The Sun.
London, England, 1850-01-18 00:00:00

THE SUPPLY OF COTTON.

A special general meeting of the Manchester
Cnamber of Commerce was held at the offices, Town-
hall-building, at eleven o'clock yesterday morning, to
take into consideration whether any course be open
whereby an enlarged commercial intercourse with
India can be promoted, and especially an increased
supply of cotton be obtained.
Mr. Bialey, president ( f the Chamber, occupied
the chair, and among the gentlemen present were—
the Right Hon. T. M. Gibson, M.P., Mr. John
Bright, Mr. William Brown, Mr. James Pilkington,
Mr. James Kershaw. M.P., Mr. Lewis Williams,
vice-president of the Chamber; Mr. Salis Schawb,
Mr. P. Lucas, Mr. W. R. Callender, Mr. T. Ashton,
Mr. H. Ashworth, and Mr. W. M'Connell.
The proceedings were opened by the President,
and the following resolutions were proposed by Mr.
Henry Ashworth, seconded by Mr. Lewis Williams,
and supported at some length by the Right Hon. T.
M. Gibson, M.P, John Bright, Mr. William
Brown, Mr. James Kershaw, M.P., and Mr. W. P.
Clarke, and were unanimously adopted :-
1. That the fact of the co ttinued dependence of ae
great industry ( f this district fir the supply of its raw
material, mainly from a sipgle source, calls for the
serious considetation of all who a7c interested in the
security and prosperity c f the cotton trade.
"2. That notwithstanding the many proofs that the
climate and soil of large portions of British India are
well stf t2cl to the growth c f cottor, and the many and
costly experiments made by the East India Company to
promote its growth within the territories subject to their
rule, this Chamber is reluctantly conai elled to believe
that up to this time no sensible progress has been
made towards procuring for the manufacturers of the
United Kingdom a supply of cott,n ti o pre-lace of
British Ir.dw, and that proof is altogether wanting to
show that efforts hitherto made by the East India Com-
pany have resulted in any increase in the production of
cotton in India.
" 3. That this Chamber is led to believe that the ecc-
nomical condition of ,many pasts of India is unfavour-
able to the extension and permanence of that industry,
without which large and steady exports of cott :n to this
country cannot reasonably be looked f and that it is
essential to the security and well being both cf India and
cf the cotton-trade of England that a searching investi-
gation be instituted into the causes which have so low,
baffled the efforts which have been made to stimulate the
growth of cotton in India.
" 4. T 1 at this Chamber, contemplating the early ex-
piration of the East IndiaComiany's charter, is of opi-
nion that a special commission c f inquiry should be sent
forthwith to India to examine into the condition of the
country, especially within the Presidencies of Bombay
and Madras, with a view to ascertain what are the ob-
stacles to the growth of cotton, and to the extension and
permanence of a profitable industry in the cultivation of
the soil; and the Chamber is also of opinion, that the
report of such a commission would furnish invaluable
information to the Legislature and the public before the
consideration of the future Government of India is again
brought before Parliament.
"5. That the directors of the Chamber be requestnd
to prepare a petition for presentation to the House of
Commons, and a memorial to Lord J. Russell, urging
the appointment of such a commission of inquiry; and
to take such steps as to them may seem desirable to ob-
tain the co-operation of all parties concerned in the
cotton trade in the promotion of this important object."

IMPROVED WATER SUPPLY.-PARISII OF CLERK-
ENwELD.—This parish contains 00,000 inhabitants, and
is the central position of water monopoly, the reservoir
( f the New River Company being situated within its
boundarieF. The rarishioners have' declared themselves
iu fivour of the gereral movement for placing the man-
agement ( f the water supply within the control of the
ratepayers themselves. At a meeting of the ratel ayers
held in vestry last evening to c,,rftider the present supply
of water to this parish and the who'e of the mei-op:Ala,
a series of resolutions were uraninaously passed, appoint-
ing five gentlemen to represent the it t .rests of the parish
as members if the " Parochial Water Supply Associt,.-
tion," which Las been formel by the principal ine t-ope-
litan parishes. The proceedings were characterized by
a unanimity which is seldom exhibited in this Paris". It
was dt (dared that the quantity of the present supply was
very insufficient, that the quality was very impure, and
that the charges for the same were very exorbitant. A
sum of 25/. was voted by the vestry in aid of the a4its-
tion Bow going on throughout the metropolis for securing
a better and cheaper supply of this first aliment of life.
A deputation from the "Parochial Water Supply Asso-
ciation " attended, consisting of Messrs. Cobb, Paine,
and ether gentlemen; and it was stated in the course of
the proceedings that the association already consisted of
representatives appointed by the vestries of metroplitan
parishes containing upwards of 800,000 inhabitants, and
that various sums,
amounting to 8001, had been sub-
scribed and placed at On dispoigi of the Relecnatten.