American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-08-01

informed respecting Ill Lne IoSoiuuohnAy Pi"nS
. and movements in progress, and therefore infer
that something more than idle rumors and false
reports have reached US.
The Cotton PlSnt.
Some account of this important American
product cannot fail to interest every reader
and in the synopsis we here give, every fact
stated has been carefully and accurately ex-
amined.
This plant is spontaneous production of the
hot or tropical climates. 1t derives it's name
from the Arabic word koton, signifying thin OF
fine. For the clothing Of man it now ranks first
Of four principal materials; fax, wool and silk
are the other three They are Indigenous to
Asia-neither of them SO to Europe, except
wool, which may be regarded as natural pro-
duct of all northern and temperate chimes, al
though, the sheep being unknown to America
before its discovery, wool was unknown in all
this vast continent anterior to that time. The
wool Of the Vicuna, however, which is anala-
gous to what we commonly call wool, was well
known. Cotton and fax were indigenous to
Africa and America as well as Asia.
Cotton-now first and most important as a
fabric-was the last generally diffused. Silk,
wool, and linen were in use three thousand
years ago; probably, indeed, longer than that
time. Down to the age of the advent of
Christ, cotton was almost unknown as material
for the use of man, except in India. Instead,
however, Of coming to perfection in that coun-
try it's fabrication was first carried to the highest
improvement in an island Of the German Ocean,
vexed with storms and around which cold breezes
often blow at all seasons Of the year. Nor did
this occur until more than three thousand years
after its application to the clothing of man.
Arkwright first showed the vast applicability
and the versatile nature Of its uses in the latter
half of the eighteenth century. He said, in his
enthusiasm at the mightyr of hisinventive
genius, 81 will pay off the national debt" but
he didnot properly consider the prodigaliy of the
aristocracy of England. The Chinese, who were
early in the invention and improvement of not
few arts, did not use cotton until the eleventh
century of the Christian era. Even now they
import the raw material, although some of their
southern provinces can undoubtedly raise it
well.
About two hundred years ago cotton was first
cultivated in its great storehouse and garden
United States of North America Its culture the
gradually increased and, sixty-fve years ago,
Mr.. Madison, in writing to friend, says:
"There is no reason to doubt that the United
States will one day become a great cotton pro-
ducing country" Whitney, q native Of Con-
necticut, was the inventor of machinery no less
necessary to cheaper cotton fabrics than the
inventions of Arkwright, Cartwright, Compton,
and others. He invented the CoTToN- GIN-glo-
rious to his country but it would have been
still more glorious if he had been permitted to
reap the fruits of his inventive powers--an
equitable claim which, every great inventor is
entitled to realize in all its extent, but which,
to the shame of mankind, few have been allowed
to enjoy.
The simultaneous great inventions in America
and England gave its various value to the cot
ton plant; and the attempt now to supersede it
by fax will prove q ridiculous failure, and
eyince only the mad zeal of certain men against
product which God has given in his mercy,
To fight against the plain DEGREES of God in the
structure of the earth, and in its productions,
is only to show the folly of man.
In the year 1892 the whole cotton crop was
estimated at 13s, 1923 lbs; 1896, $780, 800 lbs;
in 1912 it was 7S3, 321, 800 lbs. II! In 184S it
was estimated at $4,000 bales in 1861 it is
computed, according to the greater or less ac-
curate information Of persons at from 2, 600, 900
to 8, 100, 900 bales $4,000 bales would pro-
badly be near the truth
England takes about four-sevenths of this
the United States probably nine -twenty- eighths.
France uses valuable part
At Lowell, the various establishments made
about seventy-fve millions of yards of cotton
cloth in 1848 and used nearly twenty-three
millions of pounds of cotton. The amount OF
cloth now annually manufactured there is not
less than ninety millions of yards, which would
give consumption at that one manufacturing
city of nearly twenty millions of pounds Of
cotton.
If this our Union continue as all true pa
triots desire and pray, how long viii it be ere
we consume at home one-half Of our whole pro-
duct of cotton? Probably not exceeding twelve
years.
We are pleased ct being privileged to an
nounce that Cumberland can at last boast of q
public bathing -house. Unionist.
Then she must heretofore have had many
private ones, for her people have always looked
bright and tidy. But every town, if Of but I
thousand inhabitants, should have its public
lighthouses, and private baths within them
Both as o moral and sanitary regulation this