Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-06-26 00:00:00

bales.

At the close of 1856, our stock of American
Cotton in Liverpool (after receiving the largest
crop ever grown in the United States) was
reduced to 173,000 bales, and of all kinds
to 281,000 bales, being, as Mr. ASPINALL

TURNER states in his speech in the House
of Commons, a supply of only eight
weeks' consumption for the whole of Great

Britain.

It may well excite alarm on the part of Man-
chester at the prospect presented by these
figures ; for not only will the stock, on the 31st
December next, to a moral certainty, exhibit a
great reduction from the very small stock of 1856,

but the accounts from America from the most

truthful and respectable sources assure us, that
the Prospects of the growing crop are gloomy
in the extreme ; that the plant is a month or six
weeks later than that of last season, and that

nothing short of uninterrupted fine weather, and
a late fall, can insure us even an average crop

For the coming season.

Hence it is, we are called on to regard this
question as a " national" one. Hence it is, the
ordinary laws of supply and demand are to be
invaded. The " Slavery" cry, which was never
raised while America could grow three millions
and a quarter up to three millions and a half
of bales, is now put forward as a reason why
we should make ourselves " independent of
America ;" and our consciences are pricked on a
question of philanthropy, now that there are
six hundred thousands of bales less to b e gathere
involving, as this must do, less labour for the
dusky sons of Africa. The system of slavery is
one which we all deplore, and this allusion to all
its sorrows and wrongs would have told with
more effect from what is called the " Manchester
school," had it been ventilated at any other
period than a short crop year, now the pseudo-
philanthropists of the manufacturing districts
render themselves liable to have their motives,
shall I say, misconstrued into its being a mere
pocket question ? The whole argument resolves
itself, however, into a question of price. When-
ever there is a large crop in America, the cotton
now so humbly sought to be produced in India,
is allowed to remain almost nnsaleable, and few
are the merchants who have not some sorrowful
recollections of "those Surats," which, while they
swell the aggregate of stock here, and are,
therefore, useful to depress the value of American
qualities, are nearly abandoned by the spinners
in ordinary years, except at a price which
affords no remuneration or encouragement to
the importer, and can it be wondered at that
Mr. MANGLES should assert, from his place in
the House of Commons, that India cannot, and
will not, grow Cotton on such terms.
If the agitation of this question were to be
the means of stimulating an increased growth in
India, at a time when we had the promise of a
bountiful American crop, we should be met with
precisely the same indifference ; and sad would
be the fate of the merchant or importer who
would have then to rely on the generosity of the
consumers, were he to carry out their wishes for
an "increased supply from India." His Surats
would numerically tell as dead weight, and we
should hear no more of " slavery," " new roads,"
irrigation," or of " the claims of British India
on a paternal government." Let us not be
misled by misconceptions in this business, or
endorse fallacies because Manchester utters
them. Parliament can do just nothing; and I
venture to predict that not one bale of Cotton
more will be produced, for another year at
least, by all the, agitation of Parliamentary

speeches.
If Manchester be in earnest, let her take the
burthen b'erself. She is rich enough. Rich at
the cost of many a Liverpool Cotton
importer. Let her form a League Fund, and
guarantee to give a fair remunerating price for
every pound of Cotton of a certain standard
quality and cleanliness, produced in India, and
imported here. If they will interfere with the
inexorable laws of supply and demand, let it be
done by private and united enterprise. They
may seek, and will seek in vain, for exoteric aid,

in such a case as this; their remedy is not in
Parliamentary committees or blue books, and
Government will do well to indorse the free
trade doctrines formerly enunciated in Man-
chester. "All we ask," they used to say,

"is a

fair field, and no favour," and " that Govern-
ment will let us alone." How the mighty are
fallen !

Oua COTTON StrpLT.—The discussions on the great question of
our Cotton Supply, if they have brought one or two points of the case
more decidedly into controversy than befors, have placed others

beyond any reasonable doubt. There c n be no uncertainty about
the reality or urgency of the crisis itself. True it is, that through
what has now been a long series of years, we have invariably found
supplies forthcoming from the United States, without any of those
interrupt ons which might be theoretically conceived. True it is,
also, that notwithstan ling the astonishing increase of the demand, the
supply has hitherto kept pace with it, and our manufacturers have,
as a matter of fact, been pretty well provided with the raw material
which they required. But it is also true that to make both ends
meet is gradually growing more and more a matter of difficulty, that
scare;ty is felt even now, and that the Americans themselves have
expresoad apprehensions as to their continued powers of production
at the rate of increase prevailing. Another point established is, that
India can undoubtedly supply all the cotton which our increased
consumption may render necessary, and of any quality desirable.
Mr. J. B. Smith, who opened the debate on Tuesday, related an
instance in which Indian-grown cotton had been sold in Manchester
at bid per lb., the ordinary value of native produce being 3id., and
Mr. Turner, who followed hien, added the weight of his personal autho-
ri yin confirmation of the general proposition. The cotton of India,
in its original character, though not so good as might be produced by
skilful proceedings, is by no means of a bad staple, its principal
blemishes being caused by removable drawbacks attending its picking
and card ige. As to the capacity of the country for productions there
were not two opinions. Mr. Mangles himself—the representative of
the East India Company—said, that under certain conditions, India
" could supply all the cotton that this country would require ; " in
fact, that there wet " hardly any amount " which our manufacturers
might not obtain from that source, if they were to-set about the work
in a proper manner. This being the case, and it being admitted, both
that it is highly expedient to provide for a demand so rapidly on the
increase, and that India, from the circumstances of its territory
and population, offers the hest means of effecting the provision,
why Is a result thus shown to be both desirable and prac-
ticable not brought to pass, or, at any rate, pat into pro-
mise:ie. train? Here lies the critical point of the case. Why
does not India export more cotton, and how can it be enabled to do so?
We need not include in the argument the calls of the home con-
sumption. No doubt, the Ilindoos absorb a large portion of the cotton
crop themselves, though it is by no means sure, as Lord Steal ey sug.
gested, that they might not be clad more cheaply with English calicoes
even after all the cost of carriage backwards and forwards. But this
consideration is of no moment whatever, for it is perfectly certain
that the capabilities of the country in this respect are boundless—
indeed, in a single province of Bombay there is uncultivated land of
extant and quality sufficient to yield mill on; of bales every season.
Why then, are such crops not reared ? There was some force in the
argument of Mr. Mangles, that the requisition for Indian cotton was
rather a casualty than a certainty, and that a permanent supply could
hardly be expected where there was no permanency in the demand.
If the function a-signed to India in cotton-growing is merely to fill up
a possible gap, it is not likely thAt the production of the article would
be pushed with much vigour. Bat here it must be remarked that,
according to our present prospects, the question seems no longer con-
fined to the insurance of a given supply. Looking at the probable de-
mend for our manufactures, there would scarcely be any limits to our
want of raw material, and, if millions after millions are to be clothed
from our looms, market after market must be opened to us for cotton.
Admitting that the Americans may command the first purchasers,
there will bs plenty more for the Hindoos if the quality of the produce
is brit satsfactory, If, then, this quality is attainable, why is not the
problem solved, and the long-desired tragic established ? Taking the
objections on one side and the answers on the other, the expostula-
tions of the Manchester spinners, and the replies of the Indian autho-
rities, we find the gist of the whole case to be somewhat as follows:
The production of cotton on a large and efficient scale requires —like
all such enterprises—a greater investment of capital and energy than
are at the command of the Hindoo. It is not simply money which is
wanted, but vigour. If Manchester agents would go out with full
purses and European ideas, tho country is broad enough and populous
enough to furnish all that is required besides. So argued Mr. Mangles,
and with perfect reason, as far as the mere facts went. The tables,
however, appear turned upon the company, when we come to inquire
why Englishmen do not embark in this as they would in any other
speculation of promise ; for we are then told that the administration
of India is such that no man accustomed to free government will live
under it. Excluding the great capitals of the Presidencies, there are
actually only 317 British subjects in ladle, independent of the com-
pany's service. This service represents a caste as complete and as
privileged as that of the Brahmins themselves, and Englishmen are
naturally 'not much disposed to be treated as outsiders. But can this
be effectually remedied? It cannot be forgotten that the government
of India, though doubtless bound to consult the requirements of the
British markets, is also charged with the administration of an enor-

mous empire, and that, even if half the population of England were to
migrate to the Deccan, their numbers would be lost in the native
millions around them. Thes3 millions, too, are so touchy and sensi-
tive on particular points of faith or custom, that the most harmless
proceeding, as we have reeently seen, may be interpreted into an
alarming grievance. Fairly enough may it b 3 argued, that the ineti-
tutions of such a country are not to be easily adapted to English

notions of freedom. Whether the tenure of the land offers any rea 1
obstacle to agriculture activity over and above those arising from the
traditional ideas of the population, it may not be easy to say, but there
was certainly one point on which all parties were more or less agreed.
Mr. Mangles acknowledged that "roads" had something to do with
the price of cotton, and Mr. Turner de cribed the damage which the
material suffered in its conveyance to the coast. Dr. Buist, as our
readers will have observed, goes more directly to the point, and
comprehensively asserts that, "were the valley of Berar connected
with Bombay by railway, Liverpool could get all the cotton she wants
for 2ld a-pound, all land and sea charges included." Now, this point,
at any rate, need involve little controversy. There may be a question
between English and American systems of construction ; but itis clear
that facility of transport is the great thing needed. "At the rates
which now existed upon the Madras railway," said Mr. Mangles, " one
pound of cotton might be conveyed 450 miles for 3-sths of a farthing,"
and he thought the file-, ought to satisfy the Lancashire remonstrauts.
No doubt it does, but over how many mile, can cotton thus be carried'
At the same time, although there can be no disguise about the obliga-
tions of the Indian Government in this respect, we think the authori-
ties of the company may fairly ask for some issue rather more definite
than has yet been raised. What is it, specifically, that they are re-
quired to dot Mr. Mangles detected the weak: point in the Manches-
ter case when he recommended his opponents to put their own
shoulders to the wheel, instead of calling upon the company. Cer-
tainly we have no wish to see an artificial cultivation established in
India by any system of bounties or protection against the natural
laws of trade. If a supply of cotton cannot be created by the fair
operation of demand, it can never be successfully msintalned by
Government intervention. The authorities, however, may remove
obstacles, and this species of aid is all the more indispensable in India,
where nothing can be done without Government concurrence, They
can, at least, p emote cultivation by public works ; they can hasten
the execution of railways, and they can take care that no impediment
shall be found between a fair field for the husbandman at one end and
an accessible port for shipment at the other. After these conditions
have been satisfied—and they ought not to be very embarrassing—
the manufacturers of Lancashire must do the rest for themselves.
—Times.