The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-22 00:00:00

IfftE SON, LONIDON, THURSOXV EVI-4.:NING„).AM.T.AUS z 2, 1.863,

also produced cotton pronounced in England to be very good.
With regard to the quantity of exports and the prospect of
increase, he could only say, as the matter had so far been an
experiment, that now it had resulted favourably there was
a sign of much greater cultivation of cotton. Money could
be invested in almost any operation or pursuit in Queens •
land, and gc.r orally in Australia, at rates of about 10 per
cent., or very much over it, and, all these fields for invest-
ment being open, it had been no matter of surprise that
hitherto at.entiou had not been very suddenly turned to the
growth of cotton. It would be more cultivated after the
favourable experiment of the last year or taco, because the
farmer's occupation in Queensland had been one of much
vicissitude; and if he now put a certain number of acres
under cotton-growing he would be able to tide over any ad-
verse season that might befall hire. New Orleans cotton
had been produced to the extent of 600 or 700 lbs. to the
acre at the very least. By the same calculation as he had
made when speaking of sea-island cotton this could be seen
to he fully remunerative. He had always exhorted colonists
to go freely into cotton-growing, and he thought they would
do so, because if the wersrhappened, and cotton became too
cheap in England, they would still have their land in good
order for any other crop, and the increase of population
would enable them to make a good business out of any
other agriculture. There were no very large plantations at
present, but he felt confident it must be remunerative for
gentlemen largely interested in the cotton trade to have a
plantation there of their own, whence they could ship to
the English market. As there was not much capital afloat
in the colony, there was an immense field open to English
capital. He had been much pleased with Mr.
Ashworth's reference to the circumstances that the
Australian colonies were determined to be indepen-
dent and self-supporting. They were extremely desirous
to be English as long as England would allow them to be
appended to her. At the same time the Australian would
never want this country to pay any of his expenses.
Queensland bad never cost England a shilling, except the
shilling a day for its army of 25 soldiers. (Hear.) If the
colonists had occasion for more, they should propose to pay
for it themselves. They paid at present for police protec-
tion a larger sum per head than Englishmen paid for all
the army, navy, and police of England. In coaclusion, Mr.
Herbert spoke of the healthiness of the climate of Queens-
land (the Australian tropical climate being no more injuri-
ous to the English constitution than the climate of England
on a summer's day), and the probable introduction of coolie
haw., faux. Indio. This was objected to In the southern
part of the colony ; but in the north no doubt it would be
had without the slightest opp ,sition. (The hon. gentle-
man sat down amid applause.)

Sir CHARLES NICHOLSON said that he was not very san-
guine as to the likelihood of raising any very large quan-
tity of cotton of the cheaper kinds by means of European
labour only. While the present high prices existed, while
the cultivation was encouraged by the local Legislature
giving bounties of 5d on the inferior and 10d on the sup-
dor kinds of cotton; and, while an incentive was found in
the free grants of land, no doubt the cultivation could be
carried on by means of European labour. But in the
tropical districts, at least, recourse must be had
to Asiatic labour. Tho cotton plants in Queensland be-
came (what it did not in America) perennial, and when
once planted it would grow for six or seven years without
renewal, The absence of late frosts on the coasts was the
cause of the plant assuming a perennial character. In some
districts there were tracts of land naturally cleared, being
only covered with a rich grass, which could be easily burnt.
The whole question was one of labour. Australia—as
none who knew it could doubt—was capable of producing
cotton to any amount ; in the north-eastern parts this
capacity was unlimited. But while labour varied from
5s to 15s per day, it was vain to expect that cotton could
ever be produced in very large quantities by European
labour. The great object of those interested in the cultiva-
tion should be to encourage emigration from England.
(Hear, hear.) He tegretted to find that there was a dispo-
sition on the part of some influential men to discourage
emigration to the colonies. He earnestly urged all inte-
rested in the matter to stimulate by every possible means
the emigration of the working classes to Queensland.
(Hear, hear.) The introduction of coolies, especially into
the northern settlements of that colony, was a matter of
vital importance, although there was a party there who,
from some selfish or prejudiced motive, objected to the in-
troduction of the Asiatic or any coloured race. He believed
the introduction of coolie labour was indispensable to the
proper and full development of the country's resources. It
was most unfair and injurious to group Corfu, the lonian
Islands, Gibraltar, and Malta with such colonies as Queens-
land- (Hear.) The Australian colonies, if the proposition
were made in a proper form, were quite willing to defray
the whole of their expenditure, military and civil. (Ap-
plause.) Some of those colonies were still suffering front
having been for so many years the receptacles of British
convicts, who had migrated from Van Diemen's Land and
other places, and who had thus swelled the police expendi-
ture. The whole of the expenses of the civil administration
was defrayed out of the colonial funds. The increase of
population was unparalleled in the history of colonization,
as was also the rate of wool production. In 1804 th 3 first
specimen of wool—about 2701 b—was sent over to England.
Within 40 years the number of sheep had accumulated to
11,000,000, and the export of wool amounted to 22,000,0001 b
When the last statistical returns were made the gross ex-
ports of the whole of the Australian colonies was 520,000,000
sterling, while the gross amount of the imports was
£26,000,000 sterling. The revenue of Queensland had in-
creased during Mr. Herbert's secretaryship from £BO,OOO a
year to £400,000, (Applause.)
Mr. T. BAZLEY, M.P., in proposing a vote of thanks to
the two gentlemen who had addressed the Chamber, said
that he had no doubt the profits mentioned as being likely
to accrue from cotton cultivation in Queensland were below 1
the minimum. The English manufacturers had a double
reason for encouraging the production of cotton in the Aus-
tralian possessions. because a new market was being created
for our own markets, while we were at the same time im-
porting the raw material. He did not participate in the
alarm felt by some because our people were emigrating to
the colonies. Why should there not be a division in the
current of emigration, and why should not the British
colonies, and Australia in particular, have the advantage?
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. J. CHEETHAM seconded the motion, and recom-
mended the employment of Indian or Chinese labour in
Queensland. He said that the administrators of that coun-
try presented a blight contrast to the apathy, neglect, and
even hostility of the administrators of India, who seemed to
have no other work than from the House of Commons and
their own private rooms in the Council-office to abuse those
men from whom they derived those salaries for which they
gave a most inadequate return. (Loud applause.)
The Hon. Mr. HERBERT, in reply to one or two ques-
tions, said that Sir Charles Nicholson was quite correct in
his estimate of the present rate of wages throughout the
colony. In Brisbane the average rate of wages was ss. per
day, without rations, to a spade labourer. In a company in
which he himself was interested labourers were engaged at
£3O a-year, with rations. In the north of the colony, where
the population was thin, wages were higher. At Rock-
hampton wages were 10s. per day. He had known £1 a
day paid for labour of a not very severe character. Coolie
labour would be considerably cheaper—less than one-half.
In the colder parts of the country it was assumed one Eng-
lishman would be equal to two coolies. A large number of
Germans were now being introduced who were wilting to
be indentured for a couple of years, at £2.0 a-year, with ra-
tions. With these kinds of labour both Sea Island and
Upland cotton could be grown with profit. The same regu-
lations which were adopted in the Mauritius with regard to
coolies would also be adopted in Australia.

The motion was unanimously carried, and the proceed-
ings terminated.

STATE OP TRADE.

DUNDEE, Jan. 20.—At the St. Petersburg market for
flax dealers were exorbitant in their demands. At Riga
buyers were willing to operate at 47r0. for K 1, but dealers
hold out for 48ro. Since last report only a moderate busi-
ness has been done here, but the market keeps very firm,
and sellers anticipate a farther advance. To-day a few
transactions are reported at full prices, and the market
closed strong. Common tow and cedilla are dull, but other
qualities are in good request, and the higher marks are now
scarce and dear. Hemp is quiet, and' prices are without
change. There is, for the moment, scarcely so much life
in the jute market as of late, but sales continue to be made
daily, and prices are maintained. For flax and tow yarns
there is not the same eager inquiry there was lately, still
the demand is good, and sales to a considerable extent were
made to-day at full prices. Jute yarns are as much wanted
as ever, and prices have still an upward tendency. The
sales making in yarns are for forward delivery, there being
none in stock- linens of all kinds, brown, and bleached,
coarse and fine, are as ranch wanted as ever, and large sales
continue to be made at full prices for delivery several weeks
hence. The greatest activity prevails in all departments of
trade, both here and in the neighbouring towns, and active
preparations are going forward to increase the number of
power looms in Dundee, Arbroath, and other places.
LEICESTER, 21st.--There has been rather more doing
in hosiery goods during the past few clays, but the demand
canoot be said to be really active. Business is, however,
healthy, and all stocks are kept down. At Hinckley there
is yet a goad deal of dietress, and trade continues flit. In
the rural districts generally business is quiet. Yarns are
realizing very high prices, and worsted spinners continue
well engaged. In wools there is no important change; the
:narket is quiet, but prices tolerably firm.
No rTINGHAM, 21st.—There is a little more doing in the
lace trade, particularly in cotton quillings, for which, in -
deed, there is a good demand. There are less plain stiff
nets finishing, prices being extremely high. In other
branches of the cotton trado there is not much doing. A
f w buyers have been in the market both for the home
trade and for shipping,
but orders are still on a limited
scale. In silk goods there is not much change; narrow
edgings are selling rather more freely.

SHOCKING OCCURRENCE* As the driver of a
Hansom cab, named Allen Stowell, was on Mon-
lay morning leaving the South-Western terminus in the
Waterloo -road his horse tripped and fell at the bottom of
the incline, and he was pitched over tho top of the vehicle,
and thrown head foremost against a four-wheeled cab stand
ing in the road. His skull was fractured, and death was
instantaneous.