Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 6.djvu/539

C T T N about 300,000 pounds of yarn in the year; that by a return which was made at the date of the report, eighty-seven additional mills had besn erected by the end of the year 1809, which with others soon to be in operation, would, it was estimated, work more than 80,000 spindles at the commencement of 1811. The capital required to carry on the manufacture was believed to be at the rate of sixty dollars per spindle, each producing annually from forty-five pounds of cotton about thirty-six pounds of yarn, of the average worth of one dollar twelve and a half cents per pound. Eight hundred spindles employed forty persons, viz., five men and thirty-five women and children. We learn the farther progress of this manufacture from a report of the House of Representatives, presented in the spring session of 1816. The report states that the quantity of cotton manufactured in the year 1815 was 90,000 bales, a quantity nearly equal to that used in the cotton manufac ture of France; and that the quantity used in 1810 was 10,000 bales; in 1805, 1000 bales; and in 1800, 500 bales; and gives the following statement of the condition of the cotton industry in the United States : Capital employed 40,000,000 dollars. Males employed from the age- of seventeen arid upwards 10, 000 Women and female children 66,000 Boys under seventeen years of age 24,000 Cotton manufactured, 90,000 bales 27,000,000 Ib Cotton cloth of various kinds manufactured 81,000,000 yards. Cost 24, 000, 000 dollars. At the date of this report the duty upon cotton goods imported into the United States was 15 per cent; bub before charging it, 10 per cent, was added to the invoice, and the duty thus raised to ICi per cent. Upon the re commendation of the committee, 10 per cent, more was imposed; and the whole being charged upon 110 for every j100 of net value brought it up to 27|- per cent. Besides this, it was ordered that all cotton goods below 13|d. per yard should be rated at 13|d., and the difference added to the amount of the invoice "before calculating the duty. New tariff Acts were successively passed in 1824, 1828, 1832, and 1854, in each of which the duty upon cotton goods imported was declared to be 25 per cent, ad valorem, the coarser fabrics being rated as in 1816. The manufacture, under this protection against foreign competition, rapidly increased. Power-loom works were erected ; the most approved processes both in spinning and weaving were adopted ; and the business was generally successful. The manufacture is no longer confined to the States of New York and Rhode Island, and the New England States, though in these it has been greatly extended. In other Northern States, such as New Jersey > Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, and Indiana new mills have been erected ; whilst in the Southern States, especially in Alabama, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Mississippi, Virginia, <kc., the manufacture as well as the growth of cotton has become an important industry. The following statement (Table IX.) shows the progress already made : Number of Mills. Number of Spindles. Average size of Yarn. P. j; ? * v a Quantity of Cot ton used. Quantity of Cot- ton used. 1869 North ... South ... 6,538,494 225,063 No. 28 rb. 60-70 138-12 Ib. Bales. Total... 6,763,557 27 1 64-88 1870 North ... ... 6,851,779 9V 50-87 South ... 262,221 121 124-23 ... Total... 7,114,000 28| 52-93 1874 North ... South ... 8,927,754 487,629 28-56 12-5 56-86 122-53 507,790,099 59,793,774 1,094,387 128,526 Total... 9,415,283 27-73 60-29 567,583,873 1,222,913 1875 North ... South ... 694 181 9,057,543 481,821 28-42 12-67 56-25 140-57 509,009,613 67,733,140 1,097,001 145,079 Total... 875 9,539,364 27-60 60-46 576,742,753 1,242,080 Under the influence of protecting duties the prosperity of the American cotton manufacture has continued to TABLE X. Showing the kinds and quantities of Cotton Goods manufactured in the United States From the Financial Review (American.} Xew England States. Miildlc and Western States. Total Southern States. Total Southern States. Total United States. Year ending July 1, 1874. Threads, yarns, and twines lt> 32 000 000 29 000 000 61 000 000 18,000,000 9,000,000 Sheetings, shirtings, and similar plain goods.. yards Twilled and fancy goods, osnaburgs, jeans, &c.yards Print cloths . . yards 520,000,000 204,000,000 481 000 000 90,000,000 80,000,000 107 000 000 610,000,000 284,000,000 588 000 000 97,000,000 22,000,000 707,000,000 306,000,000 588,000,000 Ginghams yards 30 000 000 3 000 000 33 000 000 33,000,000 Ducks ... yards 14 000 000 16 000 000 30 000 000 30,000,000 Bags number 5 000 000 1 000 000 6 000 000 6,000,000 Year ending July 1, 1875. Threads, yarns, and twines Ib 45 000 000 19 000 000 64,000,000 19,000,000 83,000,000 Sheetings, shirtings, and similar plain goods.. yards Twills and fancy goods, osnaburgs, jeans, &c.. yards Print cloths yards 540,000,000 180,000,000 640 000 000 94,000,000 46,000,000 109 000 000 634,000,000 226,000,000 749 000 000 92,000,000 21,000,000 726,000,000 247,000,000 749,000,000 Ginghams virds 30 000 000 5 000 000 35 000 000 35,000,000 IJucks virds 12 000 000 16 000 000 28 000 000 28,000,000 Bags number 8 000 000 2 000 000 10 000 000 10,000,000 increase, until the anticipated condition has at length been reached when the product exceeds the demand for the home consumption. As the surplus could not be disposed of in foreign markets, the manufacturers have had to ex perience similar distress to that which befell the cotton manufacturers of France in the years from 1827 to 1832. Owing, however, to the different circumstances of the two- countries, this state of things in America may be expected to be of a more temporary character. The depression exist ing in the cotton industry since the crisis of 1873, has excited the desire for a wider field for American enterprize,

a successful competition with other countries in the market*