The Sun.
London, England, 1869-08-24 00:00:00

FIIE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 24, 1869.

clear that Manchester would never again be sup-
plied with cotton raised by the same agency. The
South might grow the material as before, but the
cheap service of the slas:e was, and very justly, at an
end. Hence the question of promoting the
growth of the plant in other countries has become
of the highest importance. The problem is one of
extreme difficulty, simply because the remedies
suggested—the extension of the Indian cotton
fields, the establishment of the industry
in Egypt, and even in Northern Australia—
all require time for their development. It is,
unfortunately, too probable that the large por-
tion of the British nation which is dependent on this
manufacture must pass through much more suffering
before the desired end is reached. But there is
no reason to think that the difficulty will
not be overcome eventually, and there is
certainly nothing to be gained by unduly
magnifying the evil whilst it exists. Every
other country in which the cotton manufac-
ture is carried on suffers in proportion as we do.
There is not, so far as human foresight can perceive,
the slightest ground for believing that the manufac-
turing supremacy of England has departed, and
that in future the cotton manufacture will be
most successful where the plant is grown. Those
persons who apprehend such a result, and they are
unfortunately many, ignore most of the conditions
under whiCh such an industry can flourish. To
establish a cotton manufacture it is necessary,
indeed, that there should be plenty of cotton ;
but this is only one requirement. The
coal, the iron, the water supply, the skilled
labour and the faCilities for transit at the command
of Lancashire are riot at present to be found else-
where, and yet they are as indispensible as the plant
itself. It must require some generations before even
the resources of the United States will be so
available as to enable that country to compete
with England, and we cannot concern ourselves with
what may happen, say, a century hence. At
present Lancashire has no rival. It is true that in
other countries cotton goods are made in consider-
able quantities. But this is done only by the help
of a protective duty ; and the articles so manufac-
tured are not sold beyond the frontier of the State
which produces them.

HER MAJESTY.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

AMERICA.

It is gratifying to find that the Americans them-
selves are treating this great question in a practical
manner. They are in no small degree concerned in
the manufacture of Lancashire. If the English
population was enriched by making up cotton, the
Southern States of America were enriched by
growing it. The people of the United States
pay little attention to rivalry in manufacture;
but they are deeply interested in the problem
of once more raising plenty of the raw material to
sell. The negro, it is true, is no longer available.
He is free ; and we are told, with more or less truth,
that the number of the blacks is steadily diminishing,
that they are unwilling to work at cotton cul-
tivation, and that the negro women, who for-
merly rendered much service, are never seen
in the fields. There is no hope, nor can
Englishmen have any wish, for more slave-grown
cotton. But it is not at all improbable that a sub-
stitute for the negro may be found in the person of
the Chinaman. The native of the Celestial Empire
has his faults ; but he possesses also the great
merits of industry and extreme economy. lie can
live upon wages which would scarcely provide the
ordinary emigrant with tobacco and beer. lie
contrives to save where the Englishman would
positively starve. China itself is decidedly over-
stocked with population ; and the Chinese are
imbued with none of that love for country which
acts as a deterrent upon the emigration of most
nations. Lastly, they set little store by their idols
and are ready to give up Paganism without regret.
Such a combination of good qualities is
not to be lost, and Americans are eagerly endeavour-
ing,to profit by them. Thousands of Chinese arrive
every month at San Francisco. It is now proposed
to increase the means of importation, and draft
large numbers to the South in order to till the
cotton fields. The success of this movement—one
of the most remarkable ever known—must be left
for time to decide, but it is clear that
the chances are considerably in its favour.
The New York journals, indeed, are already
assuring us that within a year or two the South will
once more supply England with as much raw cotton
as it will need. It will be well if the prediction
prove correct. There is much to be hoped from
the extension of the Indian produce, as well as that
of other states ; but a renewal of Southern prosperity
would settle the difficulty most readily. The United
States are nearer to England than any other terri-
tory in which the plant can be grown, and their
climate is the most precisely suitable for its culti-
vation. In the meantime, whilst waiting for
better seasons, it will be well not to despair.
The distress in Lancashire is great ; but far less
than it once was. Nor is the present depression to
be attributed to any permanent cause, such as the
decline of the manufacture. The district is still
doing a large business, in spite of its troubles; and
the falling off is, at all events, not owing to the pro-
gress made by any rival state.

THE Act passed in 1867 to enforce the vaccination
of children is meeting with hostility of a remark-
ably persistent character. An Anti-Vaccination
League has been formed, public meetings
have been held, and some persons, with
a zeal worthy of a better cause, have suf-
fered fine and imprisonment rather than comply
with the obnoxious stipulation. It is contended that
vaccination does not to any great extent prevent
smallpox, whilst it induces other diseases and
largely increases the rate of infant mortality.
It seems hopeless to reason with people who
deliberately ignore facts and who consider statistics
as worthless because " they can be made to prove
anything." But it may be well to prevent this
contagious prejudice from spreading by pointing
out what have really been the results of Dr.
JENNER'S discovery. It has never been con-
tended that vaccination can altogether extir-
pate the disease against which it is directed ; for if
persoris who have once suffered from smallpox
sometimes catch the infection again, it is
the more likely that those who have
been vaccinated will sometimes fall a victim.
But that Dr. JENNER'S preventative has greatly
diminished the ill-effects of this scourge is as certain
as any fact connected with human affairs can be. If
we ignore the results of vaccination we must abandon
statistical tests for ever, and grope our way in the
dark henceforth. The compulsory provision has
been in force in Scotland and Ireland since 1864.
Surely the Irish peasants are likely to be as liable to
this disease as English folk. And yet in 1808 the deaths
from smallpox in the single town of Sheffield were ten
times as numerous as in all Ireland and Scotland put
together. It may be said that Sheffield is a manu-
facturing town, but so is Glasgow, which is larger
than Sheffield, so is Lanark, and other towns. Other
places where vaccination is unknown suffer from
smallpox to a degree which is unknown
here. In some parts of India near the Jumna 95
per cent. of the population has been afflicted. In
Japan the blindness caused by this disease is common.
And why have the terrible visitations which formerly
swept over England ceased in this age? Because
the population is better fed, is better provided
for in the matter of sanitary regulations, and
because vaccination is common. The hostility
to this preventative is not, however, difficult to
account for, albeit it is sufficiently deplorable.
People think lightly of vaccination simply because
the evil which it has cured is no longer present
amongst us. As a professional journal beautifully
points out, people were too familiar with the horrible
disease in Dr. JENNEWS day to refuse to try it. The
scientific men ridiculed the great discoverer, and the
sceptical sneered, and the learned wrote. But men
and women had felt the visitation, saw the marks
of the scourge on the faces of their kindred,
and perceived the tomb-stones in the churchyards
multiplying througll a malady which nothing could

stay. And thus Dr. JENNER overcame all opposition.
But now the case is altered. The remedy has done
its work. The signs of the disease are seldom met
with, and blindness or deafness through smallpox
is almost unknown. Hence the outcry of a gene-
ration which cannot appreciate the miseries of its
forefathers, and denounces a great blessing because
the evil which it has driven away is no
longer present. It is sincerely to be hoped that the
English people will give ear to no such groundless
declamation. If vaccination once more becomes
generally out of favour its value will be indeed dearly
learned.

etTpetTl-Irs,
. viit
qq, 444 Ift r.

BALMORAL, August 21.

ller Majesty, accompanied by Princess Louise,
Princess Christian, and Prince Leopold, drove out.
Prince Christian went out grouse shooting.

The Prince of Wales, attended by Lieut.-Col.
Teesdale, left Marlborough I 1 use yesterday morn-
ing for the North.

LATEST INTELL MENGE

NEW YORK, August 23.

Cuban news received from insurgent sources as-
sert that the volunteers are again becoming insub-
ordinate, and that a conspiracy, in which several
prominent Spaniards are involved, has been dis-
covered in favour of Cesfredes, the insurgent
leader.

The Inman Royal mail steamship City of
London arrived here this evening. All well.
The steamer lowa (of the Anchor line) arrived