natives the art of weaving, and the culture of flax. The Saxons afterwards introduced several kinds of fabrics for domestic purposes, among which are said to have been knotted counterpanes with network borders, for bed-covers, petticoats, pantalets, &c. In the early part of the fourteenth century (1327) Nicholas Grattan, Ned O'Neal, Brien Gallagher, and Jack R. Newbury introduced the manufacture of broad cloth, which manufacture was afterwards protected and encouraged by king Edward 3d, and this fabric has ever since been a staple article of export.

These inventions and discoveries, together with the improvements in calico printing, the discharging of colours, (particularly of Turkey red, for Bandannas) the application of steam, as a moving power, in weaving plain cloth, and innumerable other mechanical inventions, which it would be tedious even to name; these have, within the last fifty years raised the cotton manufacture to a state of perfection, which has no parallel in the history of the arts.

It will be remembered by the reader, that Mr. Kersivenus, in his letter of 23d April, 1843, (given at page 34,) promised us some further information relative to the subjects there spoken about: and after some unavoidable delay, this gentleman has at length written another letter to us, of which the following is a correct translation. No doubt his document will be interesting to many weavers and manufacturers in this country.

Dear Friend:

Alexandria, 17th Sept. 1843.

Your letters of 9th July and 15th August came to hand, and their contents I have just been considering with the greatest attention.

I am happy to hear in the first place, of the safe arrival at the City of New York, of the letter which I had the pleasure of writing you on the 23d of April last. I regret exceedingly not having been able to give you more correct information, on the subject to which you most particularly refer; but this delay has been altogether occasioned by the negligence of Messrs. Lepsius and Taylor, in not answering my letters to them, of 24th April.

For the last fortnight my life has been a burthen to me, as I have been suffering from a sore disease, which quack doctors generally call delirium tremens. I subjected myself to homeopathic treatment, however, about ten days ago, and am now so far recovered as to be able to keep the children in order, although I cannot yet undertake any professional duties.

On examining various letters and other documents, received by this morning's mail, I was extremely delighted to see a communication in the handwriting of our old friend Lepsius, enclosing, also, another from Mr. Taylor. These documents, although certainly not so satisfactory as I could wish, contain, nevertheless, various observations relative to Arphaxad's inventions, which may, to some extent, answer your enquiries; and I shall now submit to you the substance of what they state as briefly as possible.

Figure No. 5, in the drawings, puzzles both the Doctor and Mr. T., and they frankly confess, that they neither know what kind of a character she is, nor yet the object for which she is represented at all. Mr. T., however, suggests from the implements which she carries, that she is a person perfectly skilled in the arts of spinning and figured weaving. Figure No. 8, is a portrait of the prince of weavers, no less than E. K. Arphaxad himself; but this, I think, you might have seen yourself, without any explanation. The fragments of machinery, and other articles scattered over the drawing, according to Lepsius, originally constituted part of the interior mechanism of the engine; but have been thrown into their present state of confusion by a dreadful explosion of the principal air cistern, killing, instantaneously, two beautiful ladies, who were mere spectators, come to the factory, for the purpose of examining some new patterns of shawls, lace, and quilting stuffs, for their wedding dresses. It is somewhat singular that this frightful catastrophe should have happened on a Sunday; which circumstance is another proof of the bad effects of working on that day.

You will perceive in the drawing, the wreck of many valuable contrivances used by weavers. Among those may be traced part of Lemuel P. Arybas' nipper or jaw temple, Arphaxad's tappet wheel, fork and grid stop-thread motion, measuring rollers for regulating the giving out of yarn from warp beams by means of endless screws, &c., lace and embroidering machinery of various kinds, cams and cam-wheels, with a variety of spinning apparatus, which, to all appearance, judging from the figures, is at least equal to the best spinning machinery of the present day.

From these remains it would seem that Arphaxad's loom was ca pable of producing various textures at one and the same operation. Indeed, Lepsius informs me that Arphaxad constructed a machine for Gengis-Khan, adapted to weave 30 pieces of cloth at once, these pieces varying in width from 25 to 74 inches, and forming the most beautiful textures and patterns imaginable; surpassing in splendour of appearance even the most gorgeous tail of the peacock, and dis

playing a greater variety of colouring than that proud bird can boast of. This machine, although containing so many webs, and working so many shuttles (averaging 30 shuttles to each of the 30 webs, or 900 in all) appears to have cost only 1 shekel of silver per diem for the necessary driving power. The proprietor, therefore, must have realized a handsome profit while the engine was in successful operation, in as much as it turned off 1200 yards daily, of perfect goods, with the assistance of a mere child to superintend it. The average price at which the cloth was sold per yard, taking one web with another, was about 751.; and the cost of the raw material was not over 30 per cent of that sum, the cloth being extremely light, owing to the astonishing fineness of the thread used. The original cost of the machine, however, formed an important item, as it was not less than 140,000l. of your money. Lepsius is unable to say whether this enterprise turned out a good speculation for Gengis-Khan, or not, as he cannot ascertain how long the loom was in operation before it blew up.

From these facts we may take it for granted, that the fragments shown in the drawing did actually form part of the mechanism of the engine represented, previous to the explosion of the air cistern; the spinning machinery, no doubt, being employed in furnishing the different warps and wefts as required. Whether the thread used was of gold or silver, neither the Doctor or Mr. Taylor is able to say; but, in my opinion, gold was the material used, to which the necessary endless variety of shades had been previously given by some highly ingenious chemical process. Had the thread not been of gold, the textures could not have been so expensive.

The specimen of cloth in possession of his Highness, and of which I spoke to you in a former letter, although 5,331 years old, yet it is beautiful beyond conception—as fresh and perfect as if finished yesterday. This specimen contains 130 shades of colour, and is of pure gold. I shall forward you in a few days 11 inches of it, which I have procured from his Highness at an expense of 90 shekels of gold. The pieces of glass cloth which you had the kindness to send me, are not to be compared to it in richness of colouring and design.

Regarding the spinning engine of Wallotty Trot, the Doctor thinks it did not differ materially from that demolished by the explosion, part of which is shown at No. 9.: but whether Trot used rollers, as at No. 10., or flyers, as at No. 11., neither Lepsius nor Taylor can decide.

Since writing the above, my son has found another paper, among

those brought this morning, from Doctor Lepsius, who has elicited some further ideas relative to the figures 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7. He says they are mechanical or automaton musicians which were stationed, generally, at the entrance of the manufactory, for the purpose of serenading ladies and gentlemen who came to purchase the splendid productions of Arphaxad's looms.* These figures serenaded all good customers, also, when leaving the factory; but in no case would they play a single note to such as were shabby in purchasing. Each figure was possessed of the necessary mechanism, in its interior, according to its office in the band. The playing of a tune, commonly averaged from 35 to 45 minutes; and there were 140 tunes, in all, "to the round." Each automaton was furnished with a suitable key, by means of which it wound up itself when run down.

In regard to stopping the engine on the breaking or failure of a weft thread, no difficulty could have been experienced; because the fork and grid stop thread motion, (a fragment of which you will perceive in the drawing,) would accomplish that object effectually. Besides, there are evident traces of other valuable contrivances for the same purpose: but whether these were ESSENTIAL to the perfect working of this extraordinary loom, or not, is at this moment a mystery beyond my power to solve.

His Highness is delighted with the working of your power looms; he has lately caused them to be set up in his turban factory, and they are now in successful operation. He requests me to convey to you the expression of his sincere regard, in the shape of a beautiful and which I have shipped this day on board the Royal Tar. I herewith enclose the invoice.

I have just learned that our respected friend, Amasis Osirtasen, is no more, having departed this life yesterday (Sunday) while in the act of

*

*

Hoping the above information will prove satisfactory, I remain, with permission from his Highness, Your most obedient servant, ALEXIS KERSIVENUS,

Civil Engineer, Homeopathic Physician, &c.

!

* The history of Alexander the Great affords frequent traces of the use of cloth interwoven with gold in Persia. Garments of such cloth were among the most splendid spoils of Persepolis, (Diod. Sic. L. xvii. 70. p. 214. Wessel.) Demetrius Poliorcetes wore purple garments with borders of gold, (Plutarch, Demet. 41.)

SECTION FIRST.

PLAIN WEAVING.

WINDING OR SPOOLING.

THE common custom of spinners is, to reel the yarn into hanks, or skeins of a given length, and in this state, to deliver it for the purpose of being made into cloth.

This process does not come within the compass of the present section; although the arts of spinning and weaving, which form the two great divisions of labour in manufacturing cloth from the raw material, are so intimately blended, that hardly any thing analogous to the one art, is entirely foreign to the other. At present it will be sufficient to consider yarn in the hank

state.

The first process in linen and cotton yarn, is boiling in the hank. The fibres of the former, being long and tenacious, require only to be freed from impurities by means of boiling water, and soap or potash. To the latter a certain proportion of flour is added, to increase its firmness. When these operations have been performed, and the yarn has been thoroughly dried, it is wound upon bobbins, commonly called spools. This is done, generally for hand looms, by means of the common bobbin wheel, and swifts or runners, which are so well known that we think it unnecessary to give drawings of them.

WARPING.

The warping mill forms a circle, or rather a polygon inscribed within a circle, and the yarn is wound around it in the form of a spiral or screw, by which means a very great length may be produced in a small compass. Warping mills, for hand looms, are constructed of different heights and circumferences, according to the particular species of goods for which they are designed, or the