86
by spinning it into inferior yarns. It is also in many cases, forthis latter purpose, sent out of Lancashire .
But in another respect also did raw material lose its position.More and more were articles taken up in which the cost of produc-tion out-balanced the element of raw material by the amounts forlabour and capital. This development was aided by the climaticadvantages to which we have drawn attention. Whilst the degreeof moisture contained in the atmosphere comes less into accountwith coarse counts, it is an important advantage with fine num-bers. England has thereby gained a monopoly in fine spinning(4), whilst home spinning in the lower grades was developed onevery side, partly with protective duties, as in Europe andAmerica, partly without, by reason of certain natural advantages,as in India and China, The quantities of raw cotton used perspindle at the beginning of the “eighties” were (5): —
The English spindle used yearly 34'5 lb. (1885) and34’2 (1891-2).
The difference in favour of England is of far greater extent thanis to be assumed from the foregoing figures, because the English spindle produces a greater quantity of yarn in a given time thanmost of its competitors. Since, according to the above statistics,it can be concluded that England spins yarns twice as fine asGermany, so, for the reason given, the average English countsmust in reality be more than double those of the German (6).The average English counts may at the present time he taken asrather above than below 40’s, whilst the Indian spinner—the
4. Protokolle of the “ Reichsenquete,” p. 5.
5. According to Ellison and Andrew p. 8. The figures for 1891-2 arefrom Merttens’ Paper read before the Manchester Statistical Society, April18th, 1894. An interesting trait of international division of labour, is thatagainst a generally increased consumption of cotton on the Continent perspindle, the spinning of fine counts in England increases.
6. According to the “Reichsenquete ” for the Cotton and Linen Industry,Germany could not compete with England in counts above 36’s, whilst lowerEuglish uumbers did not come on the market in South Germany.
The Indian spindle used yearly,, American spindle used yearly ..
(1885)111 lb.74-5 lb.61-2 „88 lb.
(1891-2)118 lb.79 „
97 „
86 „
55 ’5 lb.
Of the latter
Drench
Swiss