282 



COTTON. 



Cotton, ning it is taken immediately from the batting machine to 



■^"Y"" - * the carding engine. 



This improved batting machine not only saves much 

 labour and expense, but from the manner in which the 

 cotton is enclosed during the operation, much dust, 

 films, &c. is prevented from escaping, which, as the 

 process was formerly conducted, was most prejudicial to 

 health. 



The scutcher is 14 inches diameter, and makes from 

 1200 to 1400 revolutions per minute. The feeding rol- 

 lers, one and three-fourth inches in diameter, go one 

 revolution for 60 of scutchers. The fanners 22 inches 

 diameter, same speed as the scutchers. The circular harp, 

 under the scutchers, is one inch distant in the wires ; all 

 the other harps have their wires about three-eighths of an 

 inch distant from each other. (O) 



CoEton. 



COTTON SPINNING. 



Cotton 

 Spinning. 



Introduc- 

 tion. 



i he rapid progress of the cotton manufacture is unpa- 

 raileled in the annals of trade. " In the year 1765, cob- 

 ton, as an article of commerce, was scarcely known in 

 this country."* " Tn 1782, the whole produce of the 

 cotton manufacture did not exceed two millions sterling." t 

 " In 1801, the import of cotton wool into Britain was 

 42 millions of lbs. and the estimated value of the cotton 

 manufacture 15 millions sterling. Such was the rapid 

 increase of this trade to the end of the year 1801." J 



" Although in 1788 there were only 114 water mills 

 in England, and nineteen in Scotland, yet the gross return 

 from the raw material and labour exceeded seven millions 

 sterling. It was estimated, that those establishments, when 

 in fujl work, gave employment to 110,000 persons; that 

 in all the subsequent stages of the manufacture, the num- 

 ber employed was estimated at 240,000, making an ag- 

 gregate of 350,000 persons ; and the quantity of raw ma- 

 terial applied to the different branches of the manufacture, 

 was computed at 22,600,000lbs. But since the year 



1788, the cotton manufacture has increased at least a 

 three or four-fold ratio ; the quantity of cotton manufac- 

 ture being probably 80,000,000 lbs., the number of per- 

 sons employed in all the branches about one million, and 

 the gross value of the goods made above £20,000,000." § 

 The progress of the cotton manufacture, and its effects! 

 upon foreign traffic, as far as relates to Scotland, may be 

 illustrated by the following statement of the imports of 

 cotton into the Clyde at different periods :. 



Bags. lbs. 



In 1775, there were imported 508= 137,160 



In 1790, 6509=1,757,504 



And the average of six years, 



from 1804 to 1810, . 31,364 = 8,468,832 

 In 1812, 43,080 packages. || 



Thus we see, that little more than half a century has 

 elapsed since the manufacture of cotton was scarcely 



Cotton 

 Spinning-. 



*See Observations on the Cotton Trad» of Great Britain, published by the Board of the Cotton Trade, Glasgow, 2d February 1803. 



t Ibid. + Ibid. 



§ See Wilson's Survey of Renfrewshire, published in 1812, page 258. 



|| The weekly quantity of cotton taken during 1812 for the supply of the spinning mills in England and Scotland, has been, from 

 Liverpool 3861, London 1304, Glasgow 701, and all other ports 52; total 5918 bags, or 307,750 bags in the year; being an increase 

 upon the supply to the trade in the last year of 13,950 bags, or 268 a week. 



The following is a comparative view of the imports of cotton wool into the Clyde in 1811 and 1812; of the stocks estimated to re- 

 main on- hand at the close of each year ; and the general average or medium price of each article. 



Packages. 



Imported in 



Increase 



in 



1812. 



Decrease 



in 



1812. 



Stock remaining 

 31st December 



Increase 



of stock 



in 



1812. 



Decrease 



of stock 



in 



1812. 



1811. 



1812. 



1811. 



1812. 



Bags, &c. . 



42749 



43080 



331 





16383 



21639 



5256 





Import of Cotton Wool into the Kingdom from the Year 1802. 



[ 



1802. 



1803. 



1804. 



1805. 



1806. 



1807. 



1808. 



1809. 



1810. 



1811. 



1812. 



American, . . 

 Brazil, . : . . 

 East India, . . 

 Other sorts, . . 



107494 



74720 



8535 



90634 



106831 

 76297 

 10296 

 45474 



104103 



48588 



3561 



86358 



124279 



51242 



1983 



75116 



124939 

 51034 



7787 

 77978 



171267 

 18981 

 11409 

 81010 



37672 

 50442 

 12512 

 67512 



1 301107 



35764 

 103511 



3S9605 



79382 

 92186 



128192 



118514 



14646 



64879 



93805 



98704 



2607 



66089 





281383 



238S98 



242610 



252620 



261738 



282678 



168138 



440382 



561173 



326231 



261205 



In order to explain and to contrast the eft'ects of British mechanism with the simple labour of India, it is proper to explain the re- 

 lative productive power of each, and the cost of cotton yarns, produced by each ; comprehending that range of fineness, chiefly required 

 for the eastern fabrics. 



The quantity of mule spindles in Great Britain, appears, by actual survey, to be 

 4.200,000, Producing a quantity of cotton yarn, at least equal to that which can be spun in the same time by 4,200,000 persons in 

 India; the wages of which are supposed at 2d. per day. In Britain 

 70,000 Persons would produce the same effect by machinery, at 20d. per day ; consequently 

 ] Person in Britain is equal to 

 20 In India; but, in consequence of a more expensive apparatus, and various contingencies, it may be stated, that 

 1 Person is equal to 4o in India. . r . 



40 Multiplied by 2, is equal to 6s. 8d., which is the value of labour for spinning in India, to correspond with that cf one person in U ■;- 

 tain, or as 6s. 8d. to Is, 8d. 



