The Press.
London, England, 1857-05-16 00:00:00

THE SUPPLY OF COTTON.

Mn. J. B. Small, M.P., at the weekly meeting of the
Society of Arts, on Wednesday evening, read a paper,
of which the starting•point was the question—How
can increased supplies of cotton be obtained ? The
importance of our cotton manufacture was best
shown by the fact that, besides providing clothing
for our whole population, our exports last year
amounted to 32,284,7001., being one-third of the
value of cur entire exports to foreign countries, and,
unfortunately, our supplies of the raw material were
principally derived from one source. The imports of
cotton into Great Britain last year amounted in
round numbers to 000,000,0001b5., of which
700,000,0001b5. were received from the United
States. But not only were we exposed to the danger
of being limited chiefly to one source of supply, but
to a still greater hazard, viz., that this supply was the
production of slave labour. In the last forty years
the consumption in Great Britain had increased
from 88,000,000 to 891,000,000 lbs. The increase
in the growth of cotton had not for some years past
kept pace with the increased consumpiion, and Mr.
Smith expressed it as his opinion that we had
arrived at the turning-point of the consumption,
having overtaken the production. The possibility of
developing other sources of supply became therefore
an important question.
Mr. SMITH began by speaking of the capabilities
of Western Africa, mentioning some efforts that had
been made by Mr. Thomas Clegg, of Manchester, to
promote the cultivation of cotton by the natives.
After touching upon some other places where the
growth of it hereafter might he extensively carried
on, Mr. Smith went on to speak of India, which he
considered capable of furnishing an unlimited sup-
ply. The imports from that country bad always
been irregular, and to secure a constant demand it
was necessary that she should be able to compete
with America. He was thus led to the inquiry into
the capabilities of India for producing cotton equally
cheap and good with that country. The soil of India
in general was by no means fertile, and the cause of
this sterility was the want of sufficient moisture.
The ruins of great irrigating works still found showed
that formerly the people were impressed with the
importance of irrigation, but lately this had been
entirely neglected. Mr. Smith was of opinion that
we should avail ourselves of the superior engineer.
ing skill of the present age to devise a great syste
matic plan of irrigation, by which the whole country
should be furnished with canals of irrigation, which
might also he used as canals for the cheap convey-
ance of produce. It was estimated that land might
be furnished with a constant supply of water for irriga-
tion by these means, at a cost of 2s. 6d. per acre per
annum, besides providing water conveyance. Another
difficulty was the want of roads and other means of com-
munication. When the railway reached the cotton dis-
trict, which at the past rate of progress might be ex-
pected some ten or fifteen years hence, the transit to a
shipping port, which on an average had hitherto occu-
pied sixty four days, would be accomplished in thirty-
six hours. One of the greatest obstacles to the in-
creased production of cotton in India was the tenure
of land ; for, except in Bengal, no person in India,
native or European, could hold in fee-simple a single
acre. Mr. Smith dwelt at some length on the in-
jurious effect of this system on the enterprise of the
people, exposed es they frequently were to exactions
from corrupt officials, and spoke of the beneficial
effect of a wiser policy in other parts of the world.
The state of the law and the police was another evil;
and it was remarkable how small a number of Bri-
tish subjects voluntarily settled in India ‘‘ho were
not actually in the service of the Company. After

SATURDAY,

replying to some of the attempts that had been made
to defend the existing state of things, Mr. Smith
drew especial attention to the province of Candeish,
one of the richest of India, and containing five
lion acres of land capable of growing cotton, with
great facilities for irrigation. He thought there was
land in this one province alone capable of producing
more cotton than is grown in the United States.
At present only fourteen per cent. of the whole pro.
vince was cultivated, the remaining eighty-six pe•r
cent. lying waste ; and be considered this a favour-
able opportunity for trying the effect of giving a
secure tenure of land in perpetuity, a system which
had resulted in so much prosperity in our colonies
and in the United States.

A discussion ensued, in which Sir Erskine Perry—
who commented on the absence from the melting of
Colonel Sykes, Mr. Mangles, and other members of
that society connected with the Government of India,
who, if they had been present, might have dispelled
Mr. Smith's errors or confirmed his arguments—
Lord Stanley, M.P., Sir John Pakington, M.P., Dr.
Livingston, Messrs. Walker, M.P., J. B. Sharp,
Hyde Clarke, Crawford, Montgomery
.Martin, and
the Chairman took part.

Lord STANLEY remarked that an increase of Id. per
lb. on the price of cotton caused a loss to the peuple
of this country of between 4,000,000/. and 5,000 0001.
sterling, or very little less than the total amount of
the income tax paid before the war. Again, our de-
pendence on America not only remained, but yearly
increased :

In 1801 43 per cent. of our entire consumption was de•
rived from the Urited States ; in 1826 the ratio rose to 72
per cent.; while, according to the last returns, it had now
actually reached 80 per cent. How did this bear upon
slavery ? At the beginning of the century there were
'220,000 slaves in the cotton•gr•owing States of America.
The number was now 2,000,000. t,wo•thirds of whom were
employed in the production of this one article, an enor-
mous proportion of which was shipped to England.
Cotton composed four•fiftha of the whole exports of the
slave States. The stimulus thus given to the system of
slaveholding in America was too obvious to need to bo
stated. Next, as to the remedy. Besides America, they
must chiefly look for their supply of cotton to India at the
present and to Africa in the future. With respect to India
he could indirectly confirm the statement of Sir E. Perry
as to the example of the comparatively small colony of
Ceylon. While he (Lord Stanley) was in that island an
idea got abroad that it was about to he annexed to the
Indian Government ; and he well recollected the alarm—
he might, perhaps, use a stronger word—with which that
idea was entertained by the inhabitants. It was better to
avoid the perplexing Indian land•revenue question. That
source furnished two-thirds of the whole income of the
State ; and it therefore could not be very easily given up
altogether. But, assuming that the land revenue was
continued, it was fair matter for consideration whether it
could not be made a fixed instead of a fluctuating pay.
ment. This would obviate the objection founded on its
operating as a discouragement to improved cultivation.
It was hardly possible to exaggerate the present deficiency
of internal communication in India. Where the nature of
the country rendeted it practicable canals would be the
best means of supplying this want, as far as regarded the
transport of cotton, inasmuch as they would serve the
double purpose of conveyance and irrigation. Railways,
while they would answer only one of these ends, were
better adapted for passenger traffic and light goods than
for heavy commodities. Where, however, it was de•
sirable to introduce railways in India the American plan
would be more suitable than the English. That was to
say, they should be of rough construction, little cyst, and
low speed ; and when the first returns of the original line
enabled them to do so, they might lay down a more perfect
scheme.

Sir J. PAKINGTON remarked that the direct pe-
cuniary interests of England pointed untnistakeably
to a better fulfilment on her part of the grave re-
sponsibility she had undertaken in connection with
the Government of India.

Mr. CRAWFORD held that Mr. Smith had over-
rated the capabilities of India for the growth of
cotton. The more populous parts of the country
did not grow enough of the article for their own
consumption, and to import it in considerable
quantities. Pegu, however, might perhaps be mado
to afford us a portion of our supply.

Mr. MONTGOMERY MARTIN briefly replied to the
last speaker, and maintained that until the pei plo
were allowed to obtain the fee simple of the lanti in
India, British capital and skill would never be in-
roduced into that country.

A BEAUTIFUL DESIGN for the memorial window
for the late Duke of Rutland, to be placed in the
Vernon chapel of Bakewell Church, has been sub-
mitted to the committee. It is intended to fill the
middle of the three windows with stained glass, the
subjects being entirely scriptural, and on the others,
north and south of the central window, to introduce
armorial bearings and heraldic ornamentation appm•
priate to the object of the windows. Nearly 1401.
have already been received by the committee, but we
believe about 601. more will be needed before the
design can be fully carried out.

MAY 16, 1857.

jortign and golanial intelligence.

FRANCE.

THE Moniteur of Thursday contains an Irnperiai
decree, dated Fontainebleau, 12th, extending the
session of the Legislative Corps, which was to have
closed this day, to the 28th inst. inclusive.
The Grand Duke Constantine will take leave of
the Emperor and Empress on Sunday, and proceed
on a tour to Cherbourg.
The Prince Napoleon is expected at Paris from
Berlin by the 17th, to meet the King of Bavaria.
The Prince left Berlin on Thursday, on his return to
Paris, via Dresden and Munich. The King of
Bavaria is already en route for Paris from Marseilles.
The departure of the Audacieuse frigate, with the
French envoy, Baron Gros, to China, is fixed by the
Moniteur de la Flotte for the 15th of this month.
A copy of the treaty of commerce between France
and Russia, arranged by the Count de Morny at
St. Petersburg, has arrived in Paris, and has been
presented to the Emperor by Count Walewski.
When it has been examined and approved in Paris
it will be sent back to St. Petersburg to be con-
verted into a definitive treaty.

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