lbs. ; and the 

 increase in the mills, spindles, looms, and workers was in proportion, namely : — 



1830. 1860. 



Spindles 12,000.000 40,000,000 



Looms 105,000 400,000 



Mills 2,500 7,100 



Workers 200,000 500,000 



The quantity of raw cotton consumed in 1856 in the following countries was as 

 follows : — Great Britain, 920,000,000 lbs. ; Russia, Germany, Holland, and Belgium, 

 256,000,000 lbs. ; France, 211,000,000 lbs. ; Spain, 40,000,000 lbs ; countries border- 

 ing on the Adriatic, 39,000,000 lbs. ; United States, 265,000,000 lbs. : sundries, 

 Mediterranean, &c, 56,000,000 lbs. Total, 1795,000,000 lbs. 



On Patents and Copyrights. By Professor Rogers. 



The Physical and Geographical Features of the Country ten miles round Bud- 

 ley, with remarks upon the natural drainage area, as they bear upon the 

 Sanitary Condition of the district. By Henry C. Ropee. 



On the Vital Statistics of Birmingham, and seven other Towns. 

 By W. L. Sargant, of Birmingham. 

 This paper contained the following particulars for each of the eight towns : — 

 1st, the population since 1801, with absolute increase and rate of increase; 2nd, 

 the ages of the people at last census ; 3rd, the density, the birth-rates, and the death- 

 rates ; 4th, the ayes of the dying ; 5th, the excess of death-rates over those of all 

 England ; 6th, the causes of death ; 7th, the proportion of deaths from each cause 

 to deaths from all causes. 



A century ago Norwich exceeded each of the three towns, Liverpool, Man- 



