The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-25 00:00:00

SUBSTITUTE FOR COTTON.

The leading people and journals of Lancashire continue
to discourage all hopes of finding a substitute for cotton,
amd there can be no question that judging from past ex-
perience in analogous cases, such as that of the dearth of
material for paper, there is reason to believe that most of
the products hastily but confidently suggested will be
found to fail in a greater or less degree upon being brought
to trial. At the same time it may be remarked that the
thought of the Manchester manufacturers on the present
occasion is believed entirely to harmonise with their wish.
Certainly their interest is that a large supply of cotton
should not be immediately produced, and a recognition of
this fact will enable all the promoters of undertakings for
assisting the rapid cultivation of cotton, or the trial of sub-
stitutes, to account for the total absence of pecuniary co-
operation which they allege has been met with in that city.
All the markets of the world are still fairly supplied with
cotton goods from the enormous quantities with which they
were overstocked by the reckless speculation of two years
back—against which at the time it was found vain to at-
tempt a protest—and it is not until these shall have been
further reduced that there will be any particular eagerness
for a new and heavy supply of the staple. Doubtless, the
assumption is that by about that time the prospect of a
termination of the American war, and the gradual increase
of growth in India, Egypt, Brazil, and elsewhere will,
in the natural order of things, have insured a fair quan-
tity, which will quickly increase with every future year,
and that consequently there is no necessity to take any
special measures. Of course the manufacturers suffer in a
considerable degree from the fact of the capital sunk iu their
mill property lying idle, and from the pressure of the poor-
rates in their respective districts, but in the large majority
of instances the loss from these causes is not nearly so great
as the gain on the other side, and hence there is no dismay
at the existing position. No one can find fault with this
state of the manufacturing mind, but it should induce the
English public to insist that the parties concerned shall do
their duty. If Manchester had made a hearty effort six,
12, or 15 months ago to insure the planting of a supply of
cotton in every available quarter the distress of the opera-
tives would already have been greatly mitigated. Man-
chester saw clearly enough that this plan would be less pro-
fitable than that which she has pursued, and she has very
naturally taken her course. As that course, however, in.
wolves tremendous privations to the classes that belong to
her and for whom she is responsible, she must not complain
at being required to accept the consequences. The ques-
tion was, " Shall we gain most by having a sufficiency of
cotton and a fairly employed population, or by a dearth
of cotton and an unemployed population, whom we must be
expected to support ?" The answer was in favour of the
latter alternative. The history of commerce does not
afford a previous instance of any event which has caused
such an enormous financial advantage to any country as
that which (reckoning actual gain and actual saving from
otherwise inevitable loss) has resulted to Great Britain from
the American revolution.

At a meeting yesterday of a few representatives of Lon-
don firms connected with the Manchester trade, to examine
Mr. Harben's proposed substitute for cotton, the following
memorandum was handed to him :

,g In our opinion, the fibre shown to exist within the outer
sheath of the Zostera. Marina is available for extensive use
in manufactures. Its flexibility, its docile nature, its
length, strength, and beauty satisfy us that it is worthy of
the most careful study of practical men. Whether gin
machinery can be economically and successfully applied to
extract the fibre from the outer casing or sheath, wo are
not competent to give an opinion.--JOHN HOWELL (Ellis,
Everington and CO.), WALTER CAPPER (Walter Capperand
CO.), WILLIAM MORLEY (W. and R. Morley), SILAS
CARTER (Daniel Graham and Co).—Sept. 24."
In the autumn of 1861 the Cotton Supply Association of
Manchester sent out to the Brazilian province of San
Paulo a quantity of cotton seed, snd, although it was sown
two months later than the proper time, the San Paulo
Railway Company have received from their superintendent
three samples of the produce, all grown in the pi ovince
and in the vicinity of the railway, which have been valued
by oompetent judges at 2s. 6d., 2s. 41d., and ls. Bd. per
pound respectively.

The last accounts from Australia state that the
American and colonial whalers which have been cruising off
the west coast of New Zealand have been most successful
this season.

THE BANK -NOTE PAPER ROBBERY.--.Messrs.
Hamilton, Webb, and Moss, of the City detective police, in
conjunction with Captain Forrest and Sergeant Leaper, of
the Hampshire constabulary, are actively pursuing their
inquiries into this mysterious robbery. The paper mills at
Laverstoke, after having been visited by the Governor and
Deputy-Governor of the Bank of England, resumed work
last Thursday, under an entirely new system of manage-
ment. It is stated that the officers are upon the trail of the
thieves, but the case is one of much complication.
Copper has been discovered in Icing's Island, an
island about 30 miles in length, situated in Bass's Straits.
THE ACCIDENT AT THE MALVERN TUNNEL.—
GREAT MALVERN, Wednesday.—The accident at the Mal-
vern tunnel of the Worcester and Hereford Railway on
Sunday night, by the falling in of an air-shaft, is still un-
repaired. Workmen have been occupied in removing the
rubbish and shoring up the shaft day and night since the
accident, but it is expected the work will occupy another
day or two before it is completed so as to be pronounced
perfectly safe for passenger traffic.
SINGULAR ACCIDENT AT A HARE HUNT.—Last
week the Elstow barriers, belonging to Mr. Turner A.
Macan, were out hunting, and found a strong animal in a
field near Barford-bridge, over the river Ouse, about five
miles from Bedford, near which the Cambridge and Bed-
ford Railway runs. The hare took to the railway fol-
lowed by the hounds, when the train which leaves Cam-
bridge at 10.10 a.m, was discovered coming at a brisk
rate. The huntsmen and gentlemen followed by the
side of the railway, and endeavoured to call off the dogs,
but without success, they going at full speed after the hare.
Quickly the engine ran upon the track of the pack, in-
stantly killing five fine dogs, sending their remains in all
directions, the engine carrying away a good portion of a
carcase which was fixed in ono of its wheels; the leg of the
sixth dog was cut off, so that the poor animal had after-
wards to be shot. The hare escaped, as did all the horses
awl their riders,