s of the chief workers in the cotton
industry are federated in the four societies: (1) the Amalgamated
Association of Operative Cotton Spinners (created in 1853 and reformed
in 1870), (2) the Northern Counties Amalgamated Association of Weavers
(founded 1884), (3) the Amalgamated Association of Card and
Blowing-room Operatives (established 1886), and (4) the Amalgamated
Association of Power-loom Overlookers (founded 1884). These were not,
however, the first attempts at federation, and the term "federation"
must not be taken in any strict sense. The distribution of power
between the central authority and the local Societies varies, but in
some cases, for instance among the spinners, the local societies
approximate as closely to the status of mere branches, as to that of
independent units federated for limited objects. We ought also to
mention the societies of warp-dressers and warpers, tape-sizers and
cloth-workers and warehousemen. There is no one federation of all
cotton-workers, but the United Textile Factory Workers has been
periodically called into being to press the matter of factory
legislation, and international textile congresses are occasionally
held by the operatives of different countries.

As to employers, four extensive associations include almost all the
organization among them, two concerned chiefly with spinning and two
with weaving. The former two are the Federation of Master Cotton
Spinners' Associations with local associations and including
21,000,000 spindles, and the Bolton Master Cotton Spinners'
Association with 7,000,000 spindles; the latter two are the North and
North-East Lancashire Spinners' and Manufacturers' Association,
covering about 3,000,000 spindles in addition to a large section of
the looms of Lancashire, and the United Cotton Manufacturers'
Association.[43]

Factory Acts.

Factory legislation began in the cotton industry, and in no industry
is it now more developed. The first acts were those of 1802 and 1819,
both of which applied only to cotton-mills, and the former of which
related only to parish apprentices. The first really important measure
was that of 1833, which curtailed the abuse of child-labour, enforced
some education and provided for factory inspectors, of whom there were
at first only four. The next act of importance, that of 1844, was
chiefly remarkable for its inclusion of all women among