Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-08-06 00:00:00

THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 1857.1

JAMAICA A COTTON FIELD.

The following remarks appear from a correspondent in
a Manchester paper :--" It would be needless_te attempt
to prove that more cotton fields are necessary to the
:maintenance and extension of the manufactories in Lan-
cashire, or that there is great danger in reliance for a con-
stant supply of that raw material; on which the welfare
of so large a population as that now employed in those
manufactories chiefly depend, on a slaveholding country.
The facts are admitted by all persons who have reflected
on the subject. The question really for consideration is,
from whence can a larger, cheaper, and more certain sup-
ply be obtained ? Some say from Aft ice ; some from India.
How many obstacles have to be overcome before a large
supply of the best material can be hoped for from either
of these countries? It may be easily shown that, of the
many countries capable of producing cotton, Jamaica,
within 21 days' distance, offers pocaliar advantages. There
are, at the very least, a million acres of land in that island
capable of producing two bales of cotton, of superior
quality, per acre, now lying waste ; which might, if pro-
perly cultivated, yield more than two million bales of
cotton per annum. The mountainous parts are peculiarly
healthy for Europeans, and the work of cotton cultivation
being light and agreeable, there is no reason why the
women and children, who are now in many portions of the
island without suitable and profitable employment, should
not be engaged, at fair wages, in growing and preparing
cotton for the English market. The agricultural labourers
in Jamaica cannot be less than fifty thousand families,
and if we suppose that each family can, on the average,
supply three labourers, then there must be one hundred
and fifty thousand persons capable of agricultural labour.
Sir Henry Barkley, in his evidence before a committee of
the House of Commons, stated that one hundred labourers
constantly employed for the usual term (viz., 42 hours
per week), would be able to mike 400 hogsheads of sugar
per annum, Now, if ZO,OOO hogsheads of sugar were made
in Jamaica every year, less than thirteen thousand labour-
ers would be required to grow and manufacture it ; and
this would leave one hundred and thirty-seven thousand
at liberty to engage in other employment. If thirty-seven
thousand should be required to raise provisions for the
consumption of the innabitants, one hundred thousand
would still be at liberty to cultivate cotton and fibres for
the English market. If three persons, aided by a mule
and light plough, can, as in the southern states of America,
cultivate fifteen acres of cotton, then, a sufficient induce-
ment to labour being supplied, there seems noeteason to
suppose that 500,000 acres of cotton might not be culti-
vated in Jamaica, even without an addition to the existing
population. Therefore, with the existing population of
Jamaica in constant and profitable employment, a million
bags of cotton might annually be produced. What is
necessary, then, for cotton cultivation in Jamaica, is not
suitable land, nor is it indispensable that there should be
.an immediate and largo immigration of Irish labourers,
but that which it is surely the intent of the Lancashire
manufacturers, and the English capitalists and friends of
freedom, to supply—viz , capital, skill, and energy. The
persons who have already embarked their alt in sugar
cultivation, or in mining operations, have it not to supply ;
and if they had, they are scarcely likely to turn away
from pursuits which they find profitable, and believe will
be yet more profitable, to engage in new; and, to them,
untried operations. Ought we not rather to turn to those
who, having already embarked large sums of money in,
and devoted much time and energy to, the manufacture of
cotton, linens, cordage, and paper, require additional raw
materials, azd of a better quality, and at less cost, in
order to secure adequate returns for their present invest-
ments ? Upon the maintenance and extension of their
operations the existence of millions of men, women, and
children, and possibly of the public peace, of this great
and now prosperous country, may depend. To sustain
and co-operate with them is doubtless thh'duty, as it is
the interest, of every merchant, trader, professional man,
engineer, and even weekly or daily labourer in the city of
Manchester and the towns and villages in the vicinity—
for any day the stoppage of the accustomed supply Of
cotton, now depending on the will of three million bonds
men to continue slaves, may plunge every family
connected with these manufactures into irretrievable
misery and ruin. What, then, do the circumstances of
the case require? The immediate attention of the whole
people to the subject, and a prompt and energetic co.
operation, in order to present an example of the suc-
cessful and profitable cultivation of cotton on suitable
lands, in Jamaica, or other equally suitable colonies,
Ten thousand acres of as fine cotton land as any in the
world may be purchased for, say £lO,OOO ; to fence, clear,
drailf, and plant with cotton seed 2,000 acres, and to
weedzind gather in the crop, wonld cost about £12,000;
to provide suitable dwellings, outbuildings, and machinery,
would not require more than £B,OOO ; together £30,000.
If, in eight months from this day, only 1,000 bales of good
and clean cotton were brought into Manchester, as the
result, it would be worth a large sum of money ; and, as
the cotton plant in Jamaica is perennial, a simi:ar,
probably double such return might be looked for every
succeeding six months for the next ten years, without
replanting. An example may thus be set which might
lead to the conversion of millions of acres of land now
lying- waste into cotton fields, and Lancashire might not,
indeed would not, then be dependent., as it now is, on a
country with which our pacific relations may be suspended
at any moment, for the means of maintaining those
sources of labour and profit on which the existence of the
whole people mainly depends. Cotton picked on the
Jamaica mountains,'and grown (here and there a tree) by
the emancipated negroes, on their own lands, has been
brought recently to this country. That cotton' been
seen by the most competent judges. It has been declared
to be equal to Egyptian, and worth at least 10d to 104 d
per pound, in, any quantity. Why should not every
emancipated freeholder, and there are at least 50,000 of
them, be encouraged••to grow a few acres? This would,
doubtless, be the effect of an experiment, such as is now
suggested. Let every Lancashire, and especially every
Manchester and Salford man. ask himself if it be not
worth hls while to put his shoulder to the wheel, and
take part in such an experiment."

A Dominican negro bad been hung in New York for the
murder of a white girl, a prostitute. Tne Herald says—
" The most curious feature of the execution was the np:
pearance at the windows of the prison—which are so
built that the prisoners through them cannot see the
cenrt-yard —of a number of mirrors of all sizes and shape.
These were the looking-glasses of the prisoners, by whose
aid they rendered themselves distant spectators of the
scene. Whether any of these prisoners run any chance of
finding themselves in Dursey!s place, we know not ; but if
they did they could not have displayed a greater anxiety
to see how men are hanged.",
OPENING OF THE OYSTER SEAS3N.— Oa Tuest,ay
morning, at six o'cl ick, the annual opening- of the oyster
season took place at Billingsgate. Market. In previous
years, the excitement and confusion incident to this event
was considerable, but in consequence of the exce'lent
arrangements no robberies were committed or improper
conduct took place. The fo'lowing is a list of prices :
Best native, 46s to 431 per bushel ; Elford oysters, origin-
ally spawned near Falmouth, but relaid on the Kentish
beds, where they come to maturity, 243 per buShel. Pearls
143; Jersey's from lOs to 12s ; and Commons in proportion.
The Natives are‘not in full season, but the other descrip.
tiuns were never in finer condition, the recent auspicious
summer weather having contributed very materially to the
growth of the fish and the fineness of the quality. There
were in all but ten vessels at the Quay, the railways
having borne away- a large quantity to other localities.
By t om the whole of the stock was cleared, the demand
throughout for the best qualities being continuous, the
earlier named prices bring maintained until the close of
the market.

AN INDIAN WIDOW—TiIe SUTTEE.—She was handsome,
about fifteen years of age, and her charming countenance
showed no marks of fear or anguish. To Earle's remon-
strances her reply was but a short one. " You may say
what you please, but I will go with my lord, It was
written in the book of my lite to be his wife, so I must be
his wife only, to the full extant of the meaning, and that of
nobody else. I loved him only, and can never love any
one else with that primary sincerity, so I must be his true
- companiotr'wh-re;.er he g,,es. Take you no more trouble,
'sir, ab-att the ma 'ter. l'eaCe be with you." Earle begged
her to lisL.n to him for another motn,±ni ; and he added
" You sh.-uld try the expeiiment of burning .your little
finger beforo.cenimittiug your whole pr;cions body to the
flames!! Bat, alas ! fanaticism had gone too far beyond
the reach 'of ,this and such vaolesoing advice ; and with
a scornful smile. she told Mr. Earle that she was highly
obliged to him for his kindness, of Which she di! not stand
in'-read ; that her word -was one and unalterable. She
then, boldly tearing up a slip of her handkerchief, dipped
it into the oil of the burning lamp (usually placed before
satis whether:day or night), and tying it- round her little
flog, r, she lighted it up with eagerness, and it burnt on
like a candle for a little while, and then diffused he smell
of buraing flesh, durirg which the young beauty talked on
to the audience, without a sigh or sJb to indicate the pain;
yet the marki of the blood's rush to the face, attended
with a profuse perspiration on her brow, betrayed her
feeling to our unbiassed and sorrowful mind, —Autobio•
27,22,4 of Lutfulloie.