In the year 1787, it will be recollected, the number of water mills in the whole of Lancashire was 41 ; and the number of mule spindles, worked both by machinery and hand, in Great Britain, was about 1,700,000. In the year 1804, there were in Manchester alone 93 spinning factories, and at least 1,500,000 spindles in the different factories in the town and neighbourhood. Supposing that 1000 spindles are a fair average for each horse pow er, and that the steam engines averaged a ten-horse pow er, these spindles would have required 150 such steam engines to work them ; which, at the estimate of a ton of coals per day for each engine, must have consumed about 50,000 tons of coal annually.
In the year 1812, there was laid before the House of Commons an account of cotton-wool imported, contain ing the average of four periods, of five years each, be ginning 1792, which we subjoin, although we have al ready in some degree, anticipated the result of the im portation during the first series of years.
In order that the increase in the value of cotton goods exported may be compared with the increase in the quantity of cotton-wool imported, we give the two fol lowing Tables.
These Tables also serve to spew the countries from which we got our cotton-wool, and the countries to which we exported our manufactured goods and our cotton yarn ; f in consequence of the great improve ment in the machinery for spinning cotton, there were not weavers enough in the kingdom to manufacture it ; while, on the continent, the weavers, who had been ac customed to weave linen and silk, easily turning them selves to the weaving of cotton, the superfluity of our yarn found a ready market there.
We shall conclude this branch of our subject, with a sketch of the present scite and state of the cotton trade in England; an attempt to estimate its value, with re spect to the same points which we endeavoured to es tablish in regard to the woollen trade ; and a compara tive view of the two trades, as they seem to affect the wealth, the morals, and the general condition of those engaged in thent.
The cotton district of England has nearly the same extent and boundaries now that it had 20 years ago, though the manufacture, in some, or all of its branches, may have appeared since that time in distant and insu lated parts of the kingdom. Manchester may still be considered as the centre of this district. To the north west and west of this town it is most widely diffused, having, since the period before alluded to, approached nearer the northern confines of the county. In Lanca shire, Bolton, Blackburn, Wigan, and Preston, may be regarded as centres to the smaller divisions of this dis trict, and as still engaged, for the most part, in those branches of the trade which they followed in the year 1795, and which have been already noticed. Stockport,
to the south of Manchester, and Ashton to the east, are centres of the division of the districts which lie in these directions ; when we pass them, we pass the limits of the regular cotton trade, though it makes its appearance as far to the south as Derby. Since 1795, it has gained a firmer and more extensive footing in the West Hid ing of Yorkshire, intermixing with the original and staple manufacture of that district. With respect to the places where the different kinds of goods are manu factured, it may be proper to give more minute infor mation: Great quantities of checks are made at Carlisle, and in other parts of Cumberland ; the lowest qualities of calicoes are made chiefly at Burnley and CoInc in Lancashire, and at Bradford in Yorkshire ; the best qualities at Blackburn and Stockport ; the muslins are made at Bolton, Stockport, and the surrounding vil lages ; the shillings at Blackburn, Stockport, Manches ter, Stc.; the pullicat handkerchiefs in the neighbour hood of Manchester ; the quiltings and dimities in the neighbourhood of Bolton, as well as the bed-quilts and counterpanes ; nankeens and cotton tickings are chiefly made within seven miles of Manchester ; velverets, thicksets, and cords, chiefly at Warrington; and vel veteens principally at Oldham, and in very great quan tity in those parts of Yorkshire which border on Lan cashire ; fustian cutting is almost 'entirely confined to the town of Manchester ; bleaching and printing are chiefly carried on at Blackburn, Bury, Sze. and the for mer at Bolton ; calico-printing is also carried on exten sively at Carlisle, and in the neighbourhood of London. Most of the mills for spinning cotton are in the neigh bourhood of Manchester and Stockport.
The proportion of the population in the cotton dis trict of England employed in that trade, is very great ; some estimate it so high as five-sevenths. In Bolton it is supposed to be•nearly one-half; in Stockport two thirds. The proportion of men and women employed in weaving was formerly nearly equal ; but, in conse quence of the introduction of the power-looms, (to which we have before adverted, and which forms the most recent era in the history of the cotton trade of this country,) though these looms as yet are but partially applied to weaving, the proportion of women employed in this branch of the cotton trade may be estimated to be greater than the men: the number of children is nutrly equal to both men and women. The proportions employed in the preparation of the cotton and in spin ning, are nearly four-fifths women to one-fifth men : in this branch, also, the number of children is equal to both. The quantity of cotton manufactured in the cot ton district, is estimated at about 81,000,000 lbs.