, 1861-01-12

rary Of the Post viii.
C0TToN-HEw FIELDS OF SUPPLY.
We publish in another column charac-
tezistic letter from John Mitchell, written at
Paris, to the Charleston Mercury, in which
it il broadly asserted TINT the Franco- Eng
Ish war against Chin. has for its object
the opening OF new field for the supply
Of Cotton. ''China," says Mr. Mitchell,
produces at the present time six times as
much cotton as eli the Southern States
put together-no: Of the finest kind, in
"deed, but Of the sort OF which nankecn
is ma1e, in which about three hundred
millions Of people are clothed every day.
Yet where that cotton grows, it is calcu-
"lated that other and better cotton may
"grow; aud the magnificent alluvial raj.
alleys Of Central China, all along the
Hoang-Ho and the Yang-tse-Kia Riy-
'ers, are certainly as capable Of producing
"the most valuablc kinds Of that useful
"plaat as are the valleys Of the Mississippi
"and the Alabama" Add to this, that To-
bor Is more abundant and far cheaper in
China than in the Cotton States of:Anler-
lea; in view Of all Of which, Mr. Mitchell
arrives at the conclusion, that should the
cotton-5rowers Of England once secure a
foothold On those, two rivers, there will be
but little more demand for American cot
ten at Liverpool and Manchester this,
he believes, is the true meaning Of the war
against China
We'll, the arms Of England and France
have prevailed, and as these powers dictat-
cd the treaty Of peace, it is reasonable to
infer that if cotton was their chief object
they have Obtained such terms with re-
spect to it ast they desired. It only remains
to be seen whether Mr. Mitchell is correct
in his statement of facts and the conclu-
sion drawn therefron. But whether or
not his predictions shall bo verified, the fact
that Great Britain is using every possible
means in he7 power to increase the
sources Of cotton supply, is indisputab!c.
Through direct governmental interference
and through theagcucy Of the "Britisn Cot.
tn Supply Association" cotton erowlns
il being stimulated wherever soil and eli
Elate are found favorable to its production.
Through these agencies it has been lately
introduced into Turkey; Greece, Asia Mi
nor, and Australia, with fair promise, Of
success in each country. Africa is being
literally surrounded by belt Of cotton
fia1dl I'm tho NJ.
Leone, Shcrbro aad Abbeokuta cotton gins
have been introduced and the growth Of
Gotten much stimulated. 1T other points,
IN Libcria, along tho Gold Coast, at Benin,
Lagos, and along the line Of the river Nj
ger, g beginning has been made under en-
coucaging circumstances In Southern At
r;ca much is being done; md in Eastern
Africa, along the valleys Of the Shire and
the Zambesi Rivers, the attention of the ma
t;Ecs is being turned to cotton as III article
OF export In the valley Of the former riv-
cr European Colony is now being estab-
lished for raising cotton. While in the
north, the Bcy Of Tunis, though with less
prospect Of success, is seeking to turn the
attention Of his subjects to the same brunch
Of industry. In Egypt, from which one
hundred thousand bales are now annually
exported, snch is the stimulus recently Civ
en- to its culture, that it is thought its an
nual exports will very soon reach one mil
lion Of bales Still, the great cotton re-
gion Of Africa, lying lar in the interior, has
scarcely yet been touched. At the present
time three explorers are trayersing differ
cnt parts Of that region, under the auspices
OF the British government, and their re-
ports are OF a highly encouraging char
acter.
But It Is in India that tue government of
Gseat Britain is putting forth the most cx-
traordinary efforts to increase the supply
These efforts are Of quite recent date, hay
ing been entered upon since the expiration
Of the East India Company s charter, about
three years ago. The cxorbitant rental
required under that Company's adn:nistra-
ton, greatly discouraged the culture, while
the difficulties in the way Of. securing ir1i-
CATION were greater than private propr:etors
'~A~ ANA- ~ o&AAAAoAAAh- L AAE AOiiE EIFEEU-
ment has taken this matter IN hand. Rents
haYe been diminished to q nominal sum,
and canals and other works for irrigation
aEe being constructed on IN extensive
scale Another great drawback TO The
cotton-growing under the administration
Of the Company, was the difficulty of get
ting the product to MARKET. Most of the
cotton exported had to be borne several
hundred miles on .Enllocke, ct tho rate Of
eight OF ten miles day, to tho coast, suE:
fering. damage from water. and dirt by
the way. apd being in poor condi-
ton for market upoa its arrival.
To meet these evils, as well as to strength
en- its power in the country, the Govern
ment' OF Great Britain has guaranteed 10
private companies a lair return upon a
railway system extending more than two
thousand miles through: cottoa.g1owing
districts. "A central line from Calcutta to
Delhi, Of j. 100 miles, is to be completed the
present year. Another from Mndras to
Be.aly, GOO miles, is to ho opened sooa af:
ter. Another from Bombay, of zoo miles,
into the interior, is: in progress. And
another of greater length than the last,
through, Scinde ara : thH Ran5aub, Is also
commenced Similar Inducements arc
he1d out for the construction Of canals for
navigation mid .ttrngahon.tt a: company;
was formed IN. Lnnd dim three reafs ago to
construct a. canal for theae :" purposes
..-n--a.- 15e1. Dn-rv,14