A few words regarding the present extent and commercial importance of the cotton manufacture to the United Kingdom, will fittingly conclude this paper. When it is considered that this vast industry has sprung from the labours of a few men of humble origin, it may tend to secure to inventors a little more of the regard which is justly their due. According to a recent Parliamentary return, cotton-mills are now found in almost every part of the kingdom, but the industry is mainly concentrated in Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cheshire, and Derbyshire. In Scotland, its chief seat is in the counties of Renfrew, Ayr, and Lanark ; whilst in Ireland, there are only 6 cotton-mills reported as existing. The summary on the opposite page, reproduced from the return, will be useful fur purposes of comparison.
Since these returns were procured, there hss been a slight increase in most departments. Numerous mills belonging to the great joint-stock companies in Lancashire had not received their full complement of machinery when the late severe depression came upon commerce and industry. The recent revival has caused these to be tilled up, so that the number of spinning spindles will now be near 41,000,000 whilst the power looms will probably reach 520,000. The total number of persons employed in tending them and the preparatory machinery, will approach 500,000. This vast number will be nearly doubled, if we include therein the people who are indirectly dependent upon it for subsistence, such as machinists, bleachers, finishers, dyers, printers, and those persons engaged iu the commercial section of the business from the time when cotton arrives in Liverpool, until it leaves the country as a finished article, or reaches the home consumer.
When the trade is in a normal atate of prosperity the consumption of cotton amounts to about 60,000 bales a week, which, averaging 450 lb. each, equals 24,000,000 lb. Assuming the raw material to cost 6d. a lb., we have an expenditure on that account of 600,0001. a weak, to which 3d. a lb. must be added for the coat of apinning and 3d. for weaving, which brings the weekly turnover to 1,200,000, or about 62,500,0001. per annum. This figure is considerably increased by the cost of processes aubaequent to spinning and manufacturing, such as bleaching, dyeing, and finishing. The quantity and value of cotton manufactures exported from this country have been for the past three yeara—unfavourable in both respects—as follows :— The United Kingdom possesses more than half of the cotton apiudles in the world, the aggregate of other countries being about 32,000,000, bringing the present total to 73,000,000 spindles. The 32,000,000 spindles abroad, consume about as much cotton as those of England, owing to the fact that the average count, of yarn spun upon them is much lower abroad than here.
The competition of the various countries where cotton manufactures have been established has never yet been formidable, even in their own markets, unless backed by protective tariffs of an almost prohibitive character. These circumstances show their unfitness to compete in neutral markets, which are therefore left almost exclusively in our possession. Were it not for the exception of a few specialities, this qualification would be unnecessary.
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R. M.