New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-30
ENGLISH COTTOy MACHINERY.

A contribution which England will make TO
the St Louis exposition, and which viii ex-
cite exceptional interest in this country, is de-
scribed in n recent issue Of Engineering" 1t
will consist Of n full set OF the machinery used
in a cotton spinning mill. The items necessary
to make up the series in single establishment
are more numerous than any one would imag
ine who is not familiar with the industry. and
where two or three different methods Of accom-
plishing the same object are in vogue an array
intended for exhibition purposes would be cor
respondingly enlarged.
What gives To this announcement its chief sig
niicance is that it indicates change of policy
on the part of British manufacturers OF textile
machinery. They have been unwilling for sew
eral years 20 show their products TO the world
at large. From time TO time improvements
are made in this class Of mechanism. and it has
been thought undesirable hitherto TO reveal
these fully TO rivals. The same rule would ap-
ply, one would suppose. 10 steam engines, agr-
cultural implements and machine tools for
working metal: and American manufacturers
have felt that the advantages of showing the
latter wares more than Overbalanced the disad-
vantages If. on the one hand, there was dan
ger of pira ting an original idea. il true,
the other hand, that the advertisement OF an
exhibition promoted sales. Just how English
sentiment has been modified 1t IS hard to say
nut IL Is eNlueDl lildl Sufn Ilpullitdllou HdS
taken place. Only Il single house is to bring
textile machinery TO America, but that one IS
the biggest in the world of its kind. England
still occupies the leading position among the ma
lions of the world in the quantity of the cotton
goods which she makes, If not in the quality.
Her disposition to show other people how she
produces them, therefore. is gratifying in the
extreme.
In the collection OF machinery that the Platt
Brothers will send over are two gins Of type
not well known in this country. The gin. to he
sure, is used i'm the region where the cotton IS
raised, and before the latter is baled. Still, it
bears such an important relation to the future
of that commodity that mill owners. as well as
cotton growers, will regard this feature of the
exhibit with interest The gins in question sep
arate the fibre from the seeds by means Of
rollers and knives. and are said TO be espe-
cially adapted to long staples like the Egyptian
cotton. In mill machinery proper the chief nov
elites, apparently, are the hoppers added TO
breakers and openers. The final operation of
spinning is performed sometimes with the ring
frame and sometimes with the mule The for
! mer is more rapid and steady, and is much in
favor i'm the United States. The latter is inter
! mittent in its action and produces smaller
/ quantity of yarn I'm given time. but il enjoys
/ great popularity in England account of the
| quality of its product. The Platt Brothers will
/ send both kinds Of machine. and one of the
mules will be equipped with an attacnmenu
| which introduces an improved system OF
winding. whereby unravelling or "halching" IS
avoided.
In addition TO these and other possible limo
vations fin the best English practice Americans
| will be interested in observing the general de-
| sign and workmanship represented by the ma
! chinery itself In English products there is a
solidity not always found here. and a question
of expediency is thus raised afresh which has
not been finally settled. Whether the finish
/ given TO these machines is any better than the
| best work of American shops remains TO De
seen