The Express.
London, England, 1862-11-10 00:00:00

HIGH WATID.AT LONDON BE/DOE.

Two DeT:llla:iii.7ll,7ssi;:.T.litliiio:.in. loss.
TaitOsiew—Mandas, 4h. 3015......1at010e5. 44. 4.5 c.

LONDON, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10.

Ova Government has lately undertaken to sup- ,
ply information on a subject of the greatest im-
portance to the suffering cotton interest. Lanca-
shire and Cheshire have for some time put been
exceedingly anxious to learn the real condition and
extent of the stocks of cotton in the Southern
States of America. How much cotton exists
there ? How far has cotton-growing and planting
been interfered with by the disorganization of
affairs in the South, and by the food require-
ments of the population, now cut off from their
accustomed supplies in the North t Above all, in
the event of the American ports being opened,
what quantity of cotton would be at once available
for exportation to England and other foreign
countries ? These are questions of the utmost
importance, because they have a direct influence
upon the exertions which are being made to grow
cotton in every part of the world. Were it cer-
tain that there is no available supply in the
Southern States—that cotton has not been
planted, or that, if planted, it has been destroyed
—even the very cotton interest which suffers so
severely from the loss of its staple would instantly
feel relieved, because uncertainty would then be at
an end. Merchants, importers, agents, and growers
would alike have the assurance that they could not be
overwhelmed, nor have their calculations put out of
joint, by the sudden influx of the American crop ;
and the immediate and beneficial effect would be
that a vast impulse would be given to cotton grow-
ing in every suitable region. The prospects for
the future would be as clear as they are now
murky, for the filling of the Liverpool warehouses
would be accomplished in precisely that period of
time which is required by Nature's processes for
Vie planting and gathering of the crop.
Impressed, no doubt, with considerations of this
kind, Government have hastened to throw the light
of their exclusive knowledge upon the matter.
Have they not agents—consuls and others—in
every part of America, both North and South—
agents well placed, and enjoying peculiar opportu-
nities of acquiring solid information? They
have ; and yet the only result of the well-meant
action they have taken has been to confuse the
mercantile world and to make it feel more uncertain
than it did before. For the communications made
under Government sanction are utterly contra-
dictory. On the 28th ult. we published a copy of a
despatch from Mr. R. Brace, the British Consul
at Charleston, addressed to the Foreign-office,
sad which the Foreign-office had immediately
transmitted to the Cotton Supply Association of
Manchester for their especial information. It con-
tained " observations on the cotton crops in the
" Southern States of America during the years
" 1860, 1861, and 1862, together with informs-

" tion as to the stock of cotton now on hand."
• Mr. BUNCH commenced by referring to the pains
he bad taken to collect the information, and en-
dorsed it with the assurance that " it may be de-
" pended upon." His remarks, as contained in
the more important paragraphs, were as follows :
There can be but little doubt th►t the crop of 1862 would,
under ordinary circumstances, have reached 4,500,000 bales ;
bat in consequence of the civil war not more than 1,500,000
have been planted. It is thought by some that the present
crop will not exceed one million bales, bat I have lesson to
believe that the supply from Texas has been under-estimated.
The crop of 1860 was disposed of, and in a considerable
measure exported, before the blockade of the Southern ports
was established ; but it is calculated that 750,000 bales still
remain on hand. The crop of 1861 amounted to about
2,750,000 bales. Of these ►bout one million bales have
been destroyed at various places, to prevent their falling
into the bands of the Federala ; the rest is stored in the in-
terior of the different States. Much of it has been bought
by foreigners, who hope to preserve it as neutral property
through all the dangers of the war. About 50,000 bake
have run the blockade succesefully, chiefly to Nassau.
The summary of Mr. BUNCH'S information was
therefore as under :
The amount, therefore, of cotton remaioiog in the
Southern States at this date, which might be available to
foreign commerce as soon u the blockade is removed, may
be said to stand thus :

Bales.
Remainder of crop of 1860 . 750,000
Undeetroyed crop of 1861
Crop of 1862 (not yet picked)
4,000,000
50,000

Shipped through the blockade

Remaioirig in the South
It mast, of course, be remembered that aportioc, or the
whole, of this accumulation may be destroyed at any mo.
meet by the Souther° people.
The caution impressed by Mr. BuNca in the