Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-04-26
Expectation orCotton from Africa

The following is an extract from a letter
from Mr. THOMAS CLEGG, large cotton spin
ner in Manchester, published in the London
Ne,cs. describing the result of several years
experiments in establishing the expectation Of
cotton, from Africa. His principal establish
ment is in Abbeo-kute:
Up to the LIST of this month"; March, 1852
/ had sent out l57 cotton gins, costing from
G3 rs d. to fl0 los. each.
| have entered into correspondence with
upwards of seventy-siX native and other Afri-
can traders. u or % of til, IN being CHI Ifs,
many of whom have begun 10 consign their
cotton as we'll other produce to me. In
conducting this affair | have to venture. and
have now outstanding about "a 693, every
shilling of which | expect to receive back;
indeed have bills of lading and advices of
great quantities of cotton and other produce
being on its way to me now, both on cOnsign-
mcnt and in liquidation of what is owing to
me.
| have had one transaction with one of these
traders. from which he received $500, and it
is both satisfactory and pleasing to know that
every trader. almost invariably takes back
hardware earthenware. cotton goods or other
merchandise for the whole amount of cotton
or other produce sent here. Owing to two
extensive fires at AbbeOkuta | have not got
quite as muCu COTTON a. Expected III 1921,
but have bad cotton adviccs and bills of la
ding for shipments from Lagos up TO the 2Sih
December. as follows, vZ,-pcr Candace, 40
bales; Gambia, 10 bales; Invincible "a bales;
Token. SO bales; Jarrow, II bales; Gambia
ll6 bales; St. George. 81 bales; Powerful 249
bales; Oscar. 81 bales; Saltern Rock, 245 bales;
Propeller. 81 bales-in the whole, 929 bales.
Add to these, Il tons burned in the first fire.
and 5000 to 1000 TBS. in the second-32l bales.
Total produc, d, or rather collected for send
ing To me. of usual size, 1850 bales African
cotton. This quaaity has therefore, been
purchased, and there has still always been
plenty more Offering on like terms, viZ:-3d
per h. in the seed. Ga this account the pco-
pie of Abbeokuta cannot be made to believe
that England can purchase all the cotton that
they can produce; and yet. AbbcOkuta Is but
Just on the hOrdcr-at one corner, | may say
of the great cotton field of Western Africa
extending from Abbeokula to the Niger, and
away into the interior.
Coupling my experience, on this coast, the
belief of the Abbeokutans and the recent
despatch of DIR. Baikie from the Niger to our
government, where he states that the Rev.
Mr.. Clarke has seen 1T LA near llorin, in the
Yoruba country, - or 10 packages of clean
cotton offered for sale. weighing IS ibs. to 80
lbs each, and had been assured by the natives
that on market days (every fourth) from one
10 TWO thouSauu eucA bags were offered Tor
sale, and this for their own country manuiac-
ture only; | say. coupling these statements
with my operations. VIA ] know uf Tunis aid
Natal, aud what DIR. Livingstone tells us of
the East. can clearly see prospect II the
slave trade being entirely starved outs the
tractable. docil', and intelligent African ris-
ing in the scale of civilization and Christian
ity. in proportion as he is allowed to enjoy
his own rights, aud stay in, till the land, aad
trade in his own native country, even ii CON
| fined To the cultivation of cotton alaar.
Oae trader has ord red good ryiceable
English canoe. to convey the cotton, whilst NE
and another have ord rod each \ good new
| packing press at considerable expense; and rs
! there are now ut least four presses ready for
work. and the natives are able of themselves
To turn out 10 bales daily from each press.
they should turn out 40 daily. or-upward OF
1900 annually, with their present applian-
! ces.
Three makers of cotton gins at Manchester,
| ihrough ms aud various other instrumentai.-
ties, have sent out TO Africa the following,
| viz:
| c 81 gins capable 81 cIcaaing leo ~.
| daily, say, for SAFETY, - rs. :, 40 lbs
/ ID. 60 gins. capable Of cies.4Ing 10 lbs
say for "a i'ty, 50 H. 5 so lbs.
/ j. $50 giga, C1{s4b!c - eeInlGg % lbs
sai,y, say, lor saicty, 10 tbs...... q, 600 lbs