Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-12-02
AMERICAN COTTON.

1Here is no fnaIerlai auCStszSo N'"-
manufacturing interests as that which forms
the subject of this article. 1t has now arisen
to be the most important of all fbrons sub
stances employed in the arts; and 1t is not
little surprising that it has attained to this po-
stion within very recent period. Our coun-
try is the chief source of its supply, Furnish
ing as it does about eighty per cent of the
whole product. Millions of anxious minds are,
therefore, continually directed TO the source
of IFS cultivation, because an abundant or de-
ficient crop, by raising or lowering its price,
either gives them plentiful labor and the
means of comfortable subsistence, or stops the
wheels of industry, and makes them go idle
in the streets, suppliants for work or bread
In 16il, cotton was first spun in England,
on the common hand wheel, but was only en-
ployed mixed with wool in cloth; and small,
indeed, was the quantity used, even for this
purpose. From 100 to 176O, the only persons
who used it were weavers, who wove it into
cloth during the day, their wives and children
having spun it in the evenings and leisure
hours. 1t was then dear material-although
much cheaper than fine fax-owing to the diff
ficulty of separating the cotton from its seed,
this having been done either by hand picking
or by passing it between rotating rollers. Not
withStanding this, however, its use increased,
and the demand for it soon exceeded the sup
ply. The invention of the cotton gin gave a
wonderful impetus to its culture and the in
ventions of the spinning jenny, mule spinner,
and power looms, whereby, from the field to
woven fabric, it could be operated by machin-
cry, at last raised it to the pinnacle of manu-
featuring fib:ous materials. In England, in
1857, only 4, ,795 900 lbs. were consumed in
1856, no less than ,O23 900 900 lbs. were i'm
ported into that country. Previous to the
present financial difficulties, the demand for it
far exceeded the supply. and would do so now,
were these difficulties removed. Before the
Sepoy mutiny took place, large meetings of
cotton manufacturers were held in England
for the purpose of influencing government to
offer greater encouragement to its cultivation
in the East Indies and other colonies, because
| they felt they were entirely dependent on our
Southern States, and were becoming more 50
| every year.
For the last thirty years its consumption has
doubled every twelve years and at the end of
1856 there was only seven weeks supply of it
in all Great Britain. In its manufacture 379,-
213 British operatives were engaged, whose
yearly earnings exceed $50 000, 900, and tic
capital invested in machinery and buildings
exceeds 5000, ,O00, 600. Two months ago, ow-
ing to the increased demand for cotton, its
price had arisen TO double what it was ten years
since, and many of our cotton manufacturers
as well as those of other countries, had to sus-
pend operations, because the manufactured
cloth could only be sold for about the price of
the raw material, weight for weight. At pres
ent, most of the cotton factories in England
are working only on half time, and those of
our own country even less than this. Our f.
nancial difficulties, no doubt, aggrayate this
evil, but they are not its sole cause it is the
high price of cotton. Since so many persons
are dependent on cotton manufacturing, it is
an important question whether its supply
be increased in proportion to the demand for
it, and its price lowered 10 meet that demand.
1t appears to Us that after the present inan-
cial crisis is over, the price of cotton fabrics
must advance considerable, and this will call
those factories which are now idle into active
operation. The price Of cotton cannot come
down to the low figure at which If ranged ten
years ago; and our Southern States will main
tain the monopoly of its supply to the world
for many years to come, at least, if not for
ever. The East Indies was the first field to
which the British cotton manufacturers were
looking for future cheap supply, to place
them Independent of our planters but the
late mutiny of the Bengal army and the in
suuectionary state of that country have put
East India cotton entirely out Of the ques-
ton. Our cotton crop last year amounted, in
value, to S130, ,000, 600; this year, the calcu-
lation is that it will amount to $780, 100000.
Its value is increasing rapidly every year. 1t
is one of the chief sources of our national
wealth; and upon our yearly crop the whole
cotton manufacturing world is, at present de-
peIding.