Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1858-10-09
From the philadelphia North American.
Cotton Cultivation in Africa.

FROM tue Fhtiuueipnin North American.
Cotton Cultivation in Africa,
During the last ten years Western Afri-
ca has been making most rapid progress
Trade has been striking root, and promises
In short time to become of immeuse value.
IL has been demonstrated that the forty or
fifty mllllons of inhabitants of that region
are an industrious race. Some of them are
noted TOR their mercantile Intelligence. en-.
tcrprisc and success Instances have bccn
given in which native merchant laid ont
nifty thousand dollars in the course of a sin
glc,year in the purchase of goods, the mon
ey having been remittcd before the goods
were sent, while another ha6 srcnt thirty
thousand dollars.
1t has been calculated that, between 49,
~ and 1850, the increase of the exports of
British manufactures to that part of the
coast lying between the Senegal and tho
Portuguese colony of Loando, amounted to
one hundred per cent, and since chat time
Che progress made has been much more rap
Id Between 1850 and 1856, the total cx-
ports from Great Britain increased forty
per cent, and during the same six years
the imports of African produce into Eng
land have increased sixty per cent. Palm
oil, timber of valuable kinds, ivory, gold,
ground,nuts, indigo, pepper, rice, coffee,
sugar, and multitude of other articles.
arc only waiting market to be produced
IN any quantities The trade in palm oil
is already valued at ten millions of dollars
per annum. But the most important pros
poet is that of the supply of cotton. 1t is
already manufactured there to considera-
BILE extent. Brazil is reported to have i'm
ported last year quantity of African made
cloths, which It would require upwards of
seven million pounds of cotton to produce.
In 1886, 33, ,495 pounds of cotton were sent
trom Abbeokuta. This amount increased.
IN 1857, to $1,000 pounds; and in the first
SIX months OF the present year, it reached
upwards OF 100, 900 pounds The whole
OF this has been collected, all the labor per-
formed, and the responsibility borne. by
native Africans alone.
The American portion of the population
OF Liberia have commenced, with much
spirit, the cultivation of cotton. About
seventy acres of land, in patches of from
ono to ten acres, ere planted in Montscrado
county One of party of emigrants, be-
longing to Columbus, Georgia, sent home
lately from Liberia sample of cotton. of
species which heads all the time and he
says good Sea Island cotton can be grown
there Native labor is cheap and abun
dant.
The subi6inad extract, from rccentlct-
ter from President Benson, will tend to show
what is doing, and that it is the intention
OF the Llberlans to perseyere in the cult
nF ntNN "a.
Ny Dear SIR
..s1ou have, the. cordial thanks of Liberi-
aus for tho interest you have manifested
for the, developments of the agricultural re-
sources of this country, especially cotton
cultivation, Anything like premiums from
the Manchester Cotton Supply Association
would prove great stimulus to that de-
partlnent ofindustry 1 fully endorse your
every sentiment on the policy of Liberia
exerting herself 10 become II cotton produc-
ing country. Nothing will tend more to
strengthen the bonds between Great Bri-
tam and our republic, and raise it in the
scale OF responsibility. | have been labor
ing lndustriously ever since | have been
IN Office, to secure this object have stri-
ven to keep the subject constantly before
our people. Iencourage them by all posi-
BILE Justi6able means, and ann happy to
say that | now feel encouraged The in
habitants Of the four counties of this rcpub-
lie hayegone earnestly to work at it. There
has been twcnty times more cotton planted
by American-Liberians this year than ever
before, of both native and foreign seed, and
l feel sanguine that its cultivation will in
crease each succeeding year.
We received by tho May steamer ono
half ton of cotton from England, from the
Manchester Cotton Supply Association.-
iSfstaa39;;ag it arrived Two .loi,tsia e
ter the proper season, yet have distribu-
ted it to each county, long since, and tho
inhabitants have planted somewhat oxten-
sively, but nothing to compare with what
they will do next year, when they will have
plenty of seed at the proper planting sea-
son. / repeat that whatever comes from
England in the way of premiums will be
highly appreciated, and will, in my opinion,
have the desired effect.
Most respectfully, your obcdient servant,
STEPHEN A. Benson
Rock ISLAND, Ill, Sept 29.-Thc