New-York daily tribune., 1861-08-11

beginnings have required years Of trial and i'm.
proyement to transform the first imperfect con.
ception into thr complete machine, it sprang
from whitney's admir- genius with no defect
to remedy, no hal-deseloped principle, but per-
feet, comprehensive and triumphant. No i'm.
prOyement on the principle he embodied in its
operation has ever been made--the machine of
to-day is identical with the crude model which
he first exhibited to the group Of wondering
planters nearly seventy years ago.
At that time it was days work for woman TO
separate the seed from one pound of cotton and
after the slaves had been aboriDg all day in thefield
they were collected in groups in the evening to
separate tho seed from the staple, with oyerseers
to lash the weary sluegards into continuous
activity. The gin, turned by hand, with cyl
inder only two feet long, enabled one slave to
do the work Of fifty. Crowds came long distances
to witness its operations, butbeDg denied admission
until the patent had been secured, they broke open
the building at night and carried away the
machine. Machines were set up in many
places, and, the single condition upOa which
a national success had depended being now sup.
piled, the very next year the crop was nearly
doubled, and the export nearly quadrupled. The
whole crop was then 100000 pounds, and the
total export only 4S7,6OO. Six years later, the
production rose to 35,OOO,0OO pounds, half of
which was exported, aud the South began there
after to take rank in Europe as the chief source
from which future supplies were to be obtained
These figures show how Immediately Southern
sense adopted this great invention, and how
extensively it was used to transform q mere do
mestic necessity into vast national staple. Our
cotton quickly excluded that of Iodia from the
markets OF tho civilized world the rapid operations
of machinery in cleaning it eiiectually enabling US
to underse the cheapest labor known. This ex-
clusion continued until the British Government
introduced into that country all the improved
American machinery for ginning, packing,
aud preparing cotton for market. Under
this imitation Of our own successful efforts,
India has risen to a high rank as q cotton
grower. No pains are being spared to make her
even more productive. Up to May, 1860, more
than Sl30 600, coo had been spent in building
railroads and $40, ,0C0, coo more will be expended
this year in the same Manner These roads are
built with espccial reference to transporting cot
ton from the remote interior to the coast, from
which the cost OF carriage has heretofore ex-
cludel it, Into this vast interior cotlon-gins
are being extensively introduced, ard the cheap
cotton culture established, while the railroad
follows TO bear its product away to market.
II American cotton-seed has failed in India, our
cottou.giD has been q success. We have tri-
umphed thus far, only because We adopted it in
advance of all others. 1t is evident that India,
thus initiating our example, is fast overtaking US
in the race.
The capacity of Whitney's great invention TO
unlock tue mighty resources OF the cotton fields
of Africa is becoming equally apparent The
tine for our monopoly of its wealth giving powers
has gone BY. Thousands Of his machines are now
going into the interior of that continent, where
they are eagerly purchased by the natives, who
deliver the ginned cotton to English agencies es-
tabished there to purchase it for Manchester.
The amount so produced is annually increasing,
while its quality is superior to ours. As our SUI
premacy dates from the mere accident of the
cotton. ain having been Invented here, so will
other regions trace their Importance to its eAtcn-
siye introduction there. The same agency which
gave the ascendency to us must enable them to
deprive us of il. The British alarm for cotton
must necessarily be only temporary. II they are
ever TO be without full supply, it wall be be-
cause of their long rejection OF the cotton.gin.