[ 347 3

CLASS XI.

REPORT ON COTTON MANUFACTURES.

[The figures after the Names (between parentheses) refer to the Exhibitors' Numbers and to the Pages in theOfficial Descriptive and Illustrated Catalogue.]

Jury.

Sir James Anderson, Lord Provost of Glasgow, Chairman , Glasgow ; Cotton Manufacturer.Philipp Ellissen, Deputy Chairman, Frankfort-on-the-Maine ; Merchant.

Thomas Ashton, Reporter , Hyde, near Manchester ; Cotton Spinner.

C. Busciiek, Austria ; Vice-President of the Austrian Committee.

Col. K. E. Coxe, United States ; Planter.

W. Gray, Mayor of Bolton, AVheatfield, Bolton: Cotton Spinner.

George Jackson, Corporation Koad, Carlisle ; Cotton Spinner.

Paul Kihchiiofer, Switzerland .

Aug. Mimekel, France ; President of General Council of Manufactures.

J. Astinal Turner, Manchester ; Cotton Spinner.

Associates.

TnoMAs Coath, 7 Bread Street, Cheapside; I.inen and Manchester Merchant.

Bobekt Johnson, 95 "Watling Street, City; Warehouseman .

John Pittman, 11 Bow Lane, Cheapside; Merchant.

Cotton Yarn.

The July appointed to examine cotton yarn and plainand coloured woven cotton cloths, have to report on yarn,that the specimens from England, Scotland, Switzerland ,the Zollverein, France, and Austria , which they haveconsidered it necessary to notice, are those manufacturedby machinery. In the numbers of usual production anduse (say from 6$. to 250$.), they have found it impossibleto do more than report upon the general character of thespecimens from the various countries, any superiorityappearing to arise, not from greater skill in working, orsuperior mechanical appliances, hut from the characterof the cotton used.

Cheapness is the only other quality for which theycould have made special mention; but they have found itimpossible to arrive at any satisfactory results on thispoint, and have hence deemed it advisable to award nomedals.

The yarns exhibited from England and Scotland arechiefly of second qualities, suitable for use in the trade,which supplies clothing to so large a portion of the work-ing population of all parts of the world.

Swiss yarns, exhibited by eleven different spinners, areof very beautiful quality, and are adapted to the pro-duction of those cloths in which softness of texture andbeauty of dye are required; great attention has beensuccessfully paid to the selection and preparation of thecotton.

The specimens from France possess similar qualities,whilst those of the Zollverein are of various kinds; butare not in sufficient quantity to illustrate fully’, the tradeof the countries in that union.

In fine yams, Messrs. T. Hocldswortii and Co., ofManchester (p. 482) ; Messrs. Gardner and Bazley,of Manchester (p. 279); and M. Mallet, of the firm ofVantroyen and Mallet, of Lille, in France (p. 1213),have each exhibited yarn of No. 600s.; in the first andlast instances made into net and muslin, and in thesecond instance made into 9-cord sewing thread, believedto be the finest ever yet produced. Messrs. T. Houlds-worth and Co. also exhibit small specimens of variousdegrees of fineness to 2150s., and Messrs. Gardner andBazley to 2070s.; but it does not appear that they areproduced in sufficient quantity to be of any utility.

Various specimens of yarns of hand-production are ex-

hibited from India —(curious on account of the shortnessof the fibre of the cotton, and the fineness of the yarnproduced), from Malta , and from Turkey. All these: yarns have that peculiar excellence of softness and plia-bility never yet attained by machinery, but are veryuneven and irregular in thickness.

Dyed Yarns.

In dyed yarns, with the exception of the Turkey redshown by Leumann Brothers, Mattwiel, Switzerland ,(p. 1274), the specimens exhibited by Great Britain, theZollverein, Switzerland, Belgium, and Austria , do notmerit especial mention; good Turkey red and other fancycolours being produced in each country.

Thread, &c.

In thread there are few specimens exhibited fromforeign countries.

Calicos, See.

In plain calicos the specimens of English manufactureshow how successful the efforts to produce good articlesof general utility have been. The colour and finish ofthe bleached goods are very superior.

It is, however, unfortunate that the manufacture, whichforms a very large portion of both our export and hometrade, should have been so imperfectly represented, thatmany of its most important varieties are entirely wantingin the Exhibition.

From the United States there is a good selection ofdrillings, grey sheetings, and jeans of excellent quality;and from Belgium and France a few specimens only 'ofplain grey and white calicos, made, however, of cottonunusually fine for the purpose.

Specimens of white calico, prepared according to thepatent of Mercer (p. 556), of Accrington, Lancashire ,are exhibited, possessing the increased thickness resultingfrom this process ; but as this invention is more import-ant in dyed or printed goods, the Jury connected withthat Class will report fully upon it. This Jury would,however, add, that, as far as the specimens enable themto judge, it promises to be a most valuable discovery when! applied to bleached cotton cloth.

The Jury regret that no specimens of cords and beaver-teens were exhibited, or of the very important article ofgrey velvets or velveteens.