The industrial resources of Ireland / By Robert Kane.

  • Kane, Robert, 1809-1890.
Date:
1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The industrial resources of Ireland / By Robert Kane. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    has always borne, a higher price than cotton spun by steam power. Moreover, if we analyze the power employed in Eng- land in the spinning and weaving factories, we shall have very conclusive evidence on the point. In the estimate of the state of the cotton manufacture in 1833, drawn up by Mr. Baines, and of which the principal items are given in page 64, he con- siders that of the 44,000 horse power employed, there are Steam power, 33,000. Water power, 11,000. But we have much more complete and more accurate num- bers given in the Returns of the Factory Inspectors for 1839, of which the following is a summary. The total mill power in factories subject to inspection in England was 83,264 horse power. Of these there were 62,846 horse power, steam ; 20,418 ,, »» water; coinciding with Mr. Baines’ general view of three-fourths steam; and one-fourth water. In Lancashire, where coals are so cheap, we might suppose that nobody would use water, but we find : Total mill power inspected in Lancashire is 36,446 horse power: Consisting of, Steam, 32,123 horse power. Water, 4,323 ,, a water power. But in order to estimate how far water power much is left unused. Now Ihave endeavoured to calculate, on the beginning of this chapter, the theoretical water power of