Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XI.djvu/102

 MANCHESTER two reservoirs at Denton, and thence 4 m. to Manchester. The works are capable of fur- nishing 40,000,000 gallons daily, and their cost was about 1,050,000. Manchester is the cen- tre of a great system of canals, and has rail- way communication with nearly all parts of England. The Liverpool and Manchester line was the first railway on which was attempted the practical application of steam power for the transportation of passengers. The borough of Manchester, comprising besides the city itself the townships of Charlton-upon-Medlock, Hulme, Ardwick, and Chetham, with the ex- tra-parochial district of Beswick (total pop. in 1871, 379,374), was incorporated by royal char- ter in October, 1838. The management of its local affairs is intrusted to a town council of 64 members, styled respectively mayor, alder- men, and councillors, who appoint from their body committees for the transaction of public business, who report their proceedings for ap- proval at the general meeting of the council. This council have introduced many valuable improvements, notable among which are the water works ; it is anticipated that when these are fully completed, the sale of water for the purposes of trade will be sufficient to defray the entire expense, leaving free that required for domestic purposes. The gas works are also under control of the council, and notwith- standing the price of gas has been frequent- ly reduced, there is a profit of about 35,000 a year, which is expended in improving and widening the streets. In 1846 the town coun- cil purchased from Sir Oswald Mosley his ma- norial rights for 200,000, of which 195,000 was left on mortgage at an interest of 3| per cent. ; the income from this property now amounts to 16,000 a year. The borough for- merly returned two members to parliament, but by the reform act of 1867 the number was raised to three. The borough of Salford, con- stituted by the reform act of 1832, returns two members to parliament. It is governed by a mayor, 8 aldermen, and 24 councillors. Man- chester has from a very remote period been con- nected with industry and trade ; but its present great importance is specially due to the mag- nitude of its cotton manufactures, the great- est in the world. It is mentioned as having maintained a trade with the Greeks of Massilia (Marseilles^. In 1552 an act was passed for the better manufacture of "Manchester cottons;" and in 1650 its manufactures ranked among the first in extent and importance, and its peo- ple were described as " the most industrious in the northern parts of the kingdom." The in- adequate supply of cotton goods about the middle of the last century stimulated efforts for increasing the means of production; and the machines successively invented by Leigh, Baches, Arkwright, llargreaves, and others, Ini'l their efficiency vastly increased by the steam engine of Watt. The value of the ex- ports of the cotton industry in 1780 was 355,- 060; it rose in 1781 to 1,101,457, and in 1856 it had reached upward of 38,000,000. The imports of raw cotton in 1751 were to the amount of 2,976,610 Ibs. ; in 1780, upward of 6,700,000; in 1800, 56,000,000; and in 1860, 1,115,890,608. In 1857 an advance in the price of American cotton caused the formation in Manchester of the cotton supply association, to procure the staple from other countries. After the outbreak of the civil war in the Uni- ted States, Manchester suffered severely from the cotton famine, and in 1862 more than one third of the operatives were thrown out of employment. At the close of the war there was a renewal of activity, though the import of United States cotton in 1870 was but little more than half the supply from the same source in 1860. Sole reliance, however, is not now placed on the American supply. During the war the machinery of many of the mills was altered to adapt it to the fibre from India and Egypt, and these mills still continue to use to a large extent the cotton from those countries. Connected with the cotton manufacture are many important and extensive branches of in- dustry, such as bleaching, printing, and dyeing works, manufactures of the various materials employed in those processes, and particularly the great establishments for the construction of steam engines and machinery. It is also the chief market in the world for cotton yarn or thread, the supply of which passes through the hands of numerous resident foreign merchants, who export it to their respective countries, giving to Manchester in this respect a char- acter quite unique among inland cities. The manufacture of silk and silk goods, and of mixed cotton and silk fabrics, is also largely carried on. The following table, furnished by the inspector of factories, presents the statis' tics of the manufacturing industry in 1871 : MANUFACTURES. No. of works. Steam powwr. Total No. of persons employed. Textile fabrics and clothing: Cotton factories Worsted " Ill 13 16,564 671 20,346 2538 Silk " 11 185 I'QSO Bleaching and dyeing works. . . Warehouses 26 80 769 1 218 2,281 1 236 Calendering and finishing works Millinery, mantle, stay, corset, and dress making Tailors and clothiers Miscellaneous 161 846 218 417 1,528 772 5,490 8.334 1,914 M76 Total 1 383 21 789 43595 Metal manufactures : Manufacture of machinery Miscellaneous 88 282 2,750 8,981 Total Leather manufactures 74 118 677 Chemical works : Glass making 13 1 348 Miscellaneous Total Manufactures connected with food 40 882 604