The southern press., 1852-01-14
Cotton.


George G. Henry, esq.,, of Mobile, well
known and eminent statistican of cotton, and
whose estimates for number of years are
found to be as nearly correct as practicable, has
furnished DeBow's RepieW with an article on
the growth and consumption of our great staple.
After reviewing the crops for number of years
'st, he concludes with the following interesting
calculations and estimates:
In conclusion of this branch of the subject
supply of cotton-it is be to observed, that the
stock on the first January, $780, in the foreign
ports, notwithstanding the fulIness of the crop
OF the previous years, was reduced to an unusu.
ally low figure, and the quantity in the hands of
the manufacturers very small. The quantity
received in Europe from India, Brazil, &c has
been larger for the past two years than it had
been previously; but this appears to be in con.
sequence of the important fact, that they can
better send their cotton to England, to be re.
turned in a manufactured state, than to manu-
facture it in their own rude way, as formerly,
just as the old.fashioned cards, wheels and
looms in the South have been almost totally
abandoned, because we can buy the machine
manufactured goods too cheap to be bothered
with making the wares ourselves. | emphati-
cally remark, that there is no indication, from
the ascertained and established condition of
things, that the annual production of cotton for
years to come, will equal the annual consump-
tion, for the reasons, that no other country is
adapted to its profitable culture; that it cannot
and will not be extensively produced for sale,
save by slave labor; and that we, having re-
duced all of our lands very nearly to cultivation
which produces it, cannot extend it proportion
ably to its extending consumption. The opin-
ion have before submitted in a circular some
years since, appears to have become fixed fact,
:" that the production of the limited quantity of
new lands annually brought into cultivation,
did not more than compensate for the falling off
in the old by their deterioration"
:" The immense number Of factories of every
sort, rail and plank roads, towns and elegant
country mansions, building and going into ope-
ration South, with our largely increasing popu.
aton is demanding the sowing and planting
of vastly larger quantities of bread stuffs than
ten years ago were requisite. All of which, by
the withdrawing of 80 much labor from the pro-
duction of cotton to the other productions and
industrial pursuits, advantageousy operate to
favor the diminished production of cotton,
"Having considered the subject of supply,
that of consumption of cotton viii next engage
our attention. To my circular of 31st August,
1850, appended tables exhibiting the increase
per cent of production as well ns consumption,
for the two periods of l83a-4O to l843-4, and
l844-5 to l848--9-each of five years. The in.
crease per cent Of consumption for the latter
on the former period was l9l per cent. The
increase of supply or crops of same PERIOD say
the five years of l844-5 to 1889 on that of
l899-40 to l843-4, was about per cent. !
called attention especially to that extraordinary
and gratifying particular, that although the annual
consumption was already greater than the annual
of, IL &
sumption was already greater than the ratio of
increased production. This cannot be too strong
y impressed upon our minds. also called at
tention to another fact of commanding import
ance, viz: that in the latter period, 66l 900 bales
of cotton had been consumed, which had not
been reported in any of the tables had seen or
heard of-wbere it has been consumed is not
very important for us to know, but it is very i'm
portant to know that it has been, as it exhibits
the ratio of increase in its very proper view and
in rather an exciting one, if we properly under
stand it.
The English circulars, Of both last and the
year before, observe that a remarkable feature
will exhibit itself on the examination Of their
tables of consumption, and that is, that notwith-
standing the high prices which had been noted
throughout the year, the consumption had not
only not been diminish, but that the only proba-
BILE check would be an insufficient supply. The
consumption Of the presen. year will be largely
over that of any other in Great Britain France,
and the Continent; and the rapidity of lis in
crease in Russia, Germany, and in the south of
Europe is highly encouraging. may properly
remark here, that important rs is the consump.
ton of cotton in France, and also in Germany,
that their peasantry have been, and are still RELY
ing on flax and hemp for large proportion of