COTTON MANUFACTURES. (FR., Filature de Coton ; GER, Baumwollenmanufactur.) Cotton manufacturing, in its broadest sense, may be defined as the sum of the processes necessary to transform cotton—the seed down of Gossypeum herbaceum, and kindred plants (see Fibrous Substances—Cotton)—into yarn and cloth. The art is very ancient, having been practised in Eastern Countries from time immemorial. In those lands, the methods pursued have undergone little change since their first adoption. The marvellous perfection and beauty attained in the manufacture of Eastern textiles is the result of patient and perbistent labour, continued through numberless generations, and which has led to the development of exquisite skill in the manipula tion of simple instruments. This form of the art is, however, rapidly declining before the vigorous competition of the modern systmm, which in England has sprung up, and been almost perfected, during the last hundred years. The excellence of the latter is demonstrated by the fact that it has been adopted in almost every country of Europe, and in America. Of late years, it has even gained a footing in India, the original home of the cotton industry, and there its remarkable development has threatened the existence of its primitive rival. It is to the environments, conditions, and processes of successful manufacture by this system—which may most properly be oalled the English system—that the reader's attention will be exclusively directed.
This object will be most readily attained by selecting for description the method of manu facturing pursued in Lancashire, because this county is the birth-place of the system, and here it has received its highest development. The causes that have contributed to this result are manifold ; but only those of a permanent character need be briefly noticed.
In Lancashire, all the conditions requisite for fitting it to become the seat of a prosperous manufacture of this particular exotic fibre are to be found. One of the chief of thebe is a humid atmosphere, which the district derives from its geographical position, lying directly in the track of pre vailing westerly winds that come laden with moisture from the sea, tempering the severity of winter, moderating the heat of summer, and supplying perennial rains. These fall upon a geological formation composed of impervious rocks and olays, covered with only a thin layer of vegetable mould and are here retained, forming a subterranean reservoir, whence there arises a constant and great e‘aporation, that ensures the requisite humidity of the atmosphere--with few exceptions- the year round. The cotton industry is entirely—or very nearly so—located upou the Coal
measures, which form the mountainous portions of Lancashire and the adjacent counties ; and the chief towns in which it is carried on are situated upou the hill-sides, almost within the cloud-track, or in the moist valleys under the shadows of the hills. The consequence is that the atmosphere, except during the rare occurrenees.of dry east winds or keen frosts, is sufficiently humid to preserve the pliability, and even to increase the strength, of the cotton fibre, during all the processes of manufacture. This feature contributes greatly to the success nf the Lancashire cotton industry, Another natural advantage enjoyed by Lancashire, is the hilly character of a great portion of its surface, which favours the formation of numerous streams. These in early days furnished the motivo power for turning the jennies, water-frames, and mules, when they had grown beyond manual and animal power, and before the perfection of tbe steam engine; and though the latter generally superseded the earlier motors, abundant water was still essential for condensing purposes. As the trade has grown, the streams have been supplemented by canals and'reservoirs, by means of which large manufacturing towns have been brought into existence in places where they could not otherwise have flourished.
On the adoption of steam as a motive power, the mineral riches of the district further assured the localization of the industry, which, even at that early time, gave promise of future affluence. Among the natural facilities of the district, too, must be included ready access to the sea, through the port of Liverpool, and thereby to the world. %,1-or would it be just to omit mention of the mechanical ingenuity and inventive talent of its operatives, and the readiness with which its capitalists encourage likely projects, tending to perfect the mechanism of the industry.
Technically considered, cotton manufacturing may be divided into two great branches— spinning " and " weaving." The former includes all processes from the first handling of the raw material on its arrival in this country, until the product becomes a commercial article in the form of " yarn " ; the second embraces every operation necessary to transform this into " cloth." Very frequently, both branches are united in one establishment; but there exists a strong and growing tendency to separate them. A. proper conception of the causes underlying this movement is very important. They will be explained under the headings to which they respectively belong.