The Express.
London, England, 1863-07-04 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, JULY 4, 1863.

Thep had lately seen in the lobby of the house • beautiful
specimen of cotton from Jamaica. Now, there were mem-
bers in the house who possessed estates in the West
Indies but he was not aware that any comma-
nicatione had been made by the government to the officials
in those islands to stimulate them to grow cotton. (Hear.)
Turkey and Italy were both beginning to grow coke% so
was Egypt, end even China had sent some very beautiful
specimens to their relief. Is was most unreasonable to ex-
pect spinners also to become growers of oo.tton, whilst so
much in that way might be done by properly encouraging
colonists. Look at what America was doing. lit) acres of land
were Hued to able bodied animists, whilst we tendered
14 ecru in Australia, not equivalent to the oust of the
passage over. Recently M. Aria Dufour and some
French gentlemen called on him (h. Baxley) respecting
the cultivation of cotton in Algeria, and tendered on the i
part of their government the offer of 60,000 acres of lend in
Algeria to an Anglo-French company to be devoted to the
production of cotton. Had our Indian department ever I
thought of such an offer? However there were military, or
he might uy red-tapery, difficulty io Algiers, and he 'wilds i
friends were obliged to decline the offer of the 60,000 urea.
But what were the French government doing? Draining
and irrigating the land, and preparing it in army way for
cotton. In the meantime our government had done
nothing, whilst the Cotton Supply Association of Manchester
had distributed 300 tons of cotton seed, and had sent gins
to every part of the world where cotton mild be grown.
It wuidletherefore to accuse the trade of apathy in the
matter. They hoped soon to be planters as well as
facturers, and had in Queensland produced 4001 b,. of cotton '
on ten acres of ground. Where in any other part of the
world could they expect such a production? There was •
Natal, also, where there were the best prospects.
It might be said that government could not
interfere with private 'enterprise, but he would ask, was
the rule observed in the case of opium ? In the Southern
States of America cotton could not be grown at lees than
threepence the pound, but in India they would see by the
blue-book excellent cotton could be predated for three-
farthings
• pound. He believed in fact that if the Indian
department bad exhibited proper seal and energy in dere-
' loping the cotton-producing resources of India, Lancashire
' might have been spared the calamity which was crushing to
the earth the most industrious population in the world.
He did not think that any more inquiry was
necessary, but that what they wanted was saloon. Thy
had the way, and all they wanted was the will on the part
of the government He had rewired a letter train Calcutta
dated ',D.,nd April, which in his judgment contained the
whole pith of the question. The writer said that India
could grow cotton enough for the consumption of Ragland,
but that it could not be done without government interfe-
rence ; es, no matter what the feeling might be at head-
quarters, the great difficulty in India lay in dealing with the
subordinates, who persisted in treating all Europeans as in-
terlopers. He would in comic/ion express Lis belief that
with proper measures we might become wholly independent
of America for our supply of cotton, as we could get
ample supplies from other countries.
Mr. SMOLLETT did not see that any practical remit
could follow this motion, as the bon. member could hardly
expect to get a select committee to nit in the dog
days. He doubted the prospect of a supply of
cotton from India, and had in • former debate ex-
pressed his opinion that the opening of the river
Godavery would be of no benefit in the transmission of
the supply. Re would recommend ministers to issue •
commas ion in India before they embarked in a speculation
which would cost a million of money, or organised • new
service, to maintain which would cost 300,0001. a year.
Mr. COBDEN ridiculed the efforts hitherto made by the
Indian government to stimulate the growth of the cotton
plant in our eastern possessions, and which he said were
more like those of • small chandler's shop than of an im-
perial government entrusted with responsible duties. Two
measures had been recommended for encouraging
cotton cultivation in India. One was the settlement
of the land upon • perpetual tenure, and the other the
sale of the waste lands ; but he owned he did not share in
the sanguine hopes which some persona formed with regard
Ito the effects of these measures. He thought, however,
' that an alteration in the system of collection in India might
be introduced with advantage. The hon. member also
observed that at the foot of the Rooky Mountains, in the
western valley of the Mississippi, there was to exhaustless
field for the production of cotton, with a soil and climate
I admirably adapted to the plant, and which only required
the investment of English skill, capital, and enterprise for
its full development.
After • short speech from Mr. FENDER,
Sir C. WOOD said he admitted that it was the duty of
the Indian government to improve the internal communica-
tions of the country, and that duty they had not neglected.
In fact, the communications in India were mute equal to
thou of the United States, while every effort visa being
made still further to improve and extend them.
As to cotton cultivation, it had already been tried
in India, and after a five Teen' experience the ex.
periment had proved • failure. It was true that
in some instances it had been attended with a measure of
success, but, on the whole, it was found that cotton raised
in that country could not compete with that which was
grown in more favoured regions. At the same time there
was no indisposition on the part of the government to
moist private enterprise in the attempt to promote its cul-
ture in India.

Mr. CRAWFORD approved of the °owns which bad
been followed by the government in reference to this

Mr. BRIGHT rid that the greatest possible dial'
satisfaction existed at the manner in which the cotton
supply question wee treated at the India-office. He did not
deny but that unreasonable expectations might be enter-
tained, but still there was a general complaint down in lan-
cadre that deputation were treated by the boo. gentleman
in the most flippant and irritating manner, and that instead
of entering cordially into the propositions submitted, the
right hon. gentleman's tonvereation and manner were
entirely obstructive. So much bed this been the case that
many men of the highest position and influence is lama-
shire had declined to go any more on deputations to the
India-001os. He (Mr. Bright) had told them that
they could not expect Sir Charles Wood to supply
them with • million bales of cotton, but then
that was no reason why something should not be done
for a manufacture which supported such veal numbers of
the people. Deputations might also be sect away dissatis-
fied that they had been speaking to • statesman who was
anxious to do his hest for them. He had now said what he
had to say on this question. He did not believe that any
man could supply them with millioes of bales of cotton,
although it might have been done twenty years ago. He
hoped the right hon. gentleman would forgive him, and if
not he (Mr. Bright) would forgive the right hon. gentleman
if be would only treat the deputations which waited on him
with • little more courtesy and attention.
Mr. T. G. BARING wu unable to detect any tangible pro-
position brought for ward by the boo, member, showing what
the government ought to have dope, that they had neglected.
The Council of India had been meat anxious to do every-
thing in their power, consistently with their duty, to
encourage the increase in the exports of cotton from India ;
they had been in constant communication with the Cotton
Supply Association ; the journal of that society had been
filled with reports supplied from the India-office ; experi-
ments in the production of cotton had been continued, and
very recently • new description—the cotton of Peru—bsd
been introduoed with considerable prospects of success.
But what the Secretary of State had constantly re-
fused to do was to tax the people of India
in order to extend the cultivation of cotton. (Hear, bear.)
With regard to the alterations which his right hon. Mood
had thought it to make in the resolution framed
by the Lovernirent oflndia uto the sale of waste lands,
that matter having been fully discussed upon a motion
which, after the discussion, was withdrawn, be did not think
he was called upon to enter into it now.
Mr. J. B. SMITH observed that the question of the
growth of cotton in India was not merely a question of
price, but also of quality. If India could produce cotton
equal to the American she could get the same price for it,
and that she could produce the some quality had been de-
cided 20 years ago. The other night the Under Secretary
of State for Foreign Affairs unconsciously compared the state
of India and Turkey. He quoted " Neill's Circular" is order
to show that Turkey bad of late years made greater p
thou any other country, end that it would soon be able to
compete with America even in ordinary times. He (Mr.
Smith) much regretted the manner in which the right hon.
gentleman received deputations. He had accompanied four
to the right hon. gentleman, and they had all been
offended. (Hear, beer.) The right hop. gentleman did
not do himself justice, and the molt was that be cut
himself off from • great deal of information that might
be of great ensue to him.
Mr. H. SEYMOUR felt certain that the report of the
committee must lead to a total change in the policy of the
Secretary of State for India. The chief preventive to the
growth of cotton in India was the obstructiveness of the
government.
. _ _

Mr. FERRAND said be could not help saying a few
words on tie change of principle of the freetraders of the
Manchester school. In 1846, when they were hounding on
the late Etir Robert Peel to destroy protection, he (Mr.
Ferraod) warned them that the time would come when
they would go down on their beaded knees and ask for pro-
tection, and now it would seem that the time bad come.
Let him advise them to trust to the law of supple and de-
mand for the future—(laughter)—and not come there
whining for protection. They ought not to desert their
principles without having the honesty to avow that they
had done so.

11r.CAifiD mid he would withdraw the motion. (Cries
of "No.")

THE CASE OF COLONEL CRAWLEY.
Mr. BUTT, pursuant to notice, inquired of the Under
Secretary of State for War whether it ass intended to try
Colonel Crawley, on his arrival in England, by court martial
or by the civil tribunals of the country. The accusation
brought sgaingst him was that he had abused his military
authority, and it amounted in tact to • charge of murder or
manslaughter. He (Mr. Butt) would carefully refrain from
offering any opinion as to the 01160, but be believed
that a constitutional principle of some importance was
involved in it. A court.martial could not take oogoissnoe of
• charge of murder or manslaughter, and the well-known
case of Governor Wall--a similar charge to that brought
against Colonel Crawley, and from which be sincerely
bosond he would clear himself—was tried at the Old
Bailey before • common law judge and • jury.
Assuming the facia stated to be true, the moment Colonel
Crawley put his foot on British soil any one could bring
him before a magintrate for m• slaughter, and he thought
that • verdict by a criminal tribunal of the charge against
him would be mote satisfactory than the decision of any
court-mania