The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-12 00:00:00

GROWTH OF COTTON IN INDIA.

An address was delivered at one o'clock yesterday, in
flat cotton sales room, Exchange buildings, by Mr. James
8. Smith, M.P. for Stockport, " on the importance of full
eaonldnatydrequate supplies of cotton being obtained for this
.” There was a numerous attendance of gentle-
men connected with the cottoa trade in Liverpool. The
chair was taken by John Torr, Esq., who briefly
late
educed the hon. gentleman.
Smith said that the importance of the subject was
,best shown by the fact that, besides providing clothing
'or our whole population, we last year exported cotton
goods to the value of £38,284,000, or one third the value
'zit our entire foreign exports. Any source of interruption,
therefore, to a manufacture in which millions of
"Isemers were interested, would be little less than a
world's calamity. Our imports of raw cotton last year
Viounted in found numbers to 900,000,0001 b, of which
400,090'0601b came from the United States alone. We
to
t? re thus exposed to the danger of being limited chiefly
nee source; the slave trade introduced-elements of
0111 greater danger; and our situation could not possibly
oe contemplated with unconcern. It was a national
fin„estion, and it must be forced upon the attention
tit statesmen of all parties. In the early stages
(0,/f mir manufacture, we derived supplies from
!relies,
quarters in the Mediterranean, the West
!relies, the Brazils, and South America. In
1810 .
b our ports from the United States were 246,000
While from all other sources they reached
1-11) 000 ; and while uplands ranged from 15d to 22d per
West India cotton fetched 21d to 281. From that
tune the growth in the United States kept constantly
i increasing; and from our stocks in hand at the ports for
en consecutive years, averaging from 33 to 53 weeks
.C.2nsnnention, that production had overtaken demand.
!lee effect was a decline in prices, and a struggle for
ae,/,eap,ness amongst producers; and the rich lands and
'';l.)ertor cultivation of the United States enabled that
muirs3l:°Suol,uotisytrip competitors and almost to mono-
of the European Markets The fall in
mac.
e from 22d to from 5d to 8d gave a groat stimulus to
icreased manufacture; and improvements in machin-
n led to a cheapness of production that had resulted
it
an increase of consumption as wonderful as
:Wes beneficial. Daring the last forty years, the con-
ltription of raw cotton in Great Britain had increased
"in 88000,000 lb to 891,000,0001 b ; but for some years
the growth had not kept pace with the demand. The
C:raritries whence we did receive supplies had foregone
tie cultivation of cotton, for that of more profitable
a
ArdtieleB; and before the cultivation of cotton be again
Te.;(/'..eed, Cultivators would need the inducement of hi
lid h
s te es n
and the assurance of their continuance. We
et, therefore, look to ancient sources. Attention
I" aa been directed to Western Africa, Natal, Australia,
to the lands bordering the Euphrates and the Tigris.
„n all these quarters considerable capital and European
Ol'efintendence would be required ; from simply bar-
eea"'s countries, we could not under any circumstances
--;re,et much cotton for ages ; but we wan eel immediate
lindes. Whence were we to obtain them ? We flatus
11/s Y turned to India, where probably now more cotton
R 'own than in the United States ; a country under
nt. eominion of the British Crown, overflowing with an
41? histrious population, having a boundless extent of suit-
te°',e land, and where the cultivation, Instead of havin
she le,rned, had existed from the earliest ages. India
c's Capable of giving us an unlimited supply. In 1818
imports thence amounted to 111 247,000 hales, while those
the United States were only 207,000 bales; but
Indian cotton fetched 17c1 per lb. In 1822, the
latese fell to 61d and the imports to 19,000 hales. In
they again rose to 273,000; but in 1846, they
Keanto 49,000. • Our Indian imports had at all times
.I irregular; for the quality being inferior, it was
beentee time of scarcity and high price that it had
lb ",rought into use. The price ruling about 2'l per
A 1 loop that of American cot on, India was excluded
81." g 58 American could be purchased at from 5d to
e„,, India could not therefore look to England as a
IC4o.'rin "Iner for her cotton ; occasional demand led to loss and
a.;`g epon the part of the merchants and the ryots ;
eeere a constant demand it was necessary that India
saw,
eel be able to compete with America; and this led to an '
i'claira into the capabilities of India to produce cotton as
tesple as A erica Mr. Smith proceeded at some length
a 3 reed n't
that stat'sties and to quote various authorities, to prove
e ,t, India was capable of furnishing an unlimited supply of
:::;:ioree,t,fanladntdh,at the obstacles in the way of her ce, doing
a want of work for irrigation ; 2, want of roads
14 °tltsr meane of cheap conveyance; 3, want of a fixed
Lag terms
of
ooaotmoderate rents, either iu perpetuity or on I
years : 4, want of just and well adminis-
vrbi
"" laws and of an efficient police. These were things
tits the people of England might legitimitely demand of
ta,le,sternment ; and which the government, na justice to
T 1r:4,000,HO of our Indian population, were hound to
' etlt. Se far from asking any favour of the gsvernrnent
10'1 the
trere asking it to fill its treastery. The prat accruing
04Public exchequer from. the public works which had
11 already erected were so extraordinary large that the
a wonder was that so little had been expended. The ,
l.erement of India had incurred debts amoenting to
h7eerds of £50,000,000 for war purposes, and why could
I,eY itot borrow money for constructing public works ? In
chester the means of supplying the inhabitants with
lied been raised solely on the credit of the city. Not
ee'elir,tiaince of taxation had been imposed for that great
s""c work; buto, on th a
e contrary, a large profit, amount-
foug to about. £3,000 year, remained applicable either
lot Public improvements or for the reduction of the
4eal rates. In India the department of public works
Tb`'nid be considered one of the very first in the state.
that'e Profits arising from them were so very enormous
ta as in the case of Manchester, they would soon
4';;;l.ngirish the original debt incurred in their erection,
' India might be covered with public works for
sate;
elte"ing- (Hear, hear.) It had been said by the Indian
arifir probably as an excuse for their neglect, that
th 'a Was capable of producing 'a variety of articles, and
iveat it would not grow cotton unless the prices given for it
are sufficiently remunerative. There was no doubt that
e uld l
grow a great variety of produce, but it had never
eised to cultivate cotton, and the quantity would be con-
e) 'rattly increased if the obstacles, of which the natives had
tect°lllPlain, were removed. The produce of New Orleans
i " grown in Darwar wet 1001 b per acre, and when sold
tn4ikanchester it realised Old per lb, while the native cotton
Y cr°thiced frZan 60;b to7olb per acre, and sold at 311 per
ah • .0 province of Candeish the ryots were particularly
t",,7tolts to extend the cultivation of the soil, which was
0; 'solely rich ; and he (Mr. Smith) believed that that
se: nee alone was curable of growing more cotton than
'tea" ntive raised in the United States. (Hoar, hear.) He
ar:iernie-red when in Liverpool some years ago, that a
aa."". seas loudly laughed at for predicting that the con-
etlleetion of cetton would reach one million bales a year.
tot actual quantity now consumed, calculating it according
thr
ee ae Weight of the packages of that day, was upwards of
Mon bales a year ; and he saw no reason why it
i`5,1,114 not be still further increased to six million bales.
ez,-l'e was no limit to the consumption of cotton, but the
te(r of a cheap supply of the raw material, which he had
hie 'eroured to show it was possible to obtain. The hon.
t o„raber. whose address occupied an hour and a quarter,
his seat amidst considerable applause.
le. lie. Chairman then informed the meeting, that Mr.
ea, °ker would offer some observations on the growth of
A;)n in D -merara, and other colonial possessions.
G. Booker commenced by saying he was sure they
tye d have been delighted with Mr. Smith's lecture on
i,;,growth of cotton in India, and the probability of an
tieL"eeted supply from that quarter, with an increased'
ie d• Every country, however, had its drawbacks
laud`ule matter of production. For instance India
~, a redundant population, but then it had not
anal
ts‘iceoil.r of other countries. On the other hand,
aid ;lest India colonial possessions, they had a
cernote capable of producing not only cotton but
I:1"Y t hing almost necessary for this country's c msuption,
bit they had a drawback in the want of manual le.bour. He
in In"t going to urge anything against the growth of cotton
but, in his humble opinion, what they required in
Britain was an increased supply of the raw material
lie `ton from a country as near to them as possible. (Hear.)
la-I.was tolerably well acquainted with most of the West
144 islands and their capabilities, but he would speak
see,,, especially of the British Guiana, as being a
lainpl' in which he had spent many years. It c)n.-
tilel about one hundred and fifty square miles,
ties was capable of producing as much cotton as
if0"0 Britain required. It had also this advantage, that
elyc:ntiguity to England was not more than twenty-five
aind that the district where the cotton was grown in
"'")tiy was immediately adjoining the seaboard. There
fret' no
~tish, expense in its transportation to the coast, and the
he would say, were about one-third less than from
1i.1„4' In one year alone, the colony produced 73,00
ti 4" cetten (Hear, hear.) But, for want of labour it
4 tile"ased to be produced not only there, but in the whole
West India islands. How, then, were the capabilttles
caul', itch Guiana to be developed ? He would say by
41:irn. When the emancipation of the slaves took
et. . ere were 33,000 labourers employed in field work ;
'41,111 two 22,000 of them abandoned it, and
as eel years,themselvesgat
hh, on the banks of the rivers and creeks, so
11,000 continued to work at field labour. The
~.e.,re.,lnade very great efforts to meet this difficulty, and
o,`‘Cla 45,000 effective labourers, at an expens.e of
tt4'7o. They had, however, still many difficulties to
a'Ras ' tWith, by the importation here not only of slave
la nut of sugar from countries where slaves
ste"Ported and besides that, their means, in many
leg were exhausted. However, during the last year,

the colony producedlso,ooo hhds. of sugar, besides rum and
molasses, and taking the present t'aiuu of that crop, it
amounted to something like £2,000,000, on which Great
Britain levied a tax of £1,800,000. That enormous pro-
duction amounted to £l5 lOs per head for every resident,
man, woman, and child, in the colony ; whilst from South
Australia the ea:oorts only amounted in the same time, in
gold, Wool, and everything else, to about £5 lOs per head.
He mentioned that to show what the -capabilities of British
Guiana were, because he *as of opinion, like Mr. Macfie,
that it was not cotton alone they required, and that there
, was no doubt but that they were also experiencing a
deficiency in the production of the sugar. The labourers
that were imported into the colony, came under contracts
for five years. They were parcelled out to the different
planters, and were tinder the protection of a magistrate
who was placed in every district. On the termination of
the five years an offer was made to them of £lO
to £l5 per head, according to what the passage
money might be, if they would remain another
five years, and at the end of ten years they ,
were entitled to a back passage. Out of 25,000 Hindoos,
about 10,000 returned at the end of !lire years, and carried
a large sum of money with theta, and those that remained I
and renewed their contracts deposited their money in the
Savings' B ink, and ivith their new earnings, the sum
amounted to fully 80,000 dollars. Those that returned to
their homes after their first service were much improved.
They carried with them a degree of civilisation that they
did not before possess. They spoke English, and they
could perflin mneh agricultural work that they were
ignorant of fn their own country. They could also build a
house, and though in a moral point of view, they were not
much improved, yet the advantages which in other rospecs
they had acquired were very great: In the colony of which
he was speaking, British Guiana, there were about 200
consecutive miles of Sea coaat on which cotton could be
grown, and the estates lying along it, they being
intersected by roads and bridges, could be easily
renewed at a very trifling cost. Formerly, on au
estate where cotton. was cultivated, and where
100 slave* Were employed (taking the value of each
slave at £100) 400 bah; would be annually produced. To
put such an estate into cultivation would cost £13,000, but
with the same number of Coolies the same estate might be
now put into cultivation for about £4,000. What they
wanted then was that government would withdraw the
restrictions on the. importation of labourers, and would in
fact promote it. In regard to China there was a difficolty
in the case of females, but he thought that difficulty might
be removed through means of the new treaty which would
take place with that country in consequence of the recent
disturbances. In conclusion, Mr. Booker observed that the
importation of other labourers might have the effect of
stimulating to work the native Degrees.
On the motion of Mr. Forwood, thanks were given to Mr.
Smith ; and on the moti n of Mr. George Holt, thanks were I
voted to Mr. Booker,

THE NORTHERN TIMES. LIVERPOOL, THURSDAY.

Coniniert tat Inteitigeria.

LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET.—MARen IL

The cotton market continues without change; the
demand has been fair, and with average supplies, prices
are steady. The sales—including 120 Pernambucos 841 to
81d, 160 flahias 7/(1 to Bkd, 70 Maranhams B.ld to 9,1, 330
Egyptians 91(1 to Hid, and 7(0 Surats al to 6 3 16d—are
reported 7,000 bales, of which 500 are on speculation and
for export.

LIVERPOOL PRODUCE MARKET.-MARCH 11.

SUGAR : We have no change to notice in our market,
which continues firm; the sales comprise 45 hhds Deme-
rara at 503 3d, and 5,000 mats clayed Manilla at 503 per
cwt.
MOLASSES, RUM, ANIS COFFEE : Nothing has occurred.
COCOA : 100 bags St. Domingo have realised 693 6d to
70s 6d per cwt.
RICE The sales are confined to 800 bags at Ila 6d per
cwt.

SALTPETRE 200 bags are reported at 45s per cwt for 2
per cent refraction.
TURMERIC: At the auctions this moruing, 150 bags sold
at 43s 6(1 per cwt.
Saco FLOUR: 50 bags, all faults, so!d at 18s per cwt for
Ist class.
TARTAR: 5 casks grey sold at 91s 6d to 943 per cwt.
MADDER Roors : 35 bales Turkey, all faults, sold at 53s
63 to CHs per cwt.
Locwooc : 10 tons Jamaica sold at 14 17s 6d per ton.
Sai'art Woon : A few tons sold at 119 lOs per ton.
PEPPER: We have also to notice 130 bags white, sold
for arrival at 9d per lb.
MvnaßoLams: 300 bags, on the spot, sold at Ss 9d per
cwt. 41 ~ 6 1

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE MARKET.—MARCH 11.
Per stone, 20Ibs. j Per gOl4l. s. d. s. d.
s. d. s. d.l Potatoes. Seedlings 40to 4 1
Hay, 01d...... 0 7 to 0 82; Ditto, Kemps .... 4 0 to 4 3
Ditto, new..
Ditto, clover
Green Clover
Vetches 0 0 to 0 0; Ditto, cattle 0 0 to 0 0
Straw, wheat. 0 31 to 0 4; Per ton.
Ditto, oat ........ 0 ,34 to 0 41Turnips 25 0 to 26 0
Ditto, barley .... 0 0 to 0 olCarrota
Jan), In straw ~. . 0 0 to 0 Olalangle wurzel 24 0 to 25 0
;Manure 6 6 to 7 6

MANCHESTER TRADE REPORT.—Meacx 11.
The market remains very steady, without any change
of consequence.

LONDON PRODUCE MARKET. —MARcx 11.

SUGAR: There has not been a public sale to day, but
the market is steady at yesterday's prices.
COFFEE : The market remains steady.
TEA : The large public sales to commence to morrow
have prevented business by private contract. Speculators
are inactive; Common sound Congou quoted 131 d, usual
SPICES : White pepper sold in public sale Rid to 90.
Bourbon cloves sold at 41d to sd; Penang cloves sold at
Is 3d ; Ginger from 91s to 1235.`"
COTTON : No sales reported.
Btnt : Good proof Leewards sold at 2s 6d.
SALTPETRE remains steady, but the demand is very
limited.
In other articles no material alteration. I

LONDON TALLOW MARKET.—ISTAam. 11.
The market is quiet at the annexed quotations :—Town
tallow, 56s nett cash ; Petersburg Y.C. on the spot, 61s;
Match to April, 545; May to June, 51s 63.