The Express.
London, England, 1850-06-14 00:00:00

MANUFACTURING DISTRICTS.

CULTIVATION OF COTION IN AFRICA.

KANCHESTBII, Juni 13.
The Manchester Chaster el Contesters* mete occu-
pied this morning in giving aniline to Mr. Jobs Bergthoil
of Natal, in order that he might explain to them his views to
reference to that portion of Africa as a settee growing
country. Mr. Bergtheil bad samples of 47 balsa et Natal
sotto., of his own growiag, at the chamber, to exhibit to the
members in illustration of his statements. Thee was a large
and extremely interesting meeting of the chamber. THOMAS
Banns, Req.. the president of the chamber, took the chair.
The CHAIRMAN said the directors of the Chamber kad
felt exoseningly gratified at rereiving from Mr. Iletrrheil an
intimation that be should be glad to communicate to them
intelligence very acceptable to the manufacturing eirmsinn•
sky respecting the eudivaties of cotton in Natal. He wee
very much ob.iged to Mr. Besitheil in bringing before the
chamber samples; of so many bales of ezcelleat cotton m
were now on the table. Mr. Brown, a brokee fa Itaaeltse-
lers and •PM Jed& el Now,salne‘absimaielnine
from 14d. down to 7d.
H.
lb., the greater proportion
being worth 9d. per lb. He (the chairman) could nits Cm
his own experience as &spinner, that this cotton had a teas-
city rarely equalled, and its spinning qualities were truly ex
Mimi. In the cultivation of an article like potion in • new
country, greatditlicalties bad to be encountered ; but the di-
rectors of the chamber were not without hops that success
would attend the laudable efforts exerted by a great number
of individuals to estabish the cottoa cultivation in Natal.
We stied grow more cotton in Natal than ins
whole world now eocsumed, if labour and all
the other requisites could be obtained. They
wished to we America supply us as before; but
tb y wished to see established a number of independent
sources of cotton in addition. We were in • very precarious
position at this moment; it we were blessed with • good
harvest in America, we might have a fair prdsr ct of busi-
ads in our own sentry ; but if the prospects of the cotton
crop were blighted, then our own were blighted els°. It
therefore behoved gentlemen resident in so impel tent a
community as Manchest• r was the centre of, to
gin esoostragemeat to the effort making for the
cultivation of cotton in various parts of the
world. They should look not only to Natal, but
to other parrs of Africa, and also to the Heat Indies. If
eye could Wain cotton from Natal—if s, • could °built
commercial returns—we should, of e•-•nrse, have • new mar-
ket opened for the sale of the products of our manufac-
tures. He bad one autiteation to make to Mr. Berg-
(hail. The 47 bales of cotton (of which samples were now
before the chamber) were advertised to be sold in London
shortly. He submitted that it would be desirable that the
sale should be transferred to Manchester. lie thought the
feet of this request coming from such en influential meeting
as the resent, would be an ample apology to the public
for the al oration.

Mr. BERGIHEIL here announced that he should be
most happy to comply with the requeit.
The CHAIRMAN now called upon Mr. Bergtheil to ad-
dries the meeting'.
Mr. BERGTHEIL aid it was now rather more than two
years sing* be had the pleasure of addressing a few remarks
to the chamber on the cultivation of cotton is Natal, when
he first arrived from that colony in Erglead. He bed at
that time rated his belief that the climate sad soil of Natal
wen reti-ed to the growth of cotton, and also that labour
could be had. He therefore felt it incumbent upon him to
ezplsia why this importation of cotton was the first that had
arrived from Natal since that time. When he left the co-
lony, in 1847, there were from 120 to 150 Dutch families
located there, and a number of storekeeper, who supplied
the colony with food. When he saw that there wen no
reps token to encourage emigration from Great Britain to
Natal, he took out 30 German families with him, hoping
shortly to bring into the market such a quantity of cotton
as would serve to Ivor out his rate:Beata. When be re.
turned to Natal in 1849, however, to his great astonish-
ment and grief, he found all theta Ditch settlers had
disappeared. This, it would be remembered, was owing to
their diseatisfactioa with the acts of the British government
as easerced by Sir Harry Smith. All the food and other
anessaries required by the new settlen, therefore, had to be
brought from Cape Colony. Consequently the wnole of
1849 was occupied by the settlers in the cultivation of po-
tatoes and wher articles necessary to subsistence. He had
not been able, therefore, to commence cotton growing till
last year. It was the produce of the crop of 1849, amounting
to 47 bales, that he had now brought with him. The
land from which they bad been cbtained was from
78 to 80 acres in eaten. The first question, he be-
lieved, that would now be asked was, whether
cotton could be grown at Natal. In answer he had
wily to point to the samples before the meeting, the majority
of whieb had been prenourned to be worth 9d. per lb., and
had been bought in Natal a: Id. per lb. The second gun-
tion no doubt would be, can we command labour at Nwal ?
Now then were from 80,000 to 100,000 Cadres, subject. of
the British crown; but as we had trouble with white Ser-
vants, so we had with bleak oats ; but he doubted not that,
of properly taught sad kindly treated, the native inha-
haws, who had never been subject to acy con-
trol until very recently, would be found to be at useful
servants as could be obtained anywhere, besides being much
damper than European labourers, the rate of wages being is
• month, and the cost of maintaining them 2s. 6d., in ail
Ts. 6d. a month. But now it would be asked, will it pay
to grow cotton in Natal ? He said certainly it would, but
like every other business, it must be properly managed.
Men who had never b:en used to handle the spade or the
plough, and who could not teach the natives bow to
work, would certainly not find it to pay them. The
class of err istrants required in Port Natal were neither these
nor poor labourers, who might be nevi in other colonies,
hat small farmers, wh• had been used to cul-ivating the
ground themselves, and had a capital of about 2001. or 3001.
For this class he doubted not cotton growing would answer
very well. He and the Germans who went out with
him in 1848, had realised 33 per cent. profit on from
75 to 100 acres. It was, therefore, only necessary for
the people of this country to take good esre,—lst,
that the instructions with respect to emigration, which had
recently emanated from the British government, were pro
perly enforced—that would secure them labour; and se-
condly, that proper emigrants only, such as he had named,
should go to Natal.
la answer to various questions from Mr. BARLEY and
other member, of the chamber,
Hr. BERGTHEIL made the following additional obser-
vation—The amount of land now under cultivation in Natal
' was about 150 acres altogether, but the whole area on
which cotton might be cultivated with advantage
was at least 60 miles by 60. As • Foot that cotton
was produced indigenous all over the &lane, he had brought
with hum a Dinka-, the cotton for which had been obtained
by the native., and had been spun by them. Considerable
difference of opinion prevailed as to the amount of cotton
which an acre of land would yield.
6 Formerly he was
aware, it was supposed that it would produce Ibs. He
did not think this was correct; but he had observed that
the quantity increased at tech suecee Mg crop; for in-
stance, one crop would yield 27511 w. per acre, and the
neat 300Ibs. per sere, besides being of a better quality.
The cotton required to be resown about every seven years,
certainly not oftener than every five years, if properly at-
Waded to. With respect to emigrants, as be said heron, be
should not advise the emigration of men labearen to Natal,
because native labourers could be procured se mach cheaper.
The class of emigrants required were overman with a small
capital, who were able to teach the natives how to cultivate
the soil. He should advise a system of emigration in com-
munities, with schoolmaster and ministers, for the settlement
of persons in different parts of the colony by themselves was
certainly objectionable. ICaigran,a ought to have a capital
of 2001. to 3001. can in hand on their arrival, is addition to
the land, which ought to be purchased previously. The land
in Natal was tolerably well supplied with Irrigation, but this
was net at all antimony to cotton cultivation, and the German
emigrants were opposed to it. Then was a bar anon the
entrains of the harbour at Natal, hut he was persuaded that
it would be removed. He had heard that It could be removed
for 10,0001. He should not recommend any vessels
drawing more than ten or twelve feet of water to attempt
to enter. Is tact, the government had announced that it
would not be responsible for bringing any vessel into the
harbour which drew more. . .

In answer to a question from a member of the chamber,
who said he had heard that the low lands in Natal were sub-
ject to heavy rains, which entirely swamped the cotton crop,
Mr. BEROTHRIL said he did not think this was the sass
to any utast j but there was very little low land in Natal.
Tha CHAIRMAN said, from a caleulatiou he had made,
use ',key of Natal was "aphis of yielding 3,000,000 bap
of attn.
After • yeti of thaaim to Mr. litergtheil, the meeting
',parotid.

SIIKIVLAS DIKOVIIIT..-A painful occurrence hap.
tN Beineelos Friday hat, is the discovery of the dead
gas Mat la the belfry of St. James's church, followed
lip mat day hy the ihdoeure, in the same place, of the
ramolas of *owe ether Wants. Ingueste have subsequently
bees hell b the INIMINT. Mr. 3.13 Orindon, on each ores-
Soo, at the brae, Silver-street, but as no evidence
could be to show bow the bodies came there, or tend-
ing to Ili • &large sped say person, the jury returned an
open eerdlat is reeit orao of " Found &ad." There eta be
huh doubt that the Wise are those of stillborn iahatsirut
For private letensest, r the grave-digger, Delete, who wee
apprehended .0 stwpiaion of brag ooneerned is placing the
bodies where they were band, wee knowa to make this a
practme. As ho denied say knowledge of how the corpses
email that*, he Mb mime heed diseharged.