The Express.
London, England, 1847-08-04 00:00:00

Calcutta to this country in the third, and the value in
rupees in the fourth column :
6. el. Rupp..
191746
16.10.21 ...... 8 81
1825-25 .... 7
1620.38
10.31-56 II 10 &trots 142,243 „ ..—. 4200,478
1440-41 0 " 1,294 „ ii,oti
At Bombay, whence our chief supply of Indian
cotton is now received, we observe the same irre-
gularities, and at corresponding periods ; but the re-
turns in the earlier years give only the value in
rupEels.
Value.
1618-19
192'-21
1827-26
1327-30
1435-36
1536-39
It is evident that so irregular a trade can never form a
sufficient inducement to the cultivator, either to extend
his cultivation or to improve its produce, for before
he could have effected, either a change in prices
would diminish the demand and he would remain de-
pendent as hitherto only on the village money-leader.
Though all produce must necessarily be subject to
fluctuation in prices, India cotton for tho English
market has, in addition to other disadvantages, to
labour under that of having the demand for it, as well
as its price, dependent entirely upon that of America.
The Chamber of Commerce at Bombay, in a letter
dated Jan. 21, 1841, addressed to the government of
that presidency explain sonic of the anomalies and
difficulties of the trade. Thus for instance they state I
" that the European merchants here are either agents
for or constituent branches of other firms at home,
their transactions with which often influence the
orders they transact here ;" and that "the execution
of these orders is alway s limited to time ;"
hence they are " wholly dependent on the
cotton to be found at Bombay at the time, whatever
its quality." The price of cotton,moreover, is beyond
their control, "depending in some degree on the state
of the China or on that of the Liverpool market. This
latter is regulated by causes so wholly independent
of the quality of the Bombay cotton sent home, that
in some years (as in 18341-7) inferior Bombay cotton
brought Bd. to 10d. per lb., whereas last year (1840)
very fine cotton only brought 4)d. to sd. The price
of the Bombay cotton in Liverpool is generally regu-
lated by the price of the American cotton : and this
last depends not only an the greater or less amount
of the supply, but on the state of the money market
in Great Britain and America, and the banking
operations of the two couutries " All these points we
have seen exemplified in the last few years. Thus,
while American cottonof middling quality was selling
at Liverpool for 31c1., the dirty Indian cotton did not
bring more than 21d. to 3d. Large quantities, more-
over, could not be exported from Bombay without
lass, as it was actually selling there for 21d. to 211.,
and the dearest at 31c1. a pound.
Such a state of the trade is neither satisfactory
to the producer, nor beneficial to the consumer, and
it is time to inquire whether it is susceptible of any
permanent improvement. The Bombay Chamber of
Commerce, in their before quoted letter, state that the
great impediment to the extension and improvement
of the cotton trade in India-is, " the state of hopeless
pecuniary bondage in which the ryots are kept from
one geaeration to another to the Wakarias and vil-
lage Banyans," " to whom most of the frauds stated
in paragraphs 3 and 4 are to be attributed." As
examples of these, it is stated cotton is "exposed to the
dew for the sake of increasing its weight, and that
masses of seeds, of old kuppaa of wetted cotton, and
even of dirt and steno, are introduced into the centre
of the bales by the same parties, with the same fraudu-
lent design." We may add that in some districts the
mixing of inferior with superior cottons is practised
by a process technically calledflogginti. The Bombay
merchants further state, that ' till the baneful in-
fluence of these men is supplanted," " or the cultivator
brought within the immediate and certain reach of
the European merchants, all other measures, it is
feared, will fail." And again in paragraph 55—" la
several of the foregoing observations the com-
mittee have dwelt upon the necessity of the
supercession of the Wakaria system by. the esta-
blishment in the cotton districts of a superior class of
settlers or agents, for the growth, or at least the pur-
chase, of cotton. With the employment of all other
modes of encouragement, this the committee consider
to be, after all, the great, almost the only, eventually
effectual remedy for the numerous causes, whether
arising from poverty, from ignorance, from negligence,
or from fraud, which at present obstruct the improve-
men t of the cotton." • I
In their concluding paragraph (73) they further
say: "To the point, then, of cleaning and freeing
from seed should attention be at once chiefly directed.
The quality of the Bombay cotton is well known as
regards staple, and it is en article that may be largely
consumed in Great Britain. With its cultivation,
&c., the natives are already well acquainted, so that
a better mode of picking and gathering, and cleaning
and freeing it from seed, and greater care and atten-
tion in the performance of these processes, are what
is now required to give it the improvement of which
it is undeniably susceptible,—an improvement which
will, as it is shown, increase its value to, and con-
sumption by, English manufacturers."
As the ryots of India do produce large quantities of
I very fair cotton, and would do to much greater extent,
and of improved quality and cleanness, at a very small
advance to them of price, the most important measure
would seem to be the bringing the English merchant,
and if possible the English manufacturer, into closer
contact with the Indian cultivator. Improved means
of cleaning and of packing the cotton are next in
importance, though improved cultivation of Indian
and of American cottons should not be lost sight of.'
A moderate land-tax rent, with leases for periods of
years, and good roads to the coasts or navigable
rivers, are also essential to insure the permanence
of extended and improved culture. These points we
shall consider on a future occasion.

The Paris journals and correspondence of Monday
have brought fresh assuranoes of an abundant and
magnificent harvest throughout France. There is no
exception or qualification in these favourable reports,
coming from all directions, as to the quantity and
quality of the yield. The oldest farmers have no
recollection of anything like it. The weight of
the ears of barley and wheat surpasses anything
within their memory. The potato crop, for which
fears had been entertained, offers the most healthy
appearance, and the beet is equally promising.
The oats are splendid. The beans are the only
crop which seems to have suffered from drought.
In fine, there is every present reason for hoping that
the harvest of 1847 will fully compensate for the defi-
ciency of that of last season. The prices of wheat in
the markets continue steadily to fall, but being regu-
lated by the results of the last fortnight, and not by
the promises of the present, they have not come down
as low or as rapidly as some would have expected.
The average prose of wheat per hectolitre in May was
39 73.100 E, while its average in July was 29 94-100 f.,
being a fall of nearly 10f. on 40f., or 25 per cent.
The English elections are attracting much atten-
tion in Paris, and the defeat of Mr. Macaulay, in
Edinburgh, and of Mr. Roebuck, at Bath, the former
especially, has canted much surprise.
Another prosecution for corruption seems likely to
be promoted by the government The National having
published a statement, that an offer had been made
by a person professing to have influence with the
government to obtain a railway ecaoseeion en the con-
dition of receiving 450 shares of 1,000 francs each, the
Procureur du Rom has summoned the editor to appear
before the proper authorities, and to produce his
proofs of the charge which he has made. The Na.
tional, in reply, has published the notarial minute,
duly registered, of the transaction.
M. Testa continues to suffer under a severe malady
which will probably render indispensable his removal
to • Maison de Sante.

The Madrid journals and correspondence of the
28th have been received. We give below the letter
of our own correspondent.
The Phare de Pyrensis, in a letter from Saragossa,
says that " the arrest at that place of a Carlist agent,
who is said to have had numerous relations in the
country, had created some sensation. It was said
that the authorities had also discovered a considerable
depot of arms."
It was generally believed in Madrid that the loan
of 100 millions would not be negotiated. Money
continued to be scarce, although the market was
less tight than it had been for the last three weeks.
It was said on the 28th that the house of Agnirrengos
was to send to Madrid 360,0001. in specie, and that
thirty millions of reale were expected from MM.
Rothschild.
El Heraldo says that ministers have decided at
Oranja on several important measures, and that