| Coloured |1,351,976,700|1,430,537,600|17,922,454|18,925,985| | Total of Mixed | | | | | | Materials, Cotton | | | | | | predominating | 367,700| 94,200| 11,536| 4,483| | +-------------+-------------+----------+----------+ | Total |4,850,210,500|4,904,109,200|50,171,672|51,743,314| +-----------------------+-------------+-------------+----------+----------+ In 1886, according to the estimate of Messrs. Ellison, of Liverpool, the number of spinning spindles in various parts of the world was as follows:-- Great Britain 42,700,000 Continent 22,900,000 United States 13,350,000 East Indies 2,100,000 ---------- 81,050,000 In a recent estimate published by Messrs. Worral & Co., of Oldham, the spindles and looms engaged on cotton in Lancashire and its borders are given as 40,946,709 spindles, and 582,504 looms. This does not include other parts of the kingdom, nor a number of looms just now starting; therefore we may without erring take the number of cotton looms in the kingdom at about 615,000. In India there are 18,536 power looms. The number of persons employed is: Males 196,378 Females 307,691 ------- 504,069 of which 465,654 are in England and Wales, 37,167 in Scotland, and 1248 in Ireland. COTTON DISTRICTS. Taking into consideration the various districts of Lancashire, Blackburn is the most northern of those which take an important part in the industry, and this town also takes the lead in Lancashire, if not in the whole world, with regard to its importance as an exclusively cotton manufacturing town. The class of goods made are of a plain character, principally shirting, mulls, and jacconetts, while a large number of looms are engaged on dhooties, grey and coloured, which goods were introduced from Glasgow. A large quantity of dobby dhooties are manufactured in this district--this class of cloth, of comparatively recent origin, having been first made in Blackburn. The local spinning industries are now very important, most of the spindles being run by those who are also manufacturers. Darwen weaving trade is of a similar character, and there is a fair trade in yarn by several sale-spinning mills. The neighbouring towns of Preston and Chorley have a connection with goods of a distinctly finer and more “fancy” character, such as leno, velveteen, damasks, embroidery, and brocades, while the plain trade, including the well-known home trade shirting, is important. Here also the spinning trade is comparatively small, the yarns spun being 40/80’s T and 40/90’s W.