New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-01-17

ENGLAND AND COTTON.


according to the Mercury, is the liberation Of the
British cotton manufacturers from their previous
dependence on the supply Of American cotton,
| The failure Of the American supply had always
been regarded as possible contingency, but no
one imagined that it would come in the form in
which IT actually presented itself. 1t was antici-
mated AZ the result Of some future war with the
United States, in which case the operations Of
American privateers or war vessels might have
prevented the nee importation of the staple from
those countries to which England looked for 4
supplemental supply. In such an event, deeI
distress would inevitably have been brought upor
the manufacturing population of Great Britain.
Happily the dreaded failure occurred at time
when all other circumstances combined to offel
every possible relief to the menaced industry O.
England. Every sea remained open to Englisl
merchant vessels during the whole course Of thu
American war. Whatever supplies of cotton al
the other countries Of the world could turnisl
were at hand to make up the deficiency of thu
American material Nor was the deficiency o
cotton aggravated by a deficiency of corn. Foo
during the whole time was abundant, and thus ON
Of the direst of the possible concomitant evils Q
| the cotton famine was ayerted. In the meantim,
| the absence Of American competition stimulated
| the cotton culture in all the cotton producing
/ countries. Wherever cotton could be wrung from
the earth, it was forced out BY the attraction o
| the fabulous prices prevailing in Europe. Every
| spare acre was planted in cotton wherever labor
could be had for its production. The merchants
and manufac turers Of England poured their CAPT
| tai into all the cotton producing countries-int
India into Africa, into the Islandsof the West and
of the East, in order to charm the hand Of labor
into unwonted industry.
These causes naturally were not destitute Of ef-
fects, Or these efforts Of results. Under the e1-
cessveIy and abnormally stimulating influences Of
the last five years the cotton culture Of the world
outside Of the Southern States Of America, has
been wrought up to its highest degree Of develop
nent. India, which, before the war, produced
| two hundred million pounds Of cotton, now pro-
ducez nearly Six hundred millions. Moreover the
progress Of railway transportation in India has
removed one difficulty in the way Of profitable cul
tnre Of the staple. IN Egypt the introduction Of
foreign capital and abundant achinery, combined
with the temptation Of high prices, has caused an
increase to the extent of three hundred per cent.
The same phenomena have been exhibited in Bra
I'll and to more limited extent in other countries.
Thus England has managed to escape the disasters
which were at one time threatened as the result
of a cessation of the supply Of American cotton.
But is the Mercury justified in assuming that
the English manufacturers have permanently dis
enthraed themselves from dependence on the
American product? Four years of war in this
country did for them what all the efforts of all the
cotton leagues and cotton producing societies.
Of the last thirty years failed in accomplishing
They made the cotton culture profitable on large
scale, in countries which previously had been to-
tally unable to compete with America. But they
made IT profitable precisely on account of the
absence Of American competition. The expert
ment of cotton raising outside of these States, has
been tried under circumstances, confessedly. of
the most favorable character. No element Of sue
cess has been wanting. And success, just as far
as success is practicable has been achieved But
when we see that in spite Of the immensely in
creased supplies from India and elsewhere, cotton
has ruled at sixty cents pound and upwards in
Liverpool during the last year in place of twelve
cents before the war, it is plain that the assumed
independence of America is rather more Of loss
than gain to Great Britain. Unless the British
manufacturers have quite lost their senses, they
would be very willing to give up this nominal but
costly independence for return to the old but
economical state Of dependence.
h Y lPs.s, pan e'ias Aniel1can
n any alia. l. can " produced VIII
- -, 1euy 80 -. ishoaiu even ind
s..s.,.a a. = y ~
III i I. = =.
nore n w,
Il III i ~ 80 Z
4 An, u $500 eneapy
M sa,raIasysa @ i, - s'...
4 4, ~, IT. u Mnne
i ! ttat H. -. = snu"
~, I, u, 10. supply e'ses
I, j II ps,naps esen niofe
- - a. pAos 1ua' nave NJ.
81, aasiI:. 80 49, = ~ sieas s'apis ana
Ut apiiily ~ plouuce ~ hore clleaply than any
4 4. assps' - ~. 'Aei " cofropo.
M fanc;s,. t .la 80 - ieaa9,s :,
IA cesast;an &C ~ 10y ueiiseu
u, Z ~, Z oo1son,
III, 49, a,..ss, stoWsfs u iau,a ana
M dnvvr &c ~ a.a, 'Ss - - 'ie pfeaa.
I s,ar;ca a.. tha ras,,s ~. ssse iapor IN
NJ afaat ;,s,aa.a, l.. 1 Il, snis enanse' V nave
a carse n rarn,sro,,t a..ba,a a', inus. pe
IA mi, aa.ra.,s,,. sA.laassen. = prices
~ eoseoh
~ nsspe, Mpuiu ~ very I'm,
s : n, 40 IA ~ is so'eoil tnal'iaeF
turers Of England. But, we learn from this CON
fesson that even If tha cost IF rais;no eotton IN