WOOLLEN MANUFACTURE. The simplest mode of giving an idea of the extent of operations in a woollen manu factory, is to give in abridgment the heads of the several processes which the wool undergoes until it comes out fitted for the market. Thus, no less than 25 processes may be enumerated : 1. There are men employed in sorting the wools of many qualities and countries.
2. There is a machine of many rollers with teeth, for what is called devilling, or willowing the wool, which means the opening of its locks.
3. There are machines for scribbling or combing it.
4. There are others, called carders, for forming slivers, or short rolls of the wool.
5. There is a travelling or sliding ap paratus called a billy, for dubbing or draw ing out the slivers into six times their length.
G. The slubbings put on spindles are then spun by means of mules, machines well known in cotton factories, and in vented by Crompton, who lately died in poverty at Bury.
7. The thread is then formed, by wo men, into warps for the looms.
8. The weavers size and dry these warps or webs.
9. They then Ex them on their beams, and weave the cloth, which, as delivered by them, is little better, or firmer, than stout flannel.
10. This cloth is then scoured.
11. It is afterwards taken to the bur lers, a room of women, who pick the surface and clear the whole from foreign substances.
12. The cloth is then milled, a process most curious, in which, by being beat with wooden hammers of 3 cwt. each, for 15 or 24 hours, the threads of the web are driven together, and the width re duced from 11 quarters, or 8 feet 3 inches, to 5 feet. The machines are called stocks. The backs are made of cast-iron, and the circular blows of the hammers, and the harmony of the result is astonishing.
13. The next process is to confer a soft nap on one side of the cloth iand this is effected by the rise of a species of thistle, called teasels, the heads of which are placed in frames, put upon cylinders, and against these the cloth is worked for 6 or 7 hours, by which means a delicate and lustrous nap is raised, which consti tutes the beauty of cloth.
14. It is then boiled in water for two hours, by which its glossy surface is fixed.
15. It is then cropt, or reduced to a level surface, by means of sheer spiral blades, fixed upon a cylinder, invented by Mr. I. Collier, of Paris, a process for merly performed in a very clumsy man ner by huge shears.
16. It is then boiled, tentered, and dried in a house, at a heat of 100° or 120°.
17. It is then worked, or raised again, by means of teasels, called moysing.
18. It is, finally, crept lengthwise and breadthwise.
19. At this period it undergoes various brushings, by machines contrived for that purpose.
20. Imperfections are then fine-drawn by men.
21. It is pressed, by a Brahmah's hy draulic press, with a force of 100 tons, between hot iron plates.
22. The pressed face is taken off by steaming and brushing.
23. It is =Wed or folded intolengths, as pieces for sale.
24. If blue, the wool is dyed before the manufacturing.
25. If black, it is dyed after being milled.
Such are the numerous steps by which a piece of superfine woollen cloth is pro duced. It is 6 weeks in its course, or in work. The weaving occupies 8 or 4 weeks, and is the only part of the process which depends on the workman.