| [pending revision] | [pending revision] |
Content deleted Content added
ClemRutter (talk | contribs) →Bibliography: + Guest |
ClemRutter (talk | contribs) →History: New section |
||
Line 16:
At the time cotton production could not keep up with demand, and Hargreaves spent some time considering how to improve the process. The [[flying shuttle]] had increased yarn demand by the weavers by doubling their productivity, and now the spinning jenny could supply that demand by increasing the spinners' productivity even more. The machine produced coarse yarn.
=== The politics of cotton ===
In the seventeenth century, England was famous for its woollen and worsted cloth. That industry centred in the east and south in towns such as Norwich jealously protected their product. Cotton processing was tiny: in 1701 only {{convert|1,985,868|lb|kg}} of cotton-wool was imported into England, and by 1730 this had fallen to {{convert|1,545,472|lb|kg}}. This was due to commercial legislation to protect the woollen industry.<ref name=E296>{{Harvnb||p=296}}</ref> Cheap calico prints, imported by the East India Company from "Hindustan", had become popular. In 1700 an [[Act 11 William III|Act of Parliament]] was passed to prevent the importation of dyed or printed calicoes from India, China or Persia. This caused grey cloth ( Calico that hadn't be finished - dyed or printed) to be imported, and these were printed in Southern England with the popular patterns. Also, Lancashire businessmen produced grey cloth with linen warp and cotton weft, which they sent to London to be finished.{{Harvnb||p=276}} Cotton-wool import recovered and by 1720 were almost back to their 1701 levels. Again the woollen manufacturers, in true protectionist style claimed that this was taking away jobs from workers in Coventry.{{Harvnb||p=276}}. Another [[7 George 3 cap 7|law]] was passed, to fine anyone caught wearing any printed or stained calico; muslins, neckcloths and fustians were exempted. It was this exemption that the Lancashire Manufactures exploited.
The use of coloured cotton weft, with linen warp was permitted in 1736 Manchester Act. There now was a artificial demand for woven cloth. In 1764, {{convert|3,870,392|lb|kg}} of cotton-wool was imported.
==Success==
| |||