The Express.
London, England, 1863-01-16 00:00:00

THE COTTON FAMINE IN PRANCE.

The following details respecting the distressed
state of the cotters manufactures in Franco are from the
official reports in the Moniker :—"One branch of manufac-
ture alone—that which bee cotton for its staple—is in •
state of great suffering. Cotton is everywhere wanting,
sod it is easy to comprehend that Franca, which, after
England, is the country which consumes the largest quantity
of that saw matanal, should deeply feel the effect of the
events of which the United States are the theatre. We
now poems 5,993,165 spindles, sod the calculation is that
the cotton manufacture provides wages to 500,000 opera-
tives. The scarcity of the raw material has raised the price
to an excessive rate, and such manufacturers as entertain •
hope that a solution will put en cod to the differences which
separate the Northern and Southern States of the American
Union hesitate to renew their supplies. Nevertheless the
sufferings caused to the cotton trade do not affect with the
IAO3O severity all the manufacturing districts. In Alsace,
particularly, thanks to the vigorous constitution of the ma-
nufacture, want of employment is scarcely felt. In the de-
partment of the Nord there are not many out of work.
With regard to the Seine-InUrieure things are quite
the reverse ; want of employment, which had been at first
! partial, tends to assume • more general character, said a
' greater number of operatives are without occupatioa. The
Emperor's government has been earnestly pre-occupied with
the general situation of the cotton trade, and the Depart-
ment of Agriculture, Commerce, and Public Works has de-
veloped the great public works where employment was most
needed. But if valuable resources are thus found for able-
bodied men, they are ineffectual for those whose coastitu-
lions CAD with difficulty support such kinds of labour as em-
bankments and earthworks. There are moreover • number
of women and children usually employed in manufactories,
and those in no way can take part in the works undertaken
for the account of the state, the departments, or tbe coin.
manes. With • view to give aid in such great sufferings,
the government has multiplied the assistance which wan at
its disposal. On the other hood an appeal was made to the
generous feelings of the country. and • subscription
opened in favour of the working population of the Seim).
loNrienre, where the sufferings are more severe than in
any other part of the country. It may perhaps be necessary
to do the same in some other of the manufacturing districts.
Under any circumstances there is reason to hope that ail
the means of assistance, converging towards the Immo
point, will allow of the crisis which promos on the cotton
trade to be passed through without deeper suffering."
From another official paper we learn that "the number
of ipersoos of both sexes employed in the different depart-
ments of France in the cotton trade amounts to SROOO,
of whom 250,000 are men, and 265,000 women. The de-
partments which employ the most men are Haut-Rhin,
,0 fisine•lnferieure, 40,000 ; Nord, 26,000; SOODDS;
25,000 ; Orna, 13,000 Aim" 12,000 ; Eire,
11,000 ;
Vines, 11,000; and Loire, 10,000."