327
the trade, this was performed by muscular power—a man usinga wooden mallet or beetle in each hand. But now the process isperformed much better on the beetling machine, driven by a wa-ter-wheel or steam-engine. Several pieces of the cloth are wrap-ped round a horizontal cylinder; upon which, as it revolves onits axis, and longitudinally backwards and forwards, twelve ormore beetles, at proper distances from each other, are alternate-ly and rapidly raised, and let fall for half an hour or longer onthe cloth, which by this means is much improved in look, hav-ing acquired a fine silky appearance.
After the goods are folded, they are subjected to pressure,more or less, according to circumstances. The presses most inuse, are those with an iron screw, wrought by levers. Severalof Bramah’s aquatic presses have lately been introduced for thispurpose, and given much satisfaction ; but their number in Scot-land does not exceed 10 or 12.
On the whole, the cotton trade, which may be said not tohave existed above 40 years, has now become the greatest andmost extensive of any in Scotland , annually producing about sixmillions Sterling, and employing in all its branches 150,000 per-sons, young and old. This, however, is not equal to what it maybe expected this branch of industry will reach, at no very dis-tant period.
Notes omitted in Section on Cotton ,
Imports of Cotton Wool into Clyde alone, at different pe-riods, viz.
In 1775
508 bags, &c. 137,160
lib.
1790
- 6,509
— 1,757,504
«.
1810
- 38,614
— 9,962,359
1811
- 42,749
— 11,002,723
••
1812
- 43,080
— 11,114,640
-
Imports of Cotton Wool
into Liverpool, at
different
riods, viz.
Bags, &c.
Bags, See .
In 1791 -
68,404
In 1802 -
135,192
1792 -
72,364
1803 -
140,291
1793 -
24,971
1804 -
153,126
1794 -
38,022
1805 -
177,508
1795 -
54,841
1806 -
173,074
1796 -
63,526
1807 -
196,467
1797 -
58,258
1808 -
66,215
1798 -
66,934
1809 -
267,283
1799 -
89,784
1810 -
320,594
1800 -
92,580
1811 -
174,132
1801' -
98,752
1812 -
171,551