The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-22 00:00:00

SOAIWITY OF COTTON.

A large public meeting of the Cotton Supply
Association was held at the Town-hall, Manches-
ter, on Friday. to consider the present inadequate
supply of cotton, and the best moans of extending
its growth. Mr. J. Watts, Mayor of Manchester,
presi.led, and there were present Lord Stanley,
M.P. ; Colonel W. Patten M.P. ; Mr. W. IL
flornby, M.P. ; Mr. Kershaw, M.P. ; Sir A.
Ramsay, M.P. ; Mr. James Platt, M.P. ; Mr. J.
A. Turner, M.P., and many influential gentlemen
connected with the town and district.
Mr. J. A. TURNER, M. P., moved the first reso-
lution, which was as follows
:
"That, in the opinion of this meeting, the supply of
cotton to this country is inadequate to the requirements
of manufacturing industry, and, being almost entirely
derived from one sourc, is uncertain in quantity an
rl
unduly fluctuating in pries. That this meeting believe
the colonial and other dep?odencies of Great Britain
afford v,ropl,i resources or the cultivation and develop'
meat of the cotton plant, and that is the duty as well as
the interest of the British cation to aid in the promotion
of those eff,rts by means by which its growth may be
exended not only in the British dominions, but in ell
accessible countries."
In moving this resolution Mr. Turner deprecated
the apathy of the tracle up en the subject, and said
that unless they could devise means to supply the
present deficiency of cotton the evils would be ag..
gravated and the prosperity of the manufacturing
districts would very rapidly decline-.
Mr. 0. HEYWOOD having seconded the rose'
lution.
Lord STANLEY remarked upon the importance of
the sultject, and entered into various statistics to
show the increase of our productive powers, while
at the same time the supply of cotton was becoming
more defieient. The noble lord remarked that our
supply of cotton in volvd some political consideration"
which were sufficiently obvious. Without wishing
to overstate the case, he considered that our almost
exclusive dependence on the United States for our
cotton was neither desirable nor safe, however im-
probable it might be that the supply would be in-
terrupted either by war, by a social disturbance in
the Southern Stat.fs, or by a failure of the crop.
This state of dependence was of camparatively
recent origin, and it was increasing year by year.
In considering how we were to remedy the evil, be
by no means recommended exclusive attention to
one part of the world, but, after all, whatever We
could do elsewhere, it was to British India that we
must chiefly look. There we had the govern-
ment in our hands, a people singularly docile,
and not unfitted for industry, a command Of
labour which was practically unlimited, and
vast districts comparatively, if not wholly, flu;
cultivated. Colonel Patten, M,P., Dr. Buist,
of
Bombay, and Mr. T. S. Mort (late member of the
Legislative Council of Australia), also supported
the resolution, which was agreed to unanimousbr.
Mr. E. W. Watkins, M.P. for Yarmoutb, moved
the second resolution :--
"Teat this meeting hails with satisfaction the form"'
Hon of the Cotton Supply Association in Manchester,
and pledges itself to use its best endeavours to promote
the objects of that association, and that the petition to
the House of Commons now read in support of the peti-
tion of Mr. J. B. Smith, M.P., upon the affairs of India,
so far as that motion has reference to an increase in the
supply of cotton from that country, be adopted by thi"
meeting."
The petition recited the importance as the cotton
manufacture, amounting last year to more that'
38,000,000/. ; that the raw material last year was
900,000,0001 b., of which 700,000,0001 b. were re'
ceived from the United States ; that the Legislature'
abolished slavery without providing for obtain'
ing free labour ; and concluded with a prayer
for the removal of obstacles to a better supply of
cotton from India. Mr. James Platt, M.P., se'
corded and Sir A. Ramsay supported the resolu-
tion which was agreed to.

SIR WILLIA)i aemivroN AND DR, PARIL—It Wag at
Mr. Dugald Stewart's tbat Sir William met Dr. Parr'
and as I have heard it reported, astonished the colossal
philologist by.evincing a range and accuracy of scholar'
ship not inferior to his own. The erudite doctor, PrT,
bably in gracious condescension to the society in whinP
he found himself, had at first discoursed of Greek Phil°,
sopby, his knowledge of which was certainly extensive,
but finding he did not achieve any decided superiority
this chosen walk, betook himself to an obscurer field of
learning, where he naturally expected to reign alone ; be
led the conversation towards the later and less knowo
Latin poets, with their imitators at the revival of letters,
and in still more recent times, but he soon discovered
that even here his companion was at home ; until
ati
length, finding that, turn where he would, the young
advocate before him could not only fo!low step by step,but was actually able to continue hie quotations, a
correct his reference,,,, his imperturbable superiority gape
virly, mid lie wii.4 int,) sudden
•
" Why, who are you, then, Sir ?" Tile doctor, atoll,
wards appeared, did not forget Sir William Hamiito_
nor lose the impression his extraordinary aCquireMeut
had made upon him.— T. Spencer .Baynes.