The following results as to the state of the American cotton manufacture in 1831 have been deduced from the Report of a Committee of Congress in 1832: In 12 states they had, mills If the 33,506 looms were employed, and the whole 1,305,051 lbs. of yarn manufactured, each loom must have consumed at an average 39 lbs. weekly, showing that the goods manufactured were of a very heavy description. It also appears from statements made by the same committee, that The amount paid for wages in the year was 10,294,444 dollars, or 2,144,7807., being 42,8957. per week; averaging 14s. 11d. for each person employed. They state that the consumption of flour in their manufacture was 1,641,253 lbs., or 8,374 barrels (196 lbs. each), averaging weekly 31,562 lbs., or nearly 1 lb. for each loom. Note. By the new American tariff, plain calicoes, &c. imported, not exceeding in value Is. 3d. the square yard, to pay 31d. per yard duty. Printed or coloured calicoes, &c., not exceeding 1s. 5d. the square yard, to pay 44d. per yard duty. Cotton yarn, unbleached and uncoloured, not exceeding in value 2s. 6d. per lb. to pay 7id. per lb. duty. If bleached or coloured, not exceeding 3s. 14d. per lb. to pay 91d. per lb. duty. Little as we have to fear from American, we have still less to fear from Swiss or Austrian competition. America has some advantage over England in the greater cheapness of the raw material; but Switzerland and Austria, situated almost in the very centre of Europe, can only draw their supplies of raw cotton by a distant land carriage by way of Marseilles, Genoa, and Trieste; or by a lengthened navigation up the Rhine or the Elbe; and we have the best authority for affirming, that a bale of cotton may be conveyed at a less expense from Charleston to Manchester, than from Genoa or Trieste, Amsterdam or Hamburgh, to Switzerland or Austria, Switzerland is altogether destitute of coal; all that she does is done by water power, and that is already pretty well exhausted. It is not, however, to be wondered at that the Swiss and Austrians should have succeeded in supplying their own markets, and some of those immediately contiguous, with certain species of yarn; but it seems to us quite visionary to suppose that they will ever do much more than this. It was stated before the committee of 1833, that the French cotton manufacture had increased, between 1812 and 1826, in the ratio of 310 per cent., while in England its increase was only 270 per cent. This statement is, we believe, accurate as far as it goes; and yet it is eminently calculated, although, no doubt, without being so intended, to mislead. In 1812, and for some years previously, it was hardly possible to import cotton wool into France, and its price was quite excessive. When, therefore, the manufacturers got wool after the return of peace at an ordinary price, it was impossible, seeing that foreign cottons are excluded from France, but that the manufacture should increase with extraordinary rapidity, until the home demand was pretty well supplied. An advance of this sort is assuredly no proof of the capacity of France to prosecute the manufacture with advantage, or to export cottons without the aid of a bounty. Had the manufacture gone on increasing in the above, or even in a very inferior ratio, down to the present time, the circumstance might have justly excited attention; but such has not been the case; on the contrary, it has been nearly stationary from 1822 down to the present time. In proof of this, we beg to refer to the following account, published by the merchants of Havre, of the imports of cotton into France, the deliveries from the warehouses, and the stocks on hand, in each year from 1822: It is supposed by some, that the competition we have to fear from the Continent does not consist so much in the spinning as in the weaving of cottons; and that the probability is, that our exports of yarn will increase, and our exports of manufactured goods diminish. We do not, however, imagine there is much in this. Our power looms are superior to those of any other country: and it is unhappily true, that the wages of handloom weavers here are sunk below the general level of Europe. There is not, in fact, with the exception of * For an account of the circumstances which have occasioned this depression, we beg to refer the reader to an article on manufactures, commerce, &c. in the 117th No. of the Edinburgh Review. Some of the above statements are taken from that article. 67 VOL. 1-2 Y the dyes, a single particular connected with the cotton manufacture in which we have not a manifest superiority over the Swiss, Austrians, French, Prussians, and every Continental nation. Certainly, however, we are inferior to some of them in the brilliancy and durability of their dyes; and this circumstance occasioned a considerable demand for German and Swiss printed cottons in many parts of the East, where vivid colours are held in the highest estimation. But even there, the greater cheapness of our goods is proving an overmatch for the greater brilliancy of those of our rivals. On the whole, therefore, we see no reason to think that the British cotton manufacture has reached, much less passed, its zenith. At the same time, however, it can hardly be necessary to observe, considering the vast importance of the trade, that while, on the one hand, nothing should be left undone that may serve to widen its foundations, and to promote its prosperity, on the other, nothing should be attempted that may, by possibility, have an opposite effect. The subsistence of 1,400,000 people is not to be endangered on slight grounds. The abuses even of such a business must be cautiously dealt with, lest, in eradicating them, we shake or disorder the whole fabric. We admit, however, that the case of children employed in the cotton factories is one of those that call fairly for legislative regulation. But it may be questioned whether the plan for having relays of children is the best that might be devised. The general opinion seems to be, that it will, in most instances, be impossible to carry it into effect. The whole subject, as to the limitation of hours, is confessedly one of great difficulty; and it would perhaps be better, before taking any very decisive steps in the matter, to try the effect of the system of inspection, and of the publication of the inspectors' reports as to the condition of the children employed. 5. STATUTORY REGULATIONS AS TO THE EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN IN FACTORIES. No statutory restrictions respecting the employment of children in the mills and factories of the United Kingdom existed until the year 1802, when an act of parliament was passed (42 Geo. 3.) for the preservation of the health and morals of apprentices and others employed in cotton and other factories, and directing the local magistrates to report whether the factories were conducted according to law, and to adopt such sanitary regulations as they might think fit. This act was followed, in 1816, by an act, generally called Sir Robert Peel's Act, imposing various regulations on the employment of children in cotton mills. Both of these acts were repealed in 1831, by an act 1 & 2 Will. 4. c. 39., commonly called Sir John Hobhouse's Act, which provided, that in cotton factories, to which alone it related, no child could legally be employed till it had attained the age of 9 years; and that no person under 18 years of age could be suffered to remain in the factories more than 12 hours in one day; and that on Saturdays they should only be employed in the factories for 9 hours. Sir John Hobhouse's Act was repealed in 1833, by the act act 3 & 4 Will. 4. c. 103., which contains the following provisions, comprehending the whole statutory regulations at present applicable to cotton and other factories in the United Kingdom : 1. That after the 1st of January, 1831, no person under 18 years of age shall be allowed to work in the night, that is, between past 8 P. M. and past 5 A. M., in any cotton or other factory in which steam or water, or any other mechanical power, is or shall be used to propel the machinery, excepting in lace factories. 2. That no person under 18 shall be employed more than 12 hours in one day, nor more than 69 hours in one week. 3. That there shall be allowed, in the course of every day, not less than 1 hour for meals to every person restricted to the performance of 12 hours' work. 4. That after the 1st of January, 1834, no child, except in silk mills, shall be employed, who shall not be 9 years old. 5. That after the 1st of March, 1831, no child, except in silk mills, shall be employed in any factory more than 48 hours in any one week, nor more than 9 hours in any day, who shall not be 11 years old; nor after the 1st of March, 1835, who shall not be 12 years old; nor after the 1st of March, 1836, who shall not be 13 years old; and that these hours of work shall not be exceeded, even if the child has worked during the day in more factories than one. 6. That children and young persons, whose hours of work are regulated, shall be entitled to 2 holidays and 8 half holidays in every year. 7. That children, whose hours of work are restricted to 9 hours a day, are not to be employed without obtaining a certificate from a physician or surgeon, certifying that they are of the ordinary strength and appearance of children of the age before mentioned, which certificate is to be countersigned by some inspector or justice, 8. That it shall be lawful for his Majesty to appoint, during pleasure, 4 persons to be inspectors of factories, with extensive powers as magistrates, to examine the children employed in the factories, and to inquire respecting their condition, employment, and education; and that one of the secretaries of state shall have power, on the application of an inspector, to appoint superintendents to superIntend the execution of the act. 9. That those inspectors are to make all rules necessary for the execution of the act, and to enforce the attendance at school, for at least 2 hours daily out of 6 days in the week, of children employed in factories, from whose weekly wages a deduction, not exceeding I penny in every shilling, for schooling shall be made. 10. That no child shall be employed, who shall not, on Monday of every week, give to the factory master a certificate of his or her attendance at school for the previous week. 11. That the interior walls of every mill shall be whitewashed every year. 12. That a copy or abstract of the act shall be hung up in a conspicuous part of every mill. 13. That the inspectors shall regularly, once a year, report their proceedings to one of the secretaries of state. The act also contains regulations extending the hours of work where time shall be lost by the want of, or an excess of, water, in mills situated upon a stream of water; respecting the steps to be taken in order to obtain regular certificates of age for the children requiring them; respecting the erection of schools, where necessary; and respecting the proceedings to be had before inspectors and magistrates for enforcing the act, and the right to appeal from their decisions. [The following tables, relating to the cultivation, manufacture, and foreign trade of cotton, were communicated to Congress by the Secretary of the Treasury, in the session of 1835-36. The Secretary of the Treasury states that he has "not been able to find any official returns, of either the general or the state governments, which give the crops of cotton in each state;" and that "the present table has therefore been compiled from the best data in his power." "The prices, given for the United States, are those at the places of exportation, and are the average during the year, and including all kinds of cotton: but the sea-island cotton is worth usually two hundred and fifty per cent, more than the other kinds; and formerly the difference was still greater, when the amount grown elsewhere was not so large.” |