Two reports on Bombay and Lancashire cotton spiming have lately been published. One is from the Board of Directors of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, and the other is the minority report of those Directors who found themselves unable to agree with the conclusions stated in the first or official report of the majority. The enquiry on which both documents are founded was undertaken in terms of a resolution which was passed by the Chamber in October, 1887, which were:-—*That in view of the recent very rapid increase of cotton spinning in India, and the exports of yarn therefrom, more especially to China and Japan, while at the same. time there has been a very serious check to the growth of Lancashire yarn exports to those countries, the directors be requested to examine and report to a Special Meeting of the Chamber as to the causes and circumstances which have thus enabled Bombay spinners to supersede those of Lancashire."
After holding twenty-three meetings and examining several witnesses the Committee reported that the geographical position of India gave the mills of that country an advantage of at least $d. a pound on the yarns they sent to China and Japan, and 33d. to 4d. a pound on what is consumed in India itself. This is, the Committee say, an estimate of the net advantage to the Indian spinner over his rivals in England, arising from his proximity to the cotton field on the one hand and to the consuming markets on the other after allowing for his extra outlay for machinery, and consequent higher interest and depreciation, as well as greater expenditure in' such articles as coals and stores. The minority report differs somewhat from these conclusions.
The signatories to it say that the Lancashire spinner is burdened with '54d. per pound on the cust of the cotton imported from Bombay to England, with which he makes his yarns. The' yarns he produces also bear a heavier rate of freight from Liverpool to China than those of the Bombay spinner. The total disadvantage which the Lancashire spinner has to bear are thus stated On 20s, Yarn shipped to China, ing cotton pore Bom-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.