The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-20
COTTON INDUSTRY
 GROWS IN INDIA Substantial Increase in the Number of SpindIeS SECOND TO UNITED STATES Interesting Comparison of Industry in Two Countries is Made by Depart 'ment of Commerce and
 Labor.
SECOND TO UNITED STATES

Washington, February 19.-(Spe- cial. )-The cotton industry of British India and it's growth in recent years, discussed in a report just received by the Department of Commerce and Labor through it's Bureau of Statistics, 1 is of especial interest to the people of the United States at the present time in view of recent developments regard ing the cotton producing and manufae- turing industries of this country. The report shows that the number of mills in India at the end of the fiscal year 1903-4 (year ending March 31, 1904) was 204, against 13f in the fiscal year 1 1903-4, and in 1903-4 the number of spindles was 5,213,344, against 3,539,- 681 in 1903-4. The number of persons employed (daily average) was 1S6,27l in 1903-4, as against 130,570 in 1903-4. The nominal capital and debentures in 1903-4 amounted to about 65 million dollars. of which 50 million dollars was paid up. The production of yarn in the mills for 1903-4 is reported at | 556 million pounds, against 43O mil lions in 1895-6, the earliest available year; the quantity of woven goods in 1903-4, 132 million pounds, against S3 millions in 1896-7 the earliest avail able year.
 A comparison of the figures of the cotton industry of India and it's growth with those of the United States shows that the number of spindles in the United States in 19034 was 22,85O,OO0 against 15,700,000 in 1893-94, an in crease of 7,150,000 spindles, while tho number of spindles in India in 1903-4 was, as above stated, 5,213,344, and in l 1893-94 3,539,681 an increase of 1,673,- 663 spindles. The number of spindles in the United States is thus abont four times as great as that of India, while the rate of increase in the num- Der of spindles in operation has aver aged in the case of the United States | 715,000 per annum, and in the case Of India 167,000 per annum during the past decade.
 Comparison Interesting.
 These figures, indicating the growth in the cotton manufacturing industries of India and the United States, re- spectively, and the relative manufae' turing facilities of the two countries. are especially interesting In view Of the fact that India is second largest cotton producing country of the world, her total production averaging about two million bales annually, against an agerage of about 1 0million bales for United States, while Egypt ranks third with an average production of over one million bales annually. The sta tistics of the commerce of India show tnat that country, with its population { of 300,000 100000 people demanding cotton manufactures and it's large sup ply of cheap labor, exported in l903-4, the latest available year, 8S,2Sl ,0o0 pounds of raw cotton, 252 million pounds of twist and yarn, valued at 286 million dollars, and 76 million yards of cotton piece goods, valued at AS million dollars; and in the same year imported 2033 million yards oi cotton piece goods, valued at about S9 million dollars. It thus appears that India, although cotton-growing coun' try and possessed of an unlimited supply of cheap labor and with British capital available for investment in it's industries. exports but about one-hali of the raw cotton which it produces and imports about 931a dollars worth of cotton manufactures annually.
 Summary of Article.
 The following Is a summarization of the article referred to in the above discus sion, taken from recent issue of the British Board of Trade Journal:
 At the end of 1903-4 (year ended 3lst March) there were in India 204 cotton mills. containing ,42l looms and 5,213,S44 spindes. Of this number 113 were ex- clusively spinning mills, five were exclu- siyely weaving mills and in S6 both spin ming and weaving were carried on. A daily average of 1S6,21 persons were em' ployed viz 11S640 36,737 women, 19,l young persons. and II, 735 children. Nine of these 204 mills, with 171,96O spindles and 1865 looms, were closed throughou1 the year.
 The nominal capital of the mills, as fal as this information has been furnished is III, ,569, ,6SS rupees, including the sterl ing capital of e1,061245, of which 9SO5,' 259 is paid up, and of the rupee capita 125 1928 391 rupees is paid up. There ar' further sterling debentures amounting t' eS0 900 and rupee debentures to the value of 19 66l, ,6S4 rupees issued by thirty-nin' companies. Twelve mills also out or $ worked by private propfletarS nave ho reported the capital employed by them and for these lO,000,000 rupees would seem to be a moderate estimate Int aggregate of the nominal capital and de betures is thus slightly in excess of 200 OOOO0O rupees. and of this 15S.o0O ,O0 rupees. and of this l5s, 5OO,00O rupees ol Gl05000 000 Is paid up.
 The Bombay presidency possesses 6s pei cent of the mills, 70 per cent of th' spindles, and 76 per cent of the looms In the Native States and French Terri tory there are 19 mills, with 3S04 loom' and 267, ,902 spindles Only B of the mill' are owned otherwise than by joint-stocl companies.
 The industry dates from 1851, when th' first mill was started In the last twent, years the number of mills has Increased by l52 per cent and their working ca pacity has been proportionately augment ed, the number of looms having increased by ls2 per cent and of spindles by l5 per cent.
 The total production of yarn In th' mills in British India is. so far as re ported, as follows:
 Total.
 Year ending March 3l- production
 Pounds 1eOo 501, ,6S5, 19 1901 342.7 ,54 Enn