THE COTTON TRADE. 365 



of time, to beat down the influence wielded by the defenders of home pro- 

 ductions. 



About 1792, Samuel Crompton learned to spin with one of Hargreave's 

 Jennys, and, being dissatisfied with the qiiality of the yarn produced, he 

 set about improving it. His efforts resulted in the mule.- With his machine 

 — which, not being a mechanic, he had elaborated under great difficulties — 

 he produced a superior article, which excited the public mind, and he was 

 so beset by the prying curiosity of the country people, that in order to get 

 rid of the vexation he exhibited his invention to those who choose to sub- 

 scribe a guinea each. In this way he raised about fifty pounds, with which 

 he constructed a superior and larger machine. He took out no patent, but 

 subsequently received 500Z. from Parliament. 



When Arkwright's patents were cancelled and the use of the nice pre- 

 paratory processes became general, the full value of Crompton's inventions 

 became known, and the use of the mule jenny marked an important era in 

 the history of the cotton manufacture. 



The enormous productiveness of the spinning machinery could never 

 have been utilised, had the conversion of the yarn into the woven fabric 

 depended on the hand loom weaver. It needed another important element 

 to complete the series of automatic machinery, and this was supplied by 

 Cartwright, who, in 1784, invented the germ of the power loom. In 1787, 

 he completed his invention and erected a " factory," which, probably 

 by reason of his want of business habits, was not successful as a pecuniary 

 investment. Numerous subsequent improvements were made by Bell, 

 Monteith, Horrocks, Sharp, and Roberts, and a host of other inventors, 

 who have improved this machine until it may be said to be perfectly self- 

 acting in all its operations. 



Having thus briefly glanced at the successive steps by which the inven- 

 tive genius of the last century supplied the mechanism, we will now, 

 with similar brevity, examine the industrial structure which capital has 

 raised with the tools thus placed within its reach. 



About the time Crompton completed his invention, he received 14s. 

 sterling per lb. for spinning and preparing No. 40 yarn, and shortly after- 

 wards he was paid 25s. sterling for No. 60. To show how fine a grist he 

 could spin, he produced yarns as fine as No. 80, for which he obtained 42s. 

 per lb. More perfect mechanism and improved skill enabled the spinners 

 to work still finer grists for lower prices, and, in 1793, only 8d. sterling 

 per lb. was paid for No. 100. Notwithstanding, however, this extraordinary 

 diminution of price, by aid of the improved machinery, superior judgment 

 in the selection of suitable cotton wool, and greater skill in working, the 

 spinners can with less labour earn more money than they did when the 

 prices were high. 



Nor is the saving effected by the power loom in weaving of much less 

 importance than that due to the spinning machinery. The invention of the 

 fly shuttle by John Kaye, doubled the productive power of the hand loom ; 



