Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-03-20
COTTON IS KING.
A late number OF The London Cotton Supply Reporter


Upwards Of 500 900 workers are now employed in our
cotton factories and il has been estimated that least
1000 900 persons in this country dependent upon the
cotton trade for substance. century ago Lancashire
contained population Of only 100000 persons It now
numbers 100000. In the same period of time this
enormous increase exceeds that any other equal
face OF the globe and is entirely owing to the develop
ment of the cotton trade In 1856 there were in the
United Kingdom factories running 2S 900 900 spin
dies and 299 900 looms by $1,000 horsepower Since
that period considerable number of new mills have been
erected and extensive additions have been made to the
spinning and weaving machinery of those previously in
existence The amount of actual capital invested in the
cotton trade Of this kingdom estimated be between
eco, 000, 900 and go, 900, 900 sterling.
The quantity Of cotton imported into this country in
1859 lSl "a millions pounds weight the value Of
which, at Cd per 10. equal to ESQ 900 600 sterling
Out of 2S29, 10 bales of cotton imported into Great
Britain, America has supplied US with 0S6 34l-that is
fvefhs of the whole. In other words out of every
lbs imported from all countries into Great Britain Amer
lea has supplied lbs India has sent US about 500 900
bales Egypt 100 600 South America 1874 OOO and other
countries between 5000 and 5000 bales In 1859 the
total value of the exports from Great Britain amounted
to flSO 1855, Of which f4 920 720 consisted Of cot
ton goods and yarns. Thus more than onethird or Ct
out of every GO of entire exports consists of
Add to this the proportion of cotton which forms part
of the twelve millions exported in the shape Of
mixed woolens, haberdashery millinery, silks apparel
and sops. Great Britain alone consumes twenty -four
millions worth OF cotton goods
Two conclusions therefore, may safely be drawn from
the facts and figures cted-frst that the interests
of every coton-worker are bound UP with a gigantic
trade which keeps in mot enormous mass Of capital
and this capital machinery, and labor depend Tor 7ths
ofits employment upon the slave States of America for
prosperity and continuance secondly, that if a war
should any time break between England and Anne
rica general instruction take place among the slaves
disease sweep off those slaves by DEATH the cotton crop
fall short in quality whether from severe fosts disease
of the plant other possible causes-our mills would
be stopped for want of cotton employers would be ruin
ed and famine would stalk abroad among the hundreds
and thousands of workpeOpe who present fortu
nately well employed. Calculate the consequences for
yourselves. Imagine dearh of cotton, aud you may
picture the horrors of such calamity from the
YOU may possibly have witnessed when the mills have
only short time" Count up all the trades that
kept going of the wages of the working classes
Independent of builders mechanics engineers GOLFERS
&c, employed by the milowners. Railways would cease
to paw and ships would lie rotting in their ports
should a scarcity Of the material for manufacture
oyertake us.