Memoir of the Life of Eli Whitneij, 217 



Roller Gins ; and, what is to the last degree vexing, many prefer 

 their cotton to ours." 



At this time (1796) Miller U Whitney had thirty gins at eight dif- 

 ferent places in the state of Georgia, some of which were carried by 

 horses or oxen, and some by water. A number of these were stand- 

 ing still for want of the means of supplying them. The company 

 had also invested about ^10,000 in real estate, which was suited 

 only to the purposes of ginning cotton. All things now conspired to 

 threaten them with deep insolvency. Under- date of April 27th, Mr. 

 Miller writes thus : " A few moments only are allowed me to tell 

 you, that the industry of our opponents is dally increasing, and that 

 prejudices appear to be rapidly extending themselves in London 

 against our cotton. Hasten to London if you return immediately — 

 our fortune, our fate depends on it. The process of patent ginning 

 is now quite at a stand. 1 hear nothing of it except the condolence 

 of a few real friends, who express their regret that so promising an 

 invention has entirely failed." 



Through nearly the whole of the year 1796, Mr. Whitney was on 

 the eve of departing for England, whither he was going with the 

 view of learning the certainty of the prejudices, which were so cur- 

 rently reported to be entertained by the English manufacturers against 

 the cotton cleaned by the Patent Gin, and the fame of which was so 

 industriously circulated throughout the southern, papers; and should 

 he find these prejudices to exist, firmly believing, as the event has 

 shown, that they were utterly unfounded, he hoped to be able to re- 

 move them by challenging the most rigorous trials. lie had several 

 times fixed on the day of his departure, and on one occasion had 

 actually engaged his passage, and taken leave of some of his friends. 

 B«t he was in each case thwarted by an unexpected disappointment 

 in regard to the funds necessary to defray the expenses of the journey. 



Mr. Whitney had counted on obtaining one thousand dollars for 

 this purpose through the aid of Mr. John C. Nightingale, v^^ho, having 

 married a daughter of Mrs. Miller, had become interested in their 

 concerns. Mr. Nightingale had inherited a considerable fortune, but 

 had become greatly embarrassed by speculations in the Yazoo lands. 

 He had however some credit left, while neither Miller nor Whit- 

 ney, nor both together, had credit enough to borrow a thousand dol- 

 lars. The plan was, therefore, for Nightingale to borrow the money 

 and lend it to them ; and Miller urges this even at the rate of thirty 

 per cent, per annum. After various ineffectual trials, Nightingale 



Vol. XXL— No. I. 28 



