forgotten that Hargreaves had introduced into the
commercial world his Jenny, a few years anterior to Arkwright's water
frame becoming so successful. These two machines were more or less in
rivalry, but not perhaps to that extent which many would suppose. From
the very first it was found that the frame of Arkwright's was much more
suitable for warp or twist yarns, _i.e._, the longitudinal threads of a
cloth, whereas Hargreaves' machine was more adapted for the production
of weft yarns, _i.e._, the transverse threads of a cloth. Now it cannot
be too strongly remarked that, at the present time, after the lapse of a
century, the same state of things practically obtain in the improved
machines of to-day; Hargreaves' machine being represented by the system
of intermittent spinning upon the improved self-actor mule, while
Arkwright's water frame is represented by the system of continuous
spinning upon the modern Ring Spinning frame. While weft yarn is now
almost entirely produced on the mule, warp yarns are in many cases now
obtained from the Ring Frames, this latter system at the present time
being greatly on the increase and daily becoming more popular.

The Carding Engine was greatly improved by Arkwright's many useful
improvements, especially that of the Doffer comb, being entirely his
own. The effect of this comb is fully described in the chapter dealing
with manipulation of the cotton by the Carding Engine.

Paul was probably the first, in 1748, to invent the Carding Machine. His
inventions seemed to hang fire until introduced into Lancashire, when
they were adopted by a Mr. Peel, Arkwright and others. The chief
defects, perhaps, of this machine was the absence of proper means for
putting the cotton on the revolving cylinder and having it stripped when
sufficiently carded. Hence the great value of Arkwright's stripping
comb.

Some old Carding Engines which were used at this time are still in
existence, though only used for museum purposes. As will have been
gathered in a former chapter dealing with the manipulation of the cotton
in the mill, between the Carding Engine and the final process of
spinning there are other and important stages of preparation, and in
these it is seen how in one respect Arkwright's method of drawing out
cotton by revolving rollers was immeasurably superior to the travelling
carriage of Hargreaves.

The strength of a rope is represented by its weakest parts, and the same
may be said of yarn.