The New York herald., 1879-07-28
PROGRESS oPCsrTQK SPINNING IN The UNITED STATES

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questions put by the London rsses on the cotton
manufacturers of the United States. Some of these
statements have been questioned in England, where
1t is not believed that spin fine. en-
close you now tho following reply to the English
srrictures which has been addressed to an English
journal. the Cotton. Yours truly, BEN.
To THE EDITOR OF CoTroA:-
Your publication dated April 26 contained an edi-
torisi article headed .'The Cheap Advertising OF
American Cotton Manufactures. Alter speaking
rather disparagingly OF statements concerning
English manufactures. from both English aud
American sources. and saying "a good many
are experts" it proceeds to ay:-.A report for
instance. recently prepared by Mr.. B. f. Nourse. Of
Boston. United states. on Which Manchester daily
choiy article may be usetuliy subjected TO search
ing criticism" r-
What you term my report" consisted of series
Of inquiries sent from very respectable in
England to my friend the Hon, David A. Wells. who
is eminent ut home aud not unknown in England as
economist and statistician. and Of my answers
thereto prepared ut his request each concise and
direct to the point OF inquiry Ms could make II.
proofs and details: and it to be the lack Of
these which causes your demand for practical
proof OF my statements, with Every exact details
The inquiries and my answers constitute the article
referred to. which. first printed III the NEW YORK
HERALD has been reprinted iii many papers here and
in Europe. As touching subject OF general public
interest-the great industry OF cotton manufac-
turing.
My answers applied to matters of fact. They were
statistically true not true. Cotton does not
ture deny any Of them, but being iucredulous de-
mands their proof. believe you have not given
TO the readers OF Cotton opportunity of reading my
statements in your own columns other than by the
gloss OF them which appears in your searching criti
cisn. Before proceeding to subsantlate such or my
statements as seem to you ihcredible beg to say
that gave cause for your extended discussion or
the export trade OF ENGLAND and the United states
respectively to show now small Is the competition
which England has to fear from u.s. When answer
ing the original inquiry this topic gave stats-
tics OF American exports OF cotton goods in past
and theu said Attaining in the year OF largest export
(lS73) only and two-hfths per the pro-
duction How small IN comparison with the seventy
eight per cent exported OF Englands larger produc-
toni It is only beginning. This seems to me quite
the opposite Of the bosstiul advertising which in
that connection you imputed to- me, and higher
ogntion OF the comparative magnitude of Engiands
export trade than was Expressed All your article.
TO the inquiry. "What IL the comparison between
English and American cotton goods in regard to
their popularity in foreign markets. = my answer
was. THE increasing preference for Ameri-
apparent grades. wherever tho for
mer have been introduced and become known
tho You except to
fact carried by this answer. yet you admit the
periorlty OF American drills the largest item in
American cotton trade to China Why not also of
standard 36inch sheetinEs lass yards pound)
aud heavy jeans. both OF which. well as
lighter goods "A yards. SO inchl sent to China.
like the drills, as pure cotton goods. unbeached and
unstutfed ? II American merchants who export
these goods tnone are sent out for account OF the
rchasers) ''have no more knowledge of the China
trade than ordinary traveller" to quote your
words. how do you account for tho fact that British
merchants also buy aud export them from American
mills and from Manchester to Calcutta and China.
often the SueZ Canal?
In the original said. in regard to further
increase OF exports, ''Such increase may be
pected. unless home demand shall consume nearly
the whole production to advance prices above the
exporting point unless repeled by cheaper goods
OF equal quality from other countries" I'm
the meantime 1t Is to be supposed that cotton goods
will be produced in England OF better purer quail
ity. and at cheaper cost than they have
BEEN" "Ihe cheapest goods, OF equal
value will ultimately command tho markets"
Since year ago, and even since my iormer article
written, q decided Improvement in the business
of cotton manufacturing has taken place. Produc-
tion has increased and profits have gained little.
The accumulxtions OF goods, which three TOUR
years ago SO depressing upon prices. have al
most entirely disappeared. Yet the export OF cot
goods has not ceased, IL it has been reduced at
the advanced prices The cost of raw cotton enters
80 largely into the whole Of these export styles
of goods. particularly American. tor their purity
and excellence OF quality. it is unlikely that any
other country will successfully compete with ours
in their cheap production.
ducod by the Wamsutta Mills. Of New Bedford,
Mass. give notable illustration of preference for
American CLOTH This cloth Is OF high reputation
for superior quality. is OF medium weight made
average thirtytwo yarn and for its excellence
ccived gold medal ut the last great exposition in
PARIS. Yet during the depression OF trade some
years ago consumption fell OF aud the goods piled
up in the hands OF the producers. To find market
to Manchester. England. which. resulting satisfac-
toriy other consigninents followed down to the
present time. All went to Manchester. whence they
were distributed the Kingdom. hnding sale At
prices which made returns quite as profitable as the
returns from home sales. This experiment. made in
the when similar goods OF English production
were under depression of price. Is surely
test Of the alleged preference at equal cost.
10 the question. "Do Americsn insnufacturers
produce successfully the finest qualities OF cotton
cloths. do they still confne their attention to
low and medium qualitiesy' my answer tn partl
was. american manufacturers do not produce the
finest qualities of cotton cloth. such muslins fine
clmbrcs &C, not because they cannot (hner thread
machinery in England) but because the available
markets for such cloths would not sustain manu-
facture of sufficient magnitude to be profitable
The words in the parenthesis above quoted pro-
woke your remark. I'VE ought not to have bare
sertion here" They were inserted after my manu-
script had been finished at the instance of Mr..
Edward Atkinson, for many years prominent man :
ufscturer. Their statement may have been indis-
Greet. Lst US see now far ~ is sustained.
Mr.. Atkinson writes to under date May 60 rs fol-
lows II am informed that statement maze by me
you has been questioned to wit: hner thread hsv-
merry in England The three-corI No. $50 thread
produced by the Wilimantic Company. suitable to
be used on sewing machine. was my warrant for
this assertion. At the time made IL also supposed
that the same company. in spinning No. 100 single
yarn mule in the open air OF their factory. had
accomplished inner yarn spinning than had been
reached in Great Britain; but have since learned
that this error, much finer number having
been spun there. But it WAS made on small mule.
case. such excessively fine numbers have. course.
no commercial value More important the
cess OF the Willmantic Company III spinning No. 100
for regular commercial ring spinning
Frame This and our recent progress in hne
work IN several other mills promised good results.
u the work done on the ring frame Is cheaper and
stronger than that of the mule.
Before receiving Mr.. Atkinson's letter had up
piled for statement OF facts to Mr.. william 4. Bar
rows, the treasurer (and exAmincrl OF the Wilt
mantle Linen Company whose large mills tor the pro-
duction OF sewing thread NOV wholly Of cot,onl
in the State OF Connecticut. From his letter con-
dense the following statement:-
4. Our nne numbers OF thread made for use
on sewing machines. They are three and six ply.
made yarn Nos 300 400. 500 aud $50. The finest
numbers used pillow lace making. and. Judg-
in1 from the demand. give good satisfaction.
2. The finest number OF thread regularly sent to
foreign markets by this company is No. lvo sx-cord.
made fro 100 yarn.
5. The finest yarn have spun the American
ring spinning frame built by the Lowell Machine
Shop. Lowell, Mass.). with the Sawyer spindle. is
No $40. This was experimental. the yarn not used
for regular thread. Weregulsrly spin ring frames
No. 12O yarn Tor No. ~ six-cord sewing cotton.
4. We have climatic atmospheric dific ulties.
The yarns sent are the best proof that have no
trou