the spinning of yarn in Great Britain in 1832, as stated in Burn's "Commercial Glance," was 277,260,490 lbs., and of this quantity 27,327,120 lbs. was consumed in Scotland, leaving for the consumption of England 249,933,370 lbs.*

The net loss of cotton in spinning is estimated variously by different individuals, In the calculations of Mr. Kennedy, made use of by him in a paper published in the "Transactions of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society," it is taken at 1 oz. per lb.; whilst Montgomery, in his "Theory and Practice of Cotton Spinning," computes it at 1 oz., and Burn at 1 oz.; but as the amount taken by Mr. Kennedy is that which appears to be generally considered correct, it `is adopted in these calculations.

If, then, from the quantity of cotton given above we deduct 1 oz. per lb., or 23,431,253 lbs., we shall have the total weight of yarn produced 226,502,117 lbs.

The average number of hanks in each pound of yarn is considered, by apparently a majority of persons conversant with the subject, to be 40. Montgomery takes the aver age counts spun in Great Britain at 50s., which, taking into account the finer average numbers spun in Scotland than in England, would fix the counts nearly as above stated.

The returns made to the Lancashire forms of inquiry, as given in the previous tables, show an average of finer counts than 40s.; but as the returns were better made from the fine mills than from the coarse, and from Manchester, where the finer yarn is spun, than from the country, it is evident that lower numbers ought to be taken than those shown in the returns; and as the general opinion appears to be in favour of 40s, this average is adopted.

Three mills, in different situations, and of average capabilities,† made a return of the quantity produced by them in the month ending the 4th May, 1833; and as the average counts of the whole were 39.98 hanks to the lb., and as they also give the number of hands employed in spinning during that month, and the duration of their labour, they furnished data from which may be easily calculated the total number employed in factories in England in preparing and spinning cotton.

I refer to general opinion at Liverpool and Manchester for the authority due to Burn's "Commercial Glance."

It is perhaps hardly necessary to point out, after what I have said in my preface to these tables, that this calculation depends very much upon the three mills being of "average capabilities."-J. W. C.

117

In the mill of the first, 344 persons in the spinning department, working 276 hours, produced

18,000 lbs. of 30s. to 32s.
18,000 lbs. of 38s. to 42s.
2,400 lbs. of 150s. to 170s.

In the second mill, 245 hands, working 270 hours, produced

1,795 lbs. of 12s.

4,285 lbs. of 22s. 33,838 lbs. of 40s.

And in the third, 110 hands, working 286 hours, produced

16,700 lbs. of 40s.

The average counts of the three being, as before stated, 39,98, and the produce 95,018 lbs.

The total number of hours worked will, therefore be 344 x 276 +245 × 270 + 110 X 286=192,554; and the produce of 95,018 each person per hour =49,346lbs. 192,554

The usual estimate of 300 working days per annum of 11 hours each, or 69 hours per week, would give .49,346 × 11.5 × 300— 1,702,437 lbs., the produce of each person 226,502,117

per annum, and = 133,045 the 1,702,437 number of persons employed in the preparation and spinning of cotton in England.

On an examination of Supplement (Z.) it will be seen that in the 67,819 persons, of whom returns were made to the Commission, there were 43,401 engaged in preparing and spinning cotton, 23,920 in the weaving department, and 1,498 as engineers, mechanics, roller-coverers, &c.

If, then, the same proportions are taken as existing in the total number of cottonworkers which are found in the returns made to the Lancashire forms of inquiry, the number of persons engaged in the manufacture of cotton cloth in factories will be 75,055, and of those employed as engineers, &c., 4,700; making with the 133,045 in the spinning department a general total of 212,800 persons engaged in cotton factories.

Which total number of 212,800 persons may be divided and distributed, by adopting the proportions given in the returns made to the Lancashire forms of inquiry, so as to show the probable number of persons employed in each of the eight branches or departments of cotton-working, and the aggregate amount of their net earnings per month.

In the 24,665 boys under fourteen, working in cotton factories,

119

In the 19,038 girls under fourteen, working in cotton factories,

5 years of age, and under 6

87

292

822

6

7

8

7

8

293

And in like manner the net earnings of the total number of children under fourteen years of age, consisting of 24,665 boys and 19,038 girls, and amounting to 35,4721. 9s. 3d. per month, will be 443,405l. 15s. 7 d. per annum.

Upon this calculation there exists a check in the returns made by the masters of the net earnings of children under fourteen, and a summary of which will be found in Supplement C., from which it will appear that their average net earnings in the month ending 4th May, 1833, were 46 35 pence per week, which being considered as the earnings of an average week,* will give an amount per anaum of 438,8871. 78. 6d.

By" average week" is meant one of a month

£16,091 14 6

The total net earning per annum of the whole estimated number of 2 2,800 persons will be 5,777,434l. 14s. Id.

And since the proprie ors of the mills in cluded in the three lists previously given, employing 67,819 hands, as shown in Supplement Z., employ also 183 persons in the counting-houses and 1,147 in the warehouses (within the mills), adopting these proportions, there will be employed, with reference to the total number of 212,800 persons engaged in factories, an additional number of 574 clerks and 3,599 warehouse hands.

SAM. STANWAY.

which contains an average n mber of holidays, and one which therefore has not to be taken into ac count as containing six days out of 303 working days, but one fifty-second part of a year.

A child, on being asked at the Sunday schools, personally, by the Commissioners and their clerks, the amount of its earnings per week, replied, doub less, for a full we k, and this has therefore to be calculated as six three-hundredths of the year; -whilst the returns of the masters embrace a period of the year which contains a proportion of the holidays (as near as can be im gined an average por tion), and is to be taken as one week of the fitty. two, or as six three hundred and twelfths of the year.

Dear Sir,-In No. 556 of the Mechanies' Magazine, o. has given a new method of applying he differential principle to cranes, which is certain y an improve. ment on the old plan. But as it is in general easier to get two casts ff one wheel, than to get two wheels the one with a tooth more than the other has, . . ought rather to have made a difference in the diameters of his barrels, and then, if the top pulley-frame had been hung by a sling, the ropes would always have kept in plane, passing through the middle of the grooves of the pulleys. In all the differential cranes that I know any thing at all about, the very great length of the

.

barrel or barrels, and the immensity of chain required, form great objections; these objections are obviated, and one or two advantages besides are obtained in the following plan, the most material parts of which I have hd in my "mind's eye" for some time now.

My first idea was to have a pitched chain, worked by pitched pulleys, and let its ends hang loose and fold imo a box under the pulleys; but this would require as long a chain as any of the other ways, unless I had thought of some method (with the one pulley under the other) similar to .'s, and then I could have connected the ends of the chain.