The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-07-18
From the Philadelphia Inquirer ]
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The cotton question occupies attention on both
sides OF the Atlantic. The prices of the raw ma
terial are high, much so that it said many mills
in England working on short time But some
people continue to argue that the demand will ex-
ceed the supply for years to come and that there
fore, unless some field for the cultivation of
cotton shall be discovered much embarrassment will
ensue. This we doubt. Our present crop is larger
than usual, and the yield can be increased almost
illimitably. In England the subject is much dis
cussed. The leading reviews devote columns to it.
The Edinburg Magazine of late date, says:
GA parallel instance of rapid advancement can
not, perhaps, be found in history, to that between
the rise and present position of the cotton manu-
facture in Great Britain" The first mention of
cotton-spinning, in England, is to be found in a
paper, dated l641, or more than two hundred wears
ago. when it was said to have been located, even at
this early period, at Manchester. But it was near
lv century afterwards, before it became of the
slightest Importance, and it was not until about
ninety-ive years since that cloth wholly composed
OF cOttOn-a mixture of wool having been general
added-was an article of commerce. From about
the year 100 to l760 the only manufactures were
weayers located in the various districts, who WOye
the thread during the day which their wives and
children spun in the evenings and leisure hours
but at this period the materia was sent to the
operatives by agents from Manchester, who subse-
quently collected the manufactured article. Me
chanical genius had long been directed to its ma
chinery. In 1873, 1888, and l753 patents were
taken out for increasing the production by machin-
cry; but the first grand step in l7G7, when the
spinning-ienny appeared. Two years afterwards
Sir Richard Arkwright projected his invention,
which, sixteen years subsequently,, declared to
be void, but which had already created a new trade
just before 1900 the power-loOm came into general
use, by which the cotton trade greatly extended,
and from that period to the present time, scarcely
week has elapsed, certainly not new mill has
been erected without some Improvement or other
having been brought into operation.
Between the years l70l and 1905, the average
yearly importation of cotton was one million one
Y,i,, h,,,,I ,,l, 4
eleven pounds; between l705 and 1920, it was two
million one hundred and seventy-three thousand
two hundred and eightv-seven pounds, or had not
doubled itself in the fifth part of the century, but
even up to I77I, when three-quarters Of the CEN
tennial period had elapsed it was, on the average
OF the previous years, but four million seven hun
dred and sixty-four thousand five hundred and
eighty y-nine pounds. However, when weaving by
machinery became introduced, so did the importa-
tiOn of the raw cotton increase; showing what it is
very necessary t0 bear in mind at the present mo-
ment, that the supply can be made to equal the de-
mand. From lII5 to 1880, the average was six
million seven hundred and sIxty-six thousand six
hundred and thirteen pounds; from 1881 to 1885, it
was ten million nine hundred and thirtv-five
pounds; but in these, the two last were exceptional
years, since in 1884, it was eleven thousand four
hundred and eightv-twO thousand and eightv-three
pounds, and in 1885, when Arkwright's patent was
thrown open to all who chose to avail themselves
of it had reached as high as eighteen million
four hundred thousand three hundred and eighty
four pounds.
From this particular point we start: in 1900
the consumption fitty-six million ten thousand
seven hundred and thirty-two pounds; in 1910, it
one hundred and thirty-two million four hun
dred and Lightweight thousand nine hundred and
thirty-five pounds in 1884, it was two hundred
and eighty million and eighty thousand pounds;
and again, in lS4l, it four hundred and eighty
seven million nine hundred and ninety-two thous-
and three hundred and ftty-hve pounds; in 1851 it
was seven million three hundred and seventy-nine
thousand seven hundred and fortv-nine pounds.
TO show the Importance of the trade more particu-
larly the importation was, in
l775 4764, $50 pounds.
1857 -lO23 Ss6 528