under and more solid
thread than the water frame, or flyer-throstle, as it has been called in
its improved form.

Image: FIG. 30.--Ring spinning frame.

During the last thirty years, a revolution practically in cotton
spinning has been gradually brought about, and even to-day active
developments are to be seen. The continuous system of spinning, which
for a time had to take a second place, now appears to be again forging
ahead, and looks as though it would supersede its more ponderous rival.
Especially in countries outside England is this the case, for it is
found that the method of ring spinning preponderates, and even in
England the number of spindles devoted to continuous spinning is
constantly increasing.

This change has chiefly been brought about by what may be termed a
revolution in the winding and twisting mechanism of the continuous
spinning machine itself.

Arkwright's flyer and spindle, after improvement by subsequent
inventors, could not be revolved at anything like the speed of the
spindle of the mule, and, in addition to this, the yarn had to be wound
always upon the bobbin, very much after the style of the bobbin and fly
frames previously described.

Experiments, however, were repeatedly made in the direction of
dispensing with the flyer altogether, and some thirty years ago these
unique spinning frames had attained very general adoption in the United
States of America, where the comparative dearth of skilled mule spinners
had furnished an impetus to improvement of the simple machine of
Arkwright.

About this time, the attention of certain English makers being directed
to the success of the new spinning frames in America, led to their
introduction into England. But little time elapsed before they received
a fair amount of adoption, but for many years they had a restricted use,
viz., for doubling, that is, the twisting of two or more spun threads
together, to form a stronger finished thread.

In this way, they were, strictly speaking, rivals of the throstle
doubling frame more than the spinning mule.

By and by, however, the time came when the new frames began to be
adopted as spinning machines, and to-day there are many English and
foreign mills containing nothing else in spinning machines on the
continuous system except these. In not a few mills in different
countries, both types are found running.

A careful glance at the picture of this rival of the mule, will help in
the following descrip