The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-03-19

CONSUMPTION AND Price OF CoTToN.-On.
OF the anticipated effects ofthe eastern war wa
that the consumption of cotton in Great Britain
j during the continuance of the war, would great
ly decrease. Such, however, has not been tht
lease. Reliable statistics show that the con
sumption of cotton, in that country, during th'
past two years, has been quite as large as for
: merly. The weekly consumption of1855. wa
!, 40, ,4O7 bales; of 1854, 81, 1884; Of 1853, 37211
and of1852, 35, 800 bales. The average weigh
of the bales last year, was, however, almost
per cent lighter than in 1854 and about q pei
cent. lighter than in 1852 and 1858, SO that the
increased quantity used was not altogether Sc
large as the number Of bales taken would lead
us to infer. The actual consumption was 81
per cent. more than 1854, and the creates
consumption in any year since the commence.
ment of the manufacture. The total quantity
taken for consumption in the British ports, dur
ing the year 1855, was 2,lOl,1 100 bales, be.
sides which there were 8l6 900 bales taken fol
export to the continent of Europe. The in
creased consumption of cotton during the war;
notwithstanding the somewhat diminished ex-
port of goods to the principal markets, such as
the United States, India and China, Brazil, &C.,
is attributed to the largely increased amount oI
coarse spinning called for in the home market
for the supply of the army and navy, and the
constantly increasing use OF cotton as an ad-
mixture with wool, as well as in the manufac-
ture Of cordage, twine and saicloth, which are
new branches of trade to which cotton has re-
Gently been applied. 7a55#
A little more than one-half (59 per cent. OF
the American crop is required for the supply OF
the English factories-a fact which those Bri-
tsh statesmen and editors who manifest such a
strong disposition to stir up war between the U.
States and England, should bear in mind AS
long as she is SO dependent upon us for cotton,
Great Britain will not dare, without the strong
est of provocations to engage in war with a
country that gives employment and food to SO
MANY thousands of her inhabitants as America
Does Such an act would prove to be suicidal.
/ Ofcourse our commercial interests would be in
juriously affected by such war, but we appre-
hend that those Of Great Britain would suffer
more.
The cotton manufactured has beeneyery where
extending for the last thirty years. and the con-
sumption steadily gaining upon production. II
is probable that this state of things will con-
| tinue until the consumption is checked by high
prices; and when or at what price this effect
will be produced, it is impossible now to say.
So extensive has become the consumption Of
cotton, and to so many uses is it now applied,
| that it may be the point at which enhanced cost
will check consumption, is yet at some distance
ahead.
The prospect of peacein Europe has already
raised the price of cotton materially. The ad-
vance within the last four weeks has been up
| of fbo of
aggregate increase in value, on crop of 3, 500,
| 600 bales, nearly $50, 100000 The consid-
erations for and against the views ofthose an
ticipating further rise, seem very candidly
and fairly stated in the following paragraphs
which we take from an article in the New FORK
Shipping and Commercial List, of the Esd ult.
| The several reasons which may operate
against further advance are, first, that the
business of the cotton manufacturers of Eng.
land and the United States has been for the
last two or three years unremunerative, anc
they are not likely to increase the production
until the prices of goods advance consideraly ir
value. Again, the dearness of money and O
| bread may operate against any increase in the
consumption of manufactures. The price o
cotton during the last year has been sustained
| by the smallness of stocks, and if there is nc
increase in the manufacture, stocks must now
accumulate. "
The counter considerations to be taken into
the account are, that the stocks of both cotton
and goods are SMALL that the price of cotton has
not yet relatively advanced SO much as the pri-
ces Of bread and many other important pro-
ducts, and therefore with such light stocks to
begin with, the supply of raw material will be
promptly taken up. ~
Another consideration is the Limitation Of the
supply of cotton, which, being dependent in a
great measure upon the amount of slave force
employed in the field. is not capable of that
great indefinite extension of which free labor
products are susceptible. Until free labor
can be brought into the cultivation of cotton,
the average crop must remain pretty nearly the
same, as the increase of laborers ir very slight.
1t will be mainly effected by the favorable char
acter Of the season, as the extent of ground
planted continues nearly the same. .-
The stock of cotton on hand on the 1st of
January in Liverpool, London and Glasgow
was 486,47O bales, against 624,459 at the
commencement of 1855, 714,38o in 1854, and
657 $50 in 1853. The stock in the hands of
manufacturers was estimated at about the same
as at the beginning of 1884 and 1855, say from
SO, 200 to 10000 bales.
In the season of 1928, which was a large
crop season, the price of middling Orleans cot
ton in Liverpool was 5Sc., which is the same
quotation now. But money ranged from 9 to
8 per cent, and now from 7 to 8, whilst flour
and wheat were quoted at 98s. and Is. Sd /;
whereas, at present, they stand respectively at
4Os and lis. Cd. N. O. Bulletin.
A methodist congregation of Newark, N. j.,
have erected splendid church edifce, which
was to be dedicated on the fourth Sabbath in
February. The rev. Bishop Jones and simp-
son, of the methodist church north, and bish-
op Pierce, of Georgia, were to oficiate. The
Sparta Georgian says:
$50 anxious were they to secure the services
of the latter gentleman that after failing to ef-
feet it by several epistles, the church sent out
the rev. Mr.. Cox, their pastor. with instructions
to remain with the bishop until his consent is
obtained This he gave reluctantly, as we un-
derstand, entirely on the principle of bringing
about better feeling, if possible, between the
two great branches of the church. The move
ment we regard as an important one, and preg-