<P> The use of water power to drive mills was supplemented by steam driven water pumps, and then superseded completely by the steam engines . For example, Samuel Greg joined his uncle's firm of textile merchants, and, on taking over the company in 1782, he sought out a site to establish a mill . Quarry Bank Mill was built on the River Bollin at Styal in Cheshire . It was initially powered by a water wheel, but installed steam engines in 1810 . In 1830, the average power of a mill engine was 48 hp, but Quarry Bank mill installed a new 100 hp water wheel . This was to change in 1836, when Horrocks & Nuttall, Preston took delivery of 160 hp double engine . William Fairbairn addressed the problem of line - shafting and was responsible for improving the efficiency of the mill . In 1815 he replaced the wooden turning shafts that drove the machines at 50rpm, to wrought iron shafting working at 250 rpm, these were a third of the weight of the previous ones and absorbed less power . The mill operated until 1959 . </P> <P> In 1830, using an 1822 patent, Richard Roberts manufactured the first loom with a cast - iron frame, the Roberts Loom . In 1842 James Bullough and William Kenworthy, made the Lancashire Loom . It is a semiautomatic power loom . Although it is self - acting, it has to be stopped to recharge empty shuttles . It was the mainstay of the Lancashire cotton industry for a century, when the Northrop Loom invented in 1894 with an automatic weft replenishment function gained ascendancy . </P> <Table> Number of Looms in UK <Tr> <Td> Year </Td> <Td> 1803 </Td> <Td> 1820 </Td> <Td> 1829 </Td> <Td> 1833 </Td> <Td> 1857 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Looms </Td> <Td> 2,400 </Td> <Td> 14,650 </Td> <Td> 55,500 </Td> <Td> 100,000 </Td> <Td> 250,000 </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> Year </Td> <Td> 1803 </Td> <Td> 1820 </Td> <Td> 1829 </Td> <Td> 1833 </Td> <Td> 1857 </Td> </Tr>

Why were there so many new inventions in the textile industry