Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-04-23
TIE ooTToN Supply.


From The Charleston courier.
The fears Of the British cotton trade in
crease with each successive advance in the
staple, and late mail adyiees from the
other side of the Atlantic are decidedly
gloomy. The rise in the staple since the
Grst OF January is about a hundred per
cent, and sagaeious observers predict
falling of in the British supply this year
of quarter Of a million bales This will
afford a weekly consumption in Great
Britain of only abont A, 900 bales, which is
considerably below the average OF the past
three months. Meantime the state Of trade
at Manchester continues quite unsatisfacto-
ny, goods selling relatively cheaper than
the raw material, as has been the case for
some time past. n fact, "the further cot
ton advance" says a recognized authority,
/" the more impossible is it for Manchester
to follow :" and hence some of the mills are
beginning to shorten production, with the
probability of general aud prolonged re-
sor, 10 dshort time ia case the price
went beyond I'D, which il has already
done. The Liverpool circular of Smith,
Edwards & Co, of the first instant, re-
marks upon the prospects as follows:
Present indications appear TO point 10
an aggregate import into Liverpool Of about
100000 bales, against :, 223, 900 bales last
year, and 100000 bales the year before.
Assuming that the export, as supplied
from Liverpool, only reaches 100000 bales
this year, against 1886, 600 last year, and We
doubt il it will be reduced 40 low, and also
assuming that the stock in this port on the
3Ist of December is reduced TO 100000
bales, against 447 600 last year, and there
will remain for home consumption as fol-
lows:
Bales.
Stock in Liverpool 3lst December 1867. 40700O
Import, 1868. .......3,U UO,OO
D''O'' POI 80 1000
2,7f7.0OO
Less stock Slst December, lsGs........... 100000
Available for home consumption 497 600
Even equal to A, 900 bales per week. Up
10 the 18th ultimo (I21 weeks) the deliv-
cries TO the trade from Liverpool were
763, 900 bales, leaving for the remainder of
the year (394 weeks 49,, 600 bales, or an
average of A, 600 bales per week
81 appears from the above theory of
supply that the largest allowance the trade
can get for the remainder OF the year is
Al, 600 bales per week, and to obtain that
the export demand must be starved, and
the stock at Christmas reduced to 1000
| bales.
"These figures undoubtedly show a posi-
ton of extraordinary strength, and demon
strate beyond doubt, the absolute necessity
of large reduction of the consumption
| from now till the end of the year. Ii fol-
lows that the price of the raw material en-
tirely depends upon the point at which
consumption will be effectually checked"
1t is impossible that the high prices cur
rent will draw out supplies from various
sources in excess of present expectation,
| but from the careful estimates as to snp-
| plies made by the British trade, this would
hardly seem to be probable. 1t is clear
that the question of supply of this essen
tial staple is regarded "a critical on the
other eide Of the Atlantic. The cotton cul-
ture of the South, which was like to be al
most abandoned in consequence Of low
prices auddhe arrangement of labor, vii
now he encouraged. A fair crop may b5
expected the present year, especially as th'
repeal of the cotton tax will take eftec
| apOn il.