Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-02-23
Cotton supply.
From the Richmond Dispatch


There have been more discoveries of cotton with
in the las. three months than have ever occurred
before since cotton was first heard Of. Suddenly
and simultaneously with the secession of Southern
cotton, the indispensable staple has come to light in
Peru Africa and China. II must be an immense
relief to everybody interested in the manufacture
of cotton, that, just as the world was in despair
about the loss of the Southern supply, there has
been a general rush of all the continents and is
lands of the globe to make good the deficiency
What is no less remarkable and delightful is the
fact that all the discoveries Of the sources of
supply are by Black Republicans which makes it
clear that there can be mistake in the matter,
they have no motive 10 misrepresent the facts and
we're never known to tell a lie in thies lives We
have no idea, therefore. of denying the truth Of
their statements, but shall content ourselves with
some brief explanations, for the proof aRd detail
of which We refer the reader to Retail Invaluable
work on - Southern Wealth and Northern profits"
The quantity of cotton consumed by the cotton
manufacturers of Europe and the United States, is
nearly three hundred million pounds in excess of
the United States production, yet the Southern
States are the sole dependence of England, Europe
and the United States for supply of cotton cloth
ing With all the sources Of supply in existence
and al that may be discoved the manufacturers may
well be anxious for the future. There are many
sources of supply. but the United States alone fur
nish more than they consume, and alone produce
the requisite quality That is the difficulty-that
is the precise hitch that this Perverse King Cotton
has upon his European team, that if at any time
they are disposed to be refractory, he can lead
them in the way which they should 90. as Rafey
does Cruiser
In paper read before the British Society of Arts
by J. B. Smith, Esq, NJ: P, from Stockport, it is OBJ
served. that every one seems impressed with the
necessity of multiplying the sources of supply of
cotton; but that branch of the question, though
a most essential one, appears to have been nearly
overlooked, We need not only a large supply,
and cheap supply, but a supply of peculiar
kind and quality. Mr.. Smith then Classics
into three divisions the cotton required for the trade
OF Great Britain. These divisions are the long
staple the medium staple, and the short staple For
the purpose of British manufactures only limited
quantity of the first and third qualities required
but of the second quality they need and can con-
sumo an almost unlimited supply. "In this fact"
says Mr. Smith, lies our real difficulty; for, while
several quarters of the world supply the first sort,
and India could supply enormous quantities of the
third sort the United States of America alone have
hitherto produced the most necessary kind" And
again: Our great consumption and demand IS for
the soft, white silky, moderately long cotton of
America-the quality usually called 'Uplands,'
Bowed Georgia. and New Orleans We need and
consume nine bags of this cotton for one bag of ell
other qualities put together 1t will thus be seen
that, in announcing new discoveries of sources of
cotton supply our Black Republican yarn-spinners
have not met the case. They must amend their
fabric tons and announce that "Uplands," Bowed
Georgia" &c, have come to light in Peru, China,
&C. We have no doubt they will make this state
ment soon as they perceive the necessity of it.
Mr.. Smith proceeds to state that there is cotton
enough in India but it is its quality that is in fault
and, as far as the past was guide, it would seem
irrevoCably in att Every effort has been made to
improve the character of the Indian cotton. Amer
caa seed has been planted, American planters and
American gins have been sent over, and the result
has been combination in cleanliness and ceior, but
scarcely any change In specific character From
some popularity of climate soil, say,
from aduiteratOn by the air-borne pollen of the in
ferior native plant, the improved and altered char
acter of the cotton has never been kept up.
great deal has been said about the cultivation of
cotton IN Africa but apart from the great difficulty
the quality of the artcle-cotton can only be sue
cessfgy cultivated by slave labor and Rritiah anti
lavsrys has put that Gus of the question, far
England is concerned Moreover if the negroes could
raise and get to market considerable quantity Of
cotton, the result would be, Mr. Kettell observes,
"that all the lsboriously handmade goods now
used by them weuld be superseded by machine
goods, and the demand for these would still exceed
tao supply Ct cotton" Such has been the case
with Egypt. Turkey, South America, China, India,
which, no matter how much COTTON they supply,
tske back great deal more in tho manufactured
article. The United States alone Airofd O surplus
of cotton above the weight Of goods they buy back.
There is prospective dtmsnd for 1900 900
pounds more cotton than is now grown
Here are two facts which the Black Republicans
must take int consideration when they next spin
their Cotton Yarns for the Compromise market: l.
Thai while the use of cotton clothingis rapidly ex-
tending throughout the world, the United States
alone furnish more than they use. 3 That the ex-
tension Of the cotton manufacture in the South Is
taking proportions that will soon enable her to
fuse cotton at all, except in the shape of goods.
The South is master Of the position.