United States, the United Kingdom, India, and Japan. The United Kingdom, though it has approximately 38 per cent of the world's cotton spindles, as compared with 23 per cent in the United States. and 39 per cent in all other countries, spins so much higher counts, on the average, that it uses considerably less than half as much cotton as does the United States. The cotton-growing States in 1918 spun more pounds of cotton than did the New England States, and the latter spun slightly more than did England.1

It is not deemed necessary in this report to include any detailed description of the American cotton industry. Such facts as are pertinent to this study of the import and export trade in cotton yarn are cited in their relevant connection. For a full description of the development of the American cotton industry up to the outbreak of the war, and detailed data as to its location, operations, and products, the "Cotton manufactures" section of the 1914 Census contains the latest official information. The annual Census Bulletins on "Cotton production and distribution" contain yet later information as to amount of machinery used and cotton consumed.

CHAPTER II.

IMPORTS OF COTTON YARN AS SHOWN BY PUBLISHED

STATISTICS.

GENERAL IMPORTS, BY COUNTRIES, 1891-1918.

The United Kingdom has always supplied by far the greater part of such foreign-spun cotton yarns as were required by the American trade. It has more spindles than any other country and excels particularly in the spinning, doubling, and finishing of fine yarns and of yarns for special work. German shipments of cotton yarn, although much smaller than those from the United Kingdom, have at times exceeded a million pounds a year. Switzerland and France have supplied smaller amounts, but imports from countries other than the four mentioned have been negligible.

In the 28 years from 1891 to 1918, inclusive, imports of cotton yarn totaled 138,832,117 pounds, of which the United Kingdom supplied 85.09 per cent, Germany 10.88 per cent, Switzerland 2.59 per cent, France 0.99 per cent, and all other countries 0.45 per cent. The total value of these imports amounted to $79,321,046, of which amount 88.44 per cent was paid to the United Kingdom, 8.04 per cent to Germany, 2.19 per cent to Switzerland, 0.92 per cent to France, and 0.41 per cent to all other countries. It is seen, from the percentages quoted above, that the yarns from the United Kingdom not only predominate in quantity but also rank highest in average value per pound.

Tables 1 and 1a are inserted at the outset to afford a chronological summary of the history of the import trade in cotton yarns. These tables relate to the general, or total landed, imports of cotton yarns for the 28 fiscal years ending June 30, 1918, and they enable one to follow the trend of the imports by countries as well as by total quantities and values. They show that imports of cotton yarns into the United States, though fluctuating, tended to increase during the period from 1891 to 1910, and in the latter year reached their prewar maximum.