On a Moderate calculation the Invention has given employment for many years to thousands of Machine makers and Spinners, and perhaps to 50,000 Weavers and in the agregate reconing from the raw material not less than 300,000 Men, Women & Children, its extencive use has caused the increased growth and import of cotton to an immence extent to the great advantage of landowners, merchants, and planters. In short it has been the cause of our cotton Manufactories being envied by, and unrivaled in the world. After appealing thus openly to the public which I now for the first time find myself disposed to do, and the present state of trade being such as to discourage any appeal or application to individuals I am desirous to prefer my claims to parliment which has been liberall on other occasions and which no doubt will give them due consideration, having the sanction of the principal people concerned in the trade who are proper whitnesses and judges of my right thereto. I therefore solicit such gentlemen who approve of my Intention and who think me entitled to a compensation to sign their names to this paper and they will have the gratefull acknowledgment of their Humble Serv^t SAML. CROMPTON. BOLTON, _22nd April 1811_. CERTIFICATE PRESENTED TO THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER IN 1812, SIGNED BY COMMERCIAL FIRMS AND MANUFACTURERS:--[494] [Footnote 494: Brown, _The Basis of Mr. Samuel Crompton’s Claims_, pp. 32-33.] We, the undersigned, being interested in the cotton manufacture, certify that we are perfectly satisfied with the correctness of the memorials prefixed, and are convinced of Mr. Samuel Crompton’s just claim to public remuneration for the originality, utility, and extent of his improvement in cotton-spinning. John Pilkington Thomas Ridgway and Sons Thomas Ainsworth and Co. Peter Ainsworth and Son Samuel Oldknow M‘Connel and Kennedy Phillips and Lee Greg and Ewart Henry and John Barton and Co. Arthur Clegg William Douglas and Co. William Jones Nathaniel Gould H. and W. Fielden Richard Birley Peter Marsland James Robinson A. and Geo. Murray Birley and Hornby James Kennedy James Bateman Robert Peel, Jun. Peel, Yates and Co. J. T. and G. Touchet and Co. Thos. and John Drinkwater The New Lanark Company James and John M’Hewham Henry Houldsworth James Dunlop R. Thompson and Sons William Yates William Fox John Simpson Horrocks and Co. John Gladstone John Forster Ewart, Rutson and Co. George Case Thomas Earle William Roscoe James Finlay and Co. William Stirling and Sons Todd, Shorbridge and Co. William and John Orr _For the Linwood Company_, Andrew Brown. [Illustration: Reduced Facsimile of Crompton’s Handwriting (see p. 168)] PETITION PRESENTED TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, 5th March 1812.