The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-12-24


from Washington published in yesterday morn
ing's HERALD, to the effect that member Of
Congress had obtained information which showed
that the present years crop of cotton would not
exceed 100000 bales took the commercial
public in this city with surprise. The story is
not credited. 1t must be borne in mind that the
data upon which the intelligence is alleged to
have been based was derived from planters, who
probably have not yet sold out their cotton, and
hence, from the nature of circumstances, they
may favor the "bull" side of the question.
Commercial men and brokers in this city, who
represent both the buyers and sellers of cotton,
or the bulls and bears of the trade and
whose whole business is devoted to finding out
everything about cotton, are likely to be much
better posted about the probable yield Of the crop
than members of Congress, or even the planters
VITO grow the article
The following table gives the crops since
1852
leb2O1 %, ZUZ ocZ
le6s-o4 s50 vi
1eo1- % $50
The total supply Of ls54-'55 was 1922, S45
bales, about 100000 of which it was supposed
belonged to the growth Of 1854, but was kept
back by low stages of water in the Southern
rivers, and hence appeared in the shipments of
1S54-'55-showing the actual growth Of that
year, as stated, at about 1927 ,S45 bales. Hence
crop of 1s56-'57 of 100000 bales, would be a
decrease OF 52 s45 bales on the crop of last year.
and far below any other crop since is50'5I. 1t
would fall below the supply Of last year by s27,-
S4j bales. Such falling of, if once made APP
parent, would probably send up prices in Liver
pool to point they have not attained before in
thirty or forty years.
The prospect of reduced crop is apparent
enough, but not to the extent claimed by a men,
Der Of Congress and his planting friends who
mainly represent the sellers and not the buyers
of cotton.
Letters data and estimates supplied from all
parts of the South by both bears and ..bulls,"
10 leading houses and brokers in this city, show
the following points:-First, that under no cir
camstances is the crop likely to exceed 100000
bales, or by very small amount, if any, while it
cannot probably fan much, if any, below
1890 900 bales Some extreme bears" push
estimates one or two hundred thousand above
three millions Of bales; and some extreme "bulls'
reduce them as low as 100000 to 100000
bales, both of which may be considered out OF
the way. An average would be nearer the
truth.
A crop limited to 100000 bales in the
present increased consumptive demand, will form
an inadequate supply and should monetary
matters become easy in Europe, we cannot
expect to witness any reduction from the present
high prices OF the article. We will here state
fact worthy Of note, not adduced in former ar
ticle-that so inferior is Surat cotton in point of
length and strength Of staple, that it cannot be
profitably manufactured in England without an
admixture with large proportion Of American
cotton. A Cloth made exclusively from Surat
would be IN measure worthless: ana hence the
secret why American heavy piece cotton cloths
sell better than the English in foreign markets
because they are made exclusively of American
grown cotton, while English heavy or coarse cot
ton cloths are said most commonly to contain
more or less Surat, which renders them less
durable.