The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-30 00:00:00

CULTIVATION OF
INDIA.

Tcwards the close
uercial Association
he East ledia Com

th, the Manchester Coin-
ed a letter to the Directors of
on the cultivation a the cotton
In that letter they dreg. attention to the
acreased consumption of cotton in this country, and ex-
ressed their fears that owing to the diversion of land
and labour to other products, the production of the nr-

dant in Ind

iclo in America would rather cii"linish than increase.

In theie opinion, "a crisis in the co!.-ton trade appears to
impend;" and they are therefore extreu_ely anxious that
the Court of Directors should, by energetic, liberal, and
comprehensive measures, clear the ground in India for
the free exercise of British enterprise and intelligence
in the culture of that most necessary article to this
country, and especially to Manchester and the surround-
ing district. The association point out the prominent
obstacles to increased and remunerative production,
which are—the Government assessment or land-tax,
amounting, in two presidencies, to seventy-five per cent.
on the produce; the want of a regular local market for
the-ryot; the badness of the existing roads; the pressure
of local transit dues; dishonest packing, and the igno-
rant or careless use of the saw-gin. The experiments of
the East India Company have, they think, proved that
American cotton can be grown in India, some of the
earliest sown fields having this season produced 7001ba.
per acre; and they contend, on the authority of expe-
rienced parties, that the cultivation " ought now to be
transferred to the native rylbt and merchant, who are
prepared to take it up, and who could produce it at least
fifty per cent. cheaper than the company." In reply to
this letter, the Comme4al Association have received
the following communication:—
" East India House, Nov. 17, 1846.
" sir—l am commanded by the Court of Directors of
the East India Company, to acknowledge the receipt of
your letter, dated the 20th ultimo, stating that fears aro
entertained that the diversion of labour in America from
cotton cultivation, for the purpose of increasing the
production of sugar and other articles of food, will bring
about a crisis in the cotton trade seriously affecting the
manufacturer and operative in the northern districts of
England, and urging, on this and various other grounds,
the great importance of extending and improving the
cultivation of the cotton plant in India, by the removal
of all obstacles that present themselves to an increased
and remunerative production, by the establishment of
local markets, and the construction of roads; and fur-
ther pointing out the frauds that continue to be practised
by the natives of India, for the purpose of increasing
the weight of the cotton; likewise the injury to the
staple by an unskilful use f the saw-gin; and also re-
questing on the part of the Manchester Commercial As-
sociation, certain information regarding the quantity of
cotton ordered by the Court:of Directors to be forwarded
with
o much
England,in the arrival of which, you state, is expected
" In reply, lam commanded to acquaint ycu, that the
interest the Court of Directors have for many years
manifested in the important subject to which you have
drawn their attention has in no degree abated, and that
there is reason to conclude that the exertions of the go-
vernments of India to improve and extend the cultivation
of the cotton plant, and to introduce machinery for ra-
pidly and effectively cleaning the cotton, are likely to be
attended with the best results.

" I am commandedTotiD, that in order to test, the
success of the experiments which have been undertaken,
the Court have given directions for shipment to England
of cotton to the extent of 5,000 or 6,000 bales, if pro-
curable, from each presidency, in the expectation that
the attention of capitalists in this country and in India
will be thereby drawn to the subject, and that they will
be induced to take advantage of the important improve-
ments in the cultivation and preparation of East India
cotton, effected through the measures which ,have been
introduced for that object, at considerable eLpense,
by
the East India Company.—l..am, sir, your most obedient,
humble servant, JANES A. MELTILL,
" James A. Turner, Esq."
—Manchester Examiner.

----
BRISTOL SUGAR MARKET, Nov. 27.—The trade
have shown no disposition to get into stock this week,
and the transactions since our last are quite unimportant.

nmonßvteeherwsid:tnot GENERAL FLORES.—The
ship Glenelg, one of General Flores's squadron, arrived
at Blackwall in tow of three steamers, and was safely
11
_Bristol
TmElifxe;EcurprrY.lort OF
moored there on Saturday morning last at 9 o'clock,
having been brought from Gravesend for greater security,
by order of the Board of Customs. Mr. Ferguson, the
well-known river pilot, was entrusted with the manage-
ment of the ship in her passage up the river ; and Mr.
Forsayth and other officers of the Customs., as well as
Inspector Evans and another officer of the Thames
Police, were, we understand, on board. The Glenelg, as
she lies in the river, is a very gallant looking ship ; and
if she, together with the Monarch and Neptune steamers,
ancient
they
ectoyit
emhnpeeoart
be condemned, which we have reason to think is all but
certain, the ambitious views of Flores on the quiet state
of Ecuador will, doubtless; by the loss of such a squadron,
be effectually crushed for the present, if not for ever.
raaislwthaeywetorternsmverlywhwoarweedirexfyn-mging the line
CURIOUS RELIC OF ANTIQUITY.—Within the last
about nine
Britons
osbnfetotraeng
grinding,
antiquei
Il with
di
n agl, agrugeerns t, oilined, which, when
posed got
to
feet deep, near the old rriacy, in order ‘iti fix a gate post,
have been one of the dong.,:tie utensils used by the
or rather powdering theft
corn to separate it from the husks or cb.,•ff It is of rude
and simple construction, the centre being hollowed out,
of a circular shape, and somewhat. resembling an in-
verted punch bowl. It is conjectured to be nearly 2,000
years old, and is now in the possession of Mr. George
Emsley,—Yorkshireman.