The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-12 00:00:00

Opinions of the American Press.

Theßoston Advertiser says :—" As visible and gra-
tifying evidence of the position among its fellows
to which peace has restored this nation, we com-
mend our readers to the varied intelligence respect-
ing foreign affairs which we laid before them yes..
terday morning. In the first place, we have the
gallant Commodore Rodgers warning the Spanish
fleet at Valparaiso that they must observe the laws
of nations, and actually hauling in with a fleet
headed by that formidable engine of war the
Nionadnock, between the Spaniards and the town,
and plainly signifying that he is entirely ready to try
conclusions with the Spanish iron-clad flagship.
The English squadron is smaller in the number of
vessels and also guns,' so that for once we do not
play the second fiddle to that customary per-
former. Then we have Mr. Seward discussing the
Mexican questiol with M. Drouyn de L'Huys, with
an evident sense that his feet are at last planted on
solid ground, and bringing the French Minister to
a clear understanding that when the French troops
withdraw it must be without any promises on the
part of the United States to do more than observe
their old policy—which would be to witness calmly
the overturning of Maximilian's throne by the
Mexican people the moment his French ally turns
his back. And, finally, we have Mr. Seward send-
ing his compliments to the Austrian Court, with
the blandest of possible assurances that it will be a
very serious matter indeed if Austrian recruits are
sent over to assist the Archduke in demonstrating
that he is the idol and saviour of his people."
The New York Times of the 26th ult. says that
the exports of cotton from New York " ran ahead
of all precedent during the week ending last even-
ing, having reached 22,277 bales, of the currency
value of $3,882,769, or an average of about one
hundred and seventy-five dollars a balle.,76l2ncblualdeesd,
in the exports were to Liverpool, 7
valued at $3,109,648 ; Cronstadt, 1,412 bales,
valued at $236,100 ; Hamburg, 982 bales, valued at
$157,997 ; Naples, 747 bales, valued at $145,642 ;
Bremen, 682 bales, valued at $122,174 ; Antwerp,
246 bales, valued at $47,363 ; Havre, 308 bales,
valued at $43,145 ; and Barcelona, 137 bales,
valued at $20,700. The footings of the week's
return make the total shipments of the staple from
this port exclusively, since the first of the current
month, 63,731 bales, or an average of about three
thousand bales for each business day ; and since
September 1, 1865, 416,167 bales, worth at least
eighty millions of lawful money. Since the Ist
inst. the receipts at the port have been 36,661 bales,
since Jan. 1, 1866, 271,580 bales ; and since Sept.
1, 1865—less than eight months-723,348 bales,
certainly equal to a currency value of one hundred
and thirty-eight million dollars. Estimates of the
available supply now here range from 170,000
to 230,000 bales, the average being 200,000 bales,
representing a currency value of not less than
thirty-five million dollars.
The Mobile Nationalist says :—" In view of the
general anxiety to procure estimates of the probable
cotton crop of 1866 some of the principal Southern
journals have collected statistics of the expected
yield, which we give in the following:—The Colum-
bus (Georgia) Sun estimates that the crop will yield
fr0m1,200,000 to 1,500,000 bales. The New Orleans
Times thinks it will be 1,500,000 bales. De Bow's
Review, the editor of which has recently made an
extensive tour through the United States, also cal-
culates the crop at 1,500,000 bales. The chief
cotton factors in New Orleans estimate it at from
1,500,000 to 1,800,000 bales. On the other hand,
various letters received by the Secretary of the Trea-
sury from the Southern planters announce that the
crop will barely reach 1,000,000 bales. The way
that De Bow and others arrive at their conclusion
is—first, they calculate that at least one fourth of
the help has disappeared ; second, that a part of the
remainder will not be so effectual as formerly; third,
that one quarter less land is being planted than
usual ; fourth, that a great deal of the fencing, ma-
chinery, stock, &c., has been destroyed or dete-
riorated ; and, adding all these items together, de-
duct a proportionate amount from au average crop.
But do these astute gentlemen not know that if
three-fourths of the help formerly had remained,
only three-fourths as much machinery, &c., would
be needed, as only three-fourths as much land can
be cultivated—but that each man will raise as much
as formerly, and the result will be three-fourths
of a crop ? Now, what are the facts ? We have
talked with a great many men, especially planters,
from every portion of the cotton region, and
the following are our conclusions :-1. There
may be one-third less coloured people on the
plantations than before the war, but there are
enough more white people working, and so much
less land (proportionally) planted in corn, sugar,
rice, &c., that there are in the cotton-fields certainly
not less than three-quarters the force there was in
1860. 2. That while there is, certainly much less

[and planted than formerly, it is mostly sugar, rice,
tobacco, &c., that have been neglected, and that at

Least three-fourths as much land is planted in cotton

as before the war. 3. That while in some few cases

the freedmen are not doing well, they are generally
doing more and better work than whbn they were
held as slaves. 4. We cannot tell how much stock,
&c., has been destroyed, but every planter we have
seen is satisfied that he has enough, or will be able
to procure it, to cultivate and save his own. 5.

The land has had a rest from cotton for several

years, and consequently every agriculturist knows
that it must be in condition to produce an increased

crop per acre. 6. We have known many planters
to give dismal aceounts from distant states and dis-

tricts which they had not seen ; but we have yet to
see one who does not report matters as progressing
much more favourably in his own neighbourhood
than he had believed possible. 7. Having been
raised in Georgia, we are as well acquainted with

the negro as most of his traducers, and we feel con-

fident from our knowledge of his character, and
from the testimony and experience of others, that
the freedmen will work faithfully to the end of the

season, disappointing the croakers as much thereby
as they have already done by going so generally
to work. 8. The cotton raising capacity of the
South had been regularly increasing before
the war, until the crop came to exceed

5,000,000 bales, and, with labour, stock, and
machinery enough, would exceed that amount
now. From the foregoing premises we cannot see
how it will be possible for the forthcoming crop to
fall below 3,000,000 bales, and should not be sur-
prised if it should reach 4,000,000. We have come
to these conclusions with regret, for we believe that
no greater calamity could befall the South than a
3,000,000 bales crop of cotton, carrying the price
down, as it will be sure to do, below the actual
cost, at present high prices, of raising it.

COURSE OF EXCHANGE—Last Evening.„

_
---
Amsterdam Short. 11 15 11 17
Ditto. ... 3 Months. 11 191 12 i
*Rotterdam —1 I 12
BAntwerp — 25 471 25 60
russels — 25 471 25 GO
13 13
Hamburg — 13 12
Paris ..................... , Short 25 10 25 25
Ditto .................... 3 Months. 25 45 25 65
Marseilles
Frankfort, on the Maine 119 120
Vienna
13 50 14 0
Trieste — 13 50 14 0
Petersburgli
_
Berlin
461
47f
Madrid
47 S
_.Cadiz
29 50 O 0
80 0
Leghorn
29 50
Milan
29 50 SO 0
30 0
Genoa
Naples

The proposal to Congreos to pass a law bestowing
c. 12), seems to meet with go
oVthict.sides of the Atlantic, with the
conditional protection on English books in such a shape as
to meet the general requirements of our International
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management of the New York Round Table,
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classes in America to raise its circulation not less than
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about to start a
paper on the plan of our Pall Mall
25,000. Mr. Charlespllap.
New York evening •
Gazette.

Colonel Jenks, of Philadelphia, has invented
breech-loader which loads and fires 32 rounds per minute,
Much is I)DM=nod the hied rapid ruing ever achieved.