Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-10-14
A LoVER OF TkuIH.
THE COTTON FAMINE IN ENGLAND.

book has recently made It's sppeslanc In England,
entitled "a History of hs Cotton Famine IN EogIand
f-ou, The faT of Sumlsr to The Passing Of the Public
rU,.L. Aetp 1. was written b. r. A. Arnold and il
ir,sr,s.iug as sho spg the WONDERFULLY recupsratys
novsrs Of truly industrial organ ENions, and how
quickly loss however great, may be repaired by mod.
arm society From Gopiouj extracts publshed, We make
few condensa ions:
The cotton famine in England did not begin until
anna time sfsr the breaking out of the war; Upon the
authority OF the ladon Spectator it is stated THAT the
trade had for two years previously been overlooking
tbe markets of The world with lavish profuseness They
I'D vutted Inis, Australia and AmericA-had in fact
a, cSm uleely outrun consumption that they we're In
oos.es.on directly indirectly OF q surplus seek OF
400 600 600 pounds weight o, manufactured goods
With this enormous stock unsold, and general i'm
oresson that the America crisis would not last no one
vas wiling TO giTe any very heavy lprce iorlraN ma
e-il ana though the price rose it vas not rapidly"
In the wear 1860 there wero in full operation In EGG
I nd 26b0 cotton iactore : with 440 900 operatives
hose vs. ges amounted to Eli 500 600 for that
D these people sc par cent. were adults and 81 per
ospt females. A power equi to 1000 horses drove
tic machinery, which quick eyes and active fingers
COVE nei and guided The number Of spcdles at work
taxes away tie breath only to think of them,
b the speed at which each Of these ndlss reVoly
I'd mskas the brain gddy- 0,SS7 467 fpindes, each
s5ir makisg from four to six thousand revolutions
per minute, according to the haeness Of the thread
spun.
Toe cotton required to feed all this legion of spindes
for one wear was OIL 62S $50 pounds o. prepared ma
tsrial The Aotus mpion of The year, inclusive
of waste was l 0sS 600 600 pounds Tho total guam
tty Imported exceeded thAS amoIut to the value of
over 81 600 O0O Toe investei capital in the mills
and tue wages to keep them going about sos 600
OOO The productions for the year smounted 10 49,
OH $50.
When the fact was realz hlt the RAJ material must
become ecaTco there was very sudden deprivation Of
work for the operatives. The mills first began 20 work
on half time, though employing almost their full CON-
Tlemen, o. hands. tween January and October 1862
eigAtesn months sitter the breAkr out Of the con-
ct here the mills closed Their DOORS and almost ball
a million OF operatives we're idle.
The history Of the famine rays that the savings banks
we're depleted Of the hard earaed savings Of the Door
operatives to the foil extent If their dopOsi.s Then
vas q roOls unWiliiugness tie part of the LlucG-
shire operatives to subsis monsy they had not earn
cd Everything was sacrificed before they applied for
relief but they had to cone to il it last Ga December
oh 1864 the return Of the number relieved BY the
gusrdi,n reached to the highest point. The armies
Of industry we're now pAupers, the numbers were
ieArlul-S6l sos a. q cost OF outdoor and in
door relIsf exceeding E200 sterling = week,
The numbers supported by the committees alone
for che WOrst week Of the Distress 2S6 Sl0 the
weekly exps dituTe Of the committees = general
toal of $40 $50. Calculating the loss of wages OF
ives we're receiving sbou. -hird Of their ordinary
income This month OF December was the darkest and
heaviest Of the distress; it had reached iss maximum
With the beginning of 1868 the tide began to turn,
though the suffering Of the transition Of return
70 vol ard wages was more severe than during even
this dark December
The landowners came forWari to aid the Charity
The "a of December, 1862 memorable for their
great meeting in lancashire, which resulted in sub
scrip ion list OF also 600, Of which 10000 sub
scrosd in the town hall. The county had, when this
meeting separated, subscribed to the relief fund $780,
600 Tho whole sum expended by the committee,
during the period of distress, Was 81 ga, 2sl.
But ell this would not SUFFICE and il il stated that
the g,e 4tes aid to the sufferers and one of which at
the same time enjoyed great number OF them pro-
dlciVsy was by Virna of act Of Parliament passed
o. the Of Juae, 1852. Tbs act only permitted the
local au hories, municipalities and Vstt les to borrow
mpsey r,m the ate for public works. 1t worked ad
80 y, On bling the towns to emp o. sonshys thous-
and hea 4 flmies, or fsy twenty i've thosslnd per-
us on remuleraliVe work, at The cosi OF 40 imme-
20 dsbt OF less than a million and quarter.
The majority Of The hands arc nov either employed
in other tors than cotton spinning, or have EN-
igratea The d stress may be said 70 Do at an end
muufceuc1 Of contributions on the par OF the rlc1,
aid in patient endurance Of terrible euferCg on the
par: OF the Oor-unGceonpinieG 80 this famine hSe
en- BY he CONN ssou Of any violence or crimes OF
a1y hind By the suteera--tbe cotton famine In E1E-
land sinuds unrivel ed Il tis.oTy.