The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-04-30
The Cotton i'm the Rebel States.
A FRENCH ESTIMATE OF THE SUPPLY IN THE co
FEDERACY.

FRENCH ESTIMATE OF THE SUPPLY IN THE COS'
FEDERACY.
from the Manchester Guardian, March 3l.l
The following circular has been handed to US, with
request for it's publications.
One OF the causes Of the present panic in the cotton
market and the extraordinary decline in prices is
tanly the apprehension OF an early termination Of the
American war, and the consequent immediate heavy
reipts of cotton from the Confederate States
The following estimate Of the probable stock in the
Southern States, compiled by who has been in
terruped communication with the confederacy and who
has taken extraordinary pains to obtain correct infoa
ton on the subject may therefore, be OF interest at the
present moment.
In order get any reliable estimate of stocks OF
cotton the conederacy, must look back first into the
productions of each year Taking, therefore. the first
year of the war; the crop of 1s6l-62 find esti
mates above B. $50 600 bales, and generally 5000 900
have been considered correct estimate. / incline
towards the lesser figure as know that in April 1861
after the first gun fred, many planters of my
quaintance ploughed up fields already with cotton
to plant Indian corn in its place. The season
favorable one, and besides It is well known that most
planters, yong and old had left their homes to join
the army and shat that years crop gathered and
housed with less and attention than usual Taking
all this IN consideration think am rather than
600 bales Is ali that can DC safely Put down as That
years production; say the equivalent it is well
to bale more than two-thrds of that quantity
The crop Of 1862 SO was planted and gathered under
worse circumstances There was general arrangement
In the whole trade Of the country great quantity of
cotton had rotted plantations through exposure to the
weather during the previous winter ard all the letters
from the South during the 1862 stated that
the planting had exceeded rth third
the most ordinary crop The difficulties OF saving
II after was made rather increased that season, and
think that million of bales or the equivalent is
liberal allowance for the crop OF 1862 3d.
The following crop more reduced still. Planters
did not know what TO do with previous crops while In
dian and every article Of food had increased to
famine prices in some localities. Nearly every letter,
every information during the summer Of 1863 pointed
in ono dire ton planters were sowing cotton just enough
u make seeds and were employing all their hands for
tn culture OF corn look therefore, upon five hundred
thousand bales the equivalent outside estimate
The last CROP 1864 65 has oeen almost nil in Tennes
SEQ Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida and parts OF
Georgia and Carolina. There may have been little
THAI the previous planted in Alabama, and
My more in Texas But the season was very bad
one probably from absence of care from some other
cause the army worm made terrible havoc throughout
the south. We know how little cotton made on the
ppi where instead of tho 200 900 300 900 bales
promised 10 New Orleans, only 60 900 bales had been
cycd from LIST September 1854 TO 18th February 1865
against 20 900 bales the spending period OF the
previous year think am right in putting that crop
$50 GOO bales. Indeed, saw lately an estimate OF
$50 900 bales in one Of the papers OF New York.
Recapltalang The totals estimate ne ,cloe produc
lent Of that quantity, il it had been baed
Now, what has become of those $50 600 bales'
Part has been forwarded, part consumed and part de-
sroyed by fire. and part remains in the country now
Tie quantity forwarded by sea and by land has not
been less than 500 900 bales out of the crop of 1s662,
and $50 600 bales during the following two years The
sendings OF the last three months Of 1864 very
large but OF that shall have correct estimate until
lat
Tn total OF 1850 600 bales is easily got at from the
quantity received in Europe and the consumption in the
Northern states.
The quantity consumed in the confedcracy the most
difficult u estimate still We have several leading points
to guide First, there several mills in the South
crn States before the W. T. Wrghrs circulars, for
the years before the war; put down their
sumption about 200 900 bales for each year IL we'll
known that besides, many planters had hand looms max
ing goods for negro clothing This however, was
not general but since the II has become and all
those who ENGAGED in blockade running testify
10 the high pfic paid Tor cotton cards in ls6263 Tho
first years consumption could not have been extensive,
there old stock of goods In the country; but
since only clothing but ropes and even shoes have
been made Of cotton. Woocn blankets were given
to soldiers and replaced by cotton countepanes Cotton,
in fact used for every purpose There other
textile products hemp, flax and very little wool
gathered in the south. Taking into consideration also
the destruction by carelessness Of the waste of hand.
looms think am right in estimating the total con-
sumption the South at 1000 900 bales Indeed have
seen that places far removed from from
tiers cotton had become vaueless as to have been
used by confederate cavalry litter for their horses
The quantity destroyed by fire has been estimated at
600 900 am inclined to think this an exaggeration,
and think $50 900 bales more correct estimate.
Nv figures thus would be-: