East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1860-08-23
From the Cotton Supply Reporter
THE COTTON TRADE.

THE COTTON TRADE.
Upwards of 100000 workers are now
employed in our cotton factories, and it
has been estimated that at least 1000
600 persons in this country are depend
cnt upon the cotton trade for subsistence.
"A century ago Lancashire contatied q
population of only 100000 persons it
now numbers 100000. In the same
period of time this enormous increase cx-
cceds that on any other equal surface Of
tho globe, and is entirely owing to the
development Of the cotton trade. In
1856 there were in the United Kingdom
2,2l0 factories, running $4,000, 900 spin.
dies and 299, 1000 looms, by 67 900 horse
power. Since that period considerable
number Of new mills have been erected,
and extensive aditions have been made to
the spinning and weaving machinery of
those previously in existence The
amount Of actual capital invested in the
cotton trade Of this Kingdom is estimated
to be between eco, 000, 900 and E70, 600.
600 sterling. The quantity of cotton
imported into this country in 1859 was
1881 81 millions pounds weight, the
value of which at Cd. per 10. is equal to
G30,000,000 sterling. Out Of 2,S29,1 ITO
bales Of cotton imported into Great Brit
ain, America has supplied us with 2,0S6,
34l, that is 5-7ths of tho whole. In 9th
erwords, out Of every I lbs imported
from all countries into Great Britain,
America has supplied lbs. India has
sent us about 100000 bales, Egypt l00,-
600, South America l2i 600; and other
countries about 5000 bales. In 1859
thctotal value Of the exports from Great
Britain amounted to E130,513,1S5, Of
which 81, 920,720 consisted of cotton
goods and yarns. Thus more than one
third, or 81 out Of (f3)ofour entire exports
consists Of cotton. Add to this the pro-
portion of cotton which forms part of
twelve millions more exported in the
shape of mixed woolcns habcrdashery,
millinery, silks, apparel and slops. Great
Britain alone consumes annually twenty
-four millions worth of cotton goods.
Two conclusions, therefore, may safely
be drawn from the facts and figures now
cited-frst that the interests of every
cotton worker are bound up with gigan-.
tic trade, which keeps in motion an cnor-
nous mass of capital, and this capital, ma
chinery and labor depend for five-scvenths
ofits employment upon the slave States
of America for prosperity and continuance
secondly, that If war should at any time
btcak out between England and America,
general instruction take place among
the slaves, disease sweep off those slaves
by death, or the cotton crop fall short in
quantity, whether from severe frosts, dis.
ease OF the plant, or other possible causes
Our mills wonld be stopped for want Of
cotton, employers would be ruined, the
famine would stalk abroad among the
hundreds and thousands of workpcoplc
who are at present fortunately well en-.
ployed. Calculate The consequences for
Yourself. Imagine a dearth of cotton,
and you may picture the horrors such a
calamity from the scenes you may posssi
bly have witnessed when tho mills have
only run on "short time" Count mp oil
trades that arc kept going out of the
independent of builders, mechanics, enqi-
ncers, golfers, &C., employed by tho mill
owners. Railways would cease to pay,
and our ships would lie rotting in their
ports. should scarcity Of the raw ma
terialfor manufacturing ovcrtakc us.
EH-A +. .MoCarty, an old citzon Of
Owosso, died suddenly on the 10th inst,
. 81 6ffv- oioht.