The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1861-05-23

no doubt. Mr.. Mcleod. in his travels in EAst-
ern Africa, thus speaks Of the British Colony
Of Natal Is touching It's cotton capabilities
The yield Of one acre, having 5000 plants on
It, averaged two and a-half pounds Of seed cotton
per plant, which, when reduced by the cotton clean
ing gin. give one pound and one-quarter Of clean
cotton to the plant at ID per pound, this would
give the enormous return Of SIS To-. $500 per
acre. There are, n the lowest computation, b4p,-
. 900 acres on the lower or coast-i!ue terrace Cf the
colony which will produce cotton Of this quality, 50
that orr Liverpool merchants may look forward 20 a
supply of no less than 4,sOO. 100000 lbs. Of cotton
from one Of the smallest and latest acquired Of our
colonies. The African cotton, We are told by our man
uacrurers. j. when properly cleaned and giuned,
equal 10 the best uf Sea Island It has a long stu
pie anu woody substance. which makes II emlnenty
desirable for manufacture.
We cannot say how much land in this group
could be devoted TO cotton growing, but Ger
tainly. many thousands Of acres are now lying
waste. which could proftably be devoted to 1t.
BY our Australian papers, we notice that great
inducements are held out on the part OF the
Government 10 encourage its growth, and =
bonus Of 80 per bale i offered for all that may
be raised during loGl. This certainly l. a
liberal encouragement, and must result in mum
erOus fair experiments being made there with it.
Now what We want here j. some such encOUr-
agement 10 stimulate our farmers. Let the
Government offer q bonus OF SO or more for
every bale Of four hundred pounds of merchanta-
bic cotton, which may be grown and delivered
ready for shipment during the next year. This
would be but Il small inducemcnt for growers 10
make the attempt, but would still encourage
them, and be sufficient to insure them against
loss in the experiment. There can be no harm
in making the offer, while much good might
result. If no cotton should be produced, no
bonus Will De called for; but if fifty bales should
be grown, it would be enough probably to show
that the article coaid be raised. and result in
demonstrating that This most profitable staple
can be cultivated here 70 advantage and profit,
which may one day become i large article of
export. Now is the time to act. while the whole
world is agitated with the subject, and England
j. calling loudly for efforts TO be made. 'Strike
while the iron is hot is the old proverb, and
one which we may p~rofitably follow.
An opinion Is prevalent that because the
States are the principal cotton pro-
ducers, therefore it Is Of no use for other por-
tons Of the world to compete with them. But
countries are quite as well adapted to it,
and, moreover, can furnish labor mt half the
cost. Why, then, cannot they produce cotton
There Is no reason TO prevent it.
- Cotton is King but he may not always
make his headquarters at Mobile or Savannah,
nor the Southern Confederacy always control
the commerce Of England and America. The
revolution now in progress in the South, may
yet result in checking the increase. and per-
haps reducing II, supply, Of cotton exported
from thence. That such has been the result
Of revolutions in other parts of the world, facts
corroborate. The course of trade once de-
ranged by internal descriptions and s%trifes, it is
no easy thing to restore it. And the present
troubles at the South may so increase the pro-
luction of cotton in other quarters of the globe,
As materially to reduce, and in some measure
the prosperity of those States. On this
subject of changes in the course OF trade, we
find some remarks in the New York IrLtme,
with which we will close this article:
Previous TO the revolution in St. Domingo, that
sland exported II, 900, 900 pounds of coffee per an
lum. Europe was almost wholly dependent on that
spot for its constantly increasing consumption,
ust as II IS on us for cotton now. The revolution Of
1872 nearly destroyed the coffee culture in St. Do
ningo, and transpianted it TO other regions, Brazil
lmong the number. In 1908, the whole Brazilian
was only 10000 bags but in 1854, the export
o the United States alone was III. 600, 900 pounds.
[ Is now so throughly dOmesticated in Brazil as to be
he pivot on which the whole exchanges of the coun-
~ turn. Commercial history is full Of similar
llusuulhllOls- IhAtG - IUt IiDlt Indigenous 10 inns
Ountry than coffee is to Brazil. In that country on
y n single tree was growing in IVA. The first rice
vas raised in South Carolina from seeds brought from
Madagascar. toward the close of the 18th century.
{ was soon discovered that the marshy ground Of
hat colony produced an article vastly superior TO
ny grown in India. Its cultivation extended so rap
lily, that in 1924 the export was $4,000 terces. This a.,
displaced an equal quantity in foreign
markets. In time its cultivation extended from one ]
olOny to another, the who 4 British supply was {
rawn from America and India was measurably driy- r
II from the European markets. From the handful F.,
( Madagascar seeds, the rice culture has expanded
nto the colossal staple Of thirteen Slave States. In
$50. the production was 2l5, pounds of l
ihich South Carolina alone produced 20 per cent, I
nd the export that year was valued ut S2,G3l 900. i
Vheu st. Domingo revolted, that island produced d
quantities Of indigo, and competed with British :
ndia in supplying Europe. But the revolution L
,Opped it, culture India fell heir TO the whole trade, !
nd retains it to this day. II was also superseded in q
'rlzil 10y coffee. The introduction of rice into South Il
aroliua, drove indigo out Of that colony also, though II
ne article there produced was known in Europe rs 1
lperiOr TO all others, so much so, rs TO sell for 20
1uble price. Here are three prime staples of com Il
erce, every one Of which has changed the place Of n
: production, sometimes impoverishing one country "
: It's loss, and cnriching others 10y its adoption. ?
lille speaking Of these charges, we may inquire II
hat l. 10 be the fate OF American sugar In 1897, "
is country produced 90, 100000 pounds, but the n
reduction now must be near 800, coo, 900. II reyo- b
ON destroyed the vast coffee culture of Hayti, what &
stter luck will 1t bring To sugar in Louisiana In (
and 1853. she received S29, 900, 900 for her d
crops. How much Of this would revolution c.
ave - "