At this juncture, the questions at issue were considered by the above-mentioned Committee of the House, and in the evidence the assertions of the first petition were repeated, with additions. Referring to the stock hand-cards which had been in use before the patent machines were introduced, it was claimed that they not only performed better work, but that they found more employment, as it required nine persons working by hand to do as much as one with a patent machine. From the evidence, it appears that by 1780, although the larger jennies were still regarded with disfavour, the jennies containing twenty-four spindles had come into favour, and were set against the patent machines to show that they were not required, particularly as there were many looms unemployed, and as people were generally out of work in winter. Possibly the reason for the partiality shown to the smaller jennies was contained in the assertion that they were in the hands of the poor. As regards remuneration, it was stated that sixteen years before, a woman with a single spindle could earn 10d. to 15d. a day, but then only 3d. to 5d.; those on jennies of twenty-four spindles could earn 8s. to 9s. a week, but then, only 4s. to 6s. As may be expected, this evidence was not accepted without question by witnesses on the other side, although some of it was not altogether controverted. It has to be recognised that the first effect of the introduction of the new spinning machinery was not to improve the position of the spinners so much as that of the weavers, and just as one side stressed the case of the spinners, the other stressed the case of the weavers. It was, therefore, admitted that the earnings of spinners had varied of late years, and that in the preceding year a spinner with a single spindle could earn only about 3d. or 4d. a day, but it was claimed that by working on the jenny, at the time the evidence was given, 2s. to 2s. 6d. a day could be earned. Further, the argument of the opposing witnesses that the Poor Rates had increased was admitted, but this increase, it was asserted, was due to various causes unconnected with machinery. More positively, it was stated that during the preceding ten years the cotton manufacture had doubled, that the number of looms had trebled, that the wages of weavers had increased, and that if more looms existed they could be employed.[294] Owing to the introduction of the patent machines by which cotton warps could be produced at a lower price, a calico manufacture had been established and the manufacture of quiltings improved, and without the machines it would be impossible to meet the demand for these warps. The complaint regarding quality was altogether repudiated; on the contrary, the opposite was strongly affirmed, and a great expansion was anticipated, as the patent cotton warp had been found to answer as well as linen warp for many goods other than those for which it was then used.