The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-06-27
The Supply Of Cottah and the Pacific
Railrshd,

The California jcurnail are indulginp in in
terestng speculations z4lo the possible in
fiuence Of a Railroad to De Pacific unon tn,
future history of the Cotton market Tn,
following upon ire sufJs4, We cut from the
San Francisco Times of afeceDtdste
We have heretofore sF9ken of the interest
the cotton producers of tbT nited States will
have in securing to ourcommerce the markets
for manufactured cottops Tpw opening in the
western countries of the Pacific. The de-
mand for raw cottons 80 constantly kept
pace with the supply, " prices SO far have
maintained themselves a such highly remun
erative rates, that the Hs*ibility OF eompeti-
ton is dismissed from ths 4smerican mind and
but little interest is hssn other sources of
supply. .Ef sssJaisis :: 4
| tempt to raise cotton IN British INDIA was a
failure hut we find the cotton exports from
there in 1889 to Great Britain was 100000
bales, nearly one fourth as much as was sent
| from the United States to Great Britain; be-
| sides this amount, the raw cotton shipped
| from INDIA TO China amounted to more than
12oOOOOO0. These shipments were made
when years OF rebellion had crippled every
energy OF the country, and when the net
work OF railroads planned to open up transport
IN the cotton growing regions of Indian were
not half completed. Egypt under her better
government is increasing her resources in
this respect the BraZilS b: wing direct COM
munlcation by steam with England, are daily
giving more attention to special culture of her
liberal market and the shipment of cotton
to England last year, from these two coun
tries amounted to one-tenth that shipped
from the United States Thus from these
three sources, two of which cannot be easily
diverted from the English market we find
thirty three per cent. as much cotton sent as
from the United States lnlia is now peace
able, her roads are being pushed to completion
the growth and clearing of cotton is better un-
derstood, and we may fairly look for largely
Increased supply of low -pnced cotton from
that quarter. Brazil is receiving every benefit
that English capital machinery and aid can
give. Each day gives Great Britain fir1ner
hold on her commerce and greater influence
on her products the effect will soon be shown
in a doubled cotton product from the Brazs.
These are at present the main sources of sup
ply but Great Britain has never f,ltered in
her determination to achieve comparative in
dependence of us in this respect Four mil
lFOHS vi pCOptt hGpciEu ulTSCiIF on lIllS
trade for subsistence, and thIrty-three per
cent; of the entire value of her exports are in
its manufacture. We have conquered her
with cotton bales too often for her not to be
restive under this commercial yoke. When
that Government is in earnest, there is gu ct
energy and perseverance, in all their arrange
ments, and from what has hen done in In
dia, under disadvantage, we may infer what
may done in the Southern Africa, where the
advantages to cotton culture are many.
Labor is abundant and civilization at so low |
a scale that subsection is easy, the staple of
the cotton and soil is favorable the climate not
unhealthy, water communication portion of
the year, rail communication feasible, adioin- |
ing one other own colonies, a country of bound |
less extent with no probability Of disturbance |
from any other power, the lairest of fields for |
English capital to on, and in VIII ch industry !
and enterprise will be stimulated hy govern |
ment subsidy to the utmost In the next |
three years the supplies Of other countries to |
Fngland's markets will equal one half that |
from the United States. True, we have other |
and increasing markets, but. as the English |
market governs the price and demand for
cotton, we need only look there for the gen
eral effect on the demand for this CROP and |
s&hgSa N kAa
growers Of this stapie te have shown that
British Incia produces more cotton than the
amount consumed by all the manufactures of
the United States, and the probability of her
great increase of producton. May it not be
well for the South to look to the immense con-
sumption of cotton which would take place
in our home market for the manufacture of
coarse goods, if by rail across the continent
and steam upon the Pacific, we can acquire
early and firm foothold in the Asiatic mar
ket for our goods. To accomplish this, manu-
actories must be started in the great West
md Southwestern States, near to the produc-
i've States and to the line of continental rail-
'oad. Parallel with the growth of cotton in
other countries. a demand might be created at
lome, which, in time Of peace. would check
lecline of prices, and in time of war give sale
o the planters. The millions of Asia afford
market not easily surfeited Steam on
heir navigable rivers will make openings to
far greater than those now enjoyed.