America 16,500,000 bales of 500 pounds
India 5,000,000 " " 500 "
Egypt 1,300,000 " " 500 "
Russia 1,300,000 " " 500 "
China 4,000,000 " " 500 "
Others 1,300,000 " " 500 "
-----------
Total 29,400,000 " " 500 "

The American crop is thus approximately fifty-six per cent. of the
world's total. The other producing countries have shown since the
beginning of the century an interesting, if not a remarkable growth, that
of China being the largest in quantity, and that of Russia, the largest
in proportion. The American increase has been larger, absolutely, than
that of any other region, and there is little indication that it will not
continue to hold first position.

English Spinners
Dominate World Market

In the manufacture of cotton, Great Britain's supremacy, while not so
great proportionately as that of America in growing it, is for the
present not likely to be challenged. The following table of the number of
spindles in the chief manufacturing countries is based on English figures
compiled shortly before the outbreak of the World War. The number of
spindles is the usual basis upon which the size of the industry is
judged. It is not a perfect method, but it has fewer objections than any
other:

Great Britain 55,576,108
United States 30,579,000
Germany 10,920,426
Russia 8,950,000
France 7,400,000
India 6,400,000
Austria 4,864,453
Italy 4,580,000
Latin America 3,100,000
Japan 2,250,000
Spain 2,200,000
Belgium 1,468,838
Switzerland 1,398,062
Scattering 2,499,421
-----------
Total Spindles 142,186,308

Such figures can be only approximate. The war has brought growth in the
United States and in Japan, but has certainly reduced the numbers of
spindles in Germany, Austria, and Russia. It is doubtful, moreover, how
well the French industry has been able to maintain itself. But the
tabulation is accurate enough to show the relative standing of the
various countries. There are, as has been indicated, other standards than
the number of spindles. The United States, through the fact that it
specializes, generally speaking, on the c