CROMPTON, S
peration, one of the manufacturers went to him and persuaded him to disclose the inven tion to the trade, under the promise of a liberal subscription. Inexperienced in the world, he agreed to this. The machine was exhibited, but all that he got was
£60. This money was not paid to him at the time, but he had to travel for many miles round the country to collect it. Some refused to pay, though he showed them their signatures. lie set manfully to work with his machine, determined to make the best lie could of his ill-luck. In the course of time, he saved money enough to begin manu facturing on a small scale, but not till his rivals had nearly 20 years' start of him in the business. Then his wife died, leaving him a large family. Efforts were made to obtain• for bins a national reward. Five thousand pounds was all he obtained, and lie returned to Bolton almost broken-hearted. Misfortune upon misfortune overtook him, till he died, June 26, 1827. Some idea may be formed of the vast services he has rendered to the world, and especially to his native land, by the fact that his is by far the most used' of all spinning-machines. In 1811, the number of spindles on C.'s principle was 4,600,000, while there were only 310,500 of Arkwright's, and 155,880 of Hargreaves'. At the present time, it is conjectured that there are 25,000,000 of C.'s spindles at work. Yet this great genius was never noticed by his king, and the appointments under the factory acts to which his descendants might have aspired, have been filled by the rela-i Lives or nominees of her majesty's ministers. For a complete account of this great! improver of the cotton manufacture, we refer to the Life of Crompton, by Mr.
French, 1880.