Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-11-26

| The English Cotton Trsde-Gloomy Prospects.
The following interesting ard important article is
| from recent number OF the London Times:
nlle Lancashire emed to be Oscillatpg between
reVVng trade and returning famine and while the pub
tic is scanning with deep anxiety the prospects Of
| ensuing winter, place before the country al
exact and particular account of the progress made dur
ing the last two years to that consummaon viii h is
to render cotton tamnes impossible for the future It
known that We have proclaimed our sites TO the
whole world, and have sounded our demand for cotton
in every quarter of the globe In ali colonies
have been encouraged by authority in all foreign
parts we have applied the smulous OF high prices to
increase the supply This extraordinary demand hes
now been maintained for two years, indeed the Amer
can bio kade has actually existed longer than that and
could have been anticipated with certainty for some
time before Although, therefore, it must be remem
bered that cotton planting is BOT industry to be
matared Ia month or two, might reasonably look
10 the results now ascerained with liveiness of
expectation. With the whole world for sellers, and
England for buyer, the market ought to show some
promising feature. 70 certain extent, indeed this
confidence would be justified, but we doubt whether the
predominant feeling will not be one of disappoint-
ment
We shall present the truth to TIE public by stating
the exact figures of our whole cotton import for the
first six months of the present and two preceding years
In 1851 the American supply had, for the two quar-
tiers in question: been partially affected The blockade
was in force towards the latter part OF the PERIOD but
then the exports had been pushed eagerly forward in
the Leginning OF the year under conviction of the
crisis impending. In those six months, then,
ciug with January and ending with June 1861 the raw
cotton imported into the United Kingdom reached the
amount of 6657 857 cwt OF these, 1914 435 come
from the United States of Misunderstanding 99342
to be supplied from other quarters. OF this remainder
again, India sent Cos, 542-sO that only 25S48O had
to be carried to the account of the world at large
The balance toe, can be reduced still further. As
Egypt contributed 206,9lJ cwt., and Brazil 50, 525-
making together 258 480t follows that the miscella
scattered imports from all parts of the world
except those named produced bat O total of 20 4eO-
his analysis OF the account before will supply some
very convenient standards OF comparison. In contrast
ing the years 1882 and 1853 successfully with 1861
have only to look first 70 the total imports next to
those from America, then to those from India then to
those FROM Brazil and Egypt, and finally, to the bal
ance remaining, which will show what has been done
for Us by the world in general.
In 1862, the total drops down from nearly 70e00 00
as just stated, to little than million and half
ia fact, from G,657 857 to 1,652,733 The decline n
the American contribution explains this at once being
nothing less than fail from 5,874345 to 81 2SS
However, this simply what to be expected; let
Us see how far and from what quarters the deficiency
has been met. India instead OF sending COS $50 cwt
lOOl APT Brazil and Egypt together, instead of send
ing 258480 sent 1l,7G4. Of the whole balance
therefore, of l,Gl 5445 cwt, remaining to ba made up
from other than American sources, the miscellaneous
ports ports OF the world contributed but i2 254 even
in 1862-lndia, Egypt and Brazil providing all the
rest. This year the account exhibits similar features
The total imports have increased 10 an almost non
nal amount-6 8G6. The world, therefore: has up
wards OF 100000 cwt. to supply and of these India
furnishes 1904 1888; ard Brazil and Egypt, between
them, $685. 63 1t results that our miscellaneous cup
plies amount in the aggregate to 357,373.
We consider this somewhat discouragng because it
shows how little at present the whole world stands for
1t Is not that the miscellaneous contributions have
actually increased, tor they have III fact been multiplied
above tenfold-rsng from less than 1000 to upwards
800 600. But the thing comes to nothing when it is
done The whole sweep Of drag net does not bring
in much We get from the single land of Egypt :;
and this is the remarkable from the astonishing
included Ii seems perfectly true that cotton will
grow almost anywhere Even in 1861, when our reli-
ance still upon America, imported the material
from as many as thirty different countries The next
year eleven added, and sixteen more
the year after that. At this minute import raw cot
from sixty different quarters, and yet after all,
gross supply is scarcely sweed by this multitude OF
that depend If anything to interfere with the
Indian or Egyptian exports, should have another
fall. Tha "scatterings" 60 far next to nothing.
Nor do we see any indication of material change
The increase in the India export has been considerable
and steady no doubt, bat not large enough to put
at Bombay, the chief of this supply
has rather fallen off this year. Its exports rose from
656 69l cwt ID 1851 to 64 460 in 1862 but declined
to 1874 200 in 1868 On the other hand, Bengal has
sprung up from some 5000 to more than 10000, and
Singapore now first appears humble contributor.
We observe, too with much interest that China, which
sent nothing in 1861, aad only ID cwt. 10 1862 has
sent US llO469 cwt. in the first six months Of the
present year. But there certain items in the &C
count which requires good deal of explanation. The
exports from the Bahamas REPRESENT of course not home
produce but cotton which had found its way there
from the Confederate States, and other contributions
proba bly, partake of the character Still it is clear
that get but driblets OF this supply The blockade
OF the Southern ports is effective; cotton is kept at
home; and Lancashire not wiEsandng all our 1orts
prastrate in consequence.
We do not pretend to say that any evidence at ,ns
early period Of the experiment be considered concu
sive. Possibly another year may yield very different
return, but do not well where to look for the
improvement 1t must be work OF time and the cues.
ton is whether time will do it, for it is price after
all, which will determine the result Will India or
Egypt any other country or countries together send
not only sufficient cotton, but cotton at I'd pound?
Ii so then the trade OF Lancashire will revive again
but if the material is only TO be bought at twice
that figure then we can never find customers for our
manufactured article as before We have hitherto been
selling the whole world in cotton stus that our
goods found purchasers in every quarter of the globe
and thus cotton trade created 1t has been
pended because cotton becomes dear and it
be restored until cotton became chap. We have fair
stores of the material still, but our manufacturers are
afraid to work it up at the present price That is the
history of the case and fear its aspect is not much
improved by the returns before Even dear cotton
does reach except in drbets, whereas it is only
cheap cotton in abundance that will set the mills OF Ian
cashire at work again
KEEP to THE RIGHr.-One of the conventional
ties of society, generally ignored by people in this city
is the useful OF keeping to the right when per
ambulating the streets Ii every body would observe
this rule there would be less of that awkward falter