Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-09-23
ngIisb views of the Future of Cotton.

,
AT recent meeting of the English CottuI
Supply Association, held at Manchester, solhs
very important facts were elected respecting
the supply and consumption of cotton ir
England. The report states that the ass5cla
tion had proceeded upon the assumption thai
the United States would not be able topro-
duce as much cotton as before the war, and i
had, therefore, been unrenitting in its efforts
to promote the cultivation in other countries
The exertions of the association had been ex
tended to all countries capable Of producing
cotton, and no slight portion of success had
crowned their efforts In some places, as in
Turkey and Egypt, the SUPPLY had fallen short
through temporary causes, and in India pro
duction had. been partially arrested by the
fear of q falling off in the demand. Amin
portant feature of the report is the recon-
mendation that English capital should BEEN
ploycd in the production as we'll as in the
consumption of cotton. .
+ Great stress was laid by the meeting op
the Importance of sufficient supply of cot
ton. For want of this the manufacturers had
suffered immense loss. The spinning trade
to be profitable required six days full.~orE
and this had not been known in England
since 1860. During the current year the aY-
erage was estimated at FIVE and q quarter
days. The consequence of this Reduction o.
production entaiIed losses upon che mantlfao,.
turers amounting TO hundreds Of millions iea
dollars, besides causing great distress to the
operatives. - = -.
= With respect to the supply aud consunIpSI
tion, some important statisticswere presented
During the last ten years the consumption !of
cotton had increased 80 per cent. in England
while the increase of consumption upon ths
Continent was upona much larger ratio Ten
years ago the Continent only took 100000
bales year from England. In 1867 it took
loOO,0 600 bales, besides importing 100000
bales direct. 10 1860 the United States pro.
duced 4,500,00O bales, while the average pro-
duction during the last three years was only
1900, 900 bales. During the cotton year end.
ing on the 1st of September, 1868, supply
of 2,25O,O00 bales could be probably calcui
lated upon from the. United. States. Thers
was q falling off of nearly 2,500,00 bales in
production. The. deficiency could only be
supplied from India, and upon this subject
the statistics were encouraging, although not
altogether free from anxiety. a. I!
=. The cotton statistics of India are of great
Importance. Before. 1861 India only SEMI
47SO00 bales year;to England. In the. next
three years, under the stimulus of:.high prii
ces by our civil war, she sent ] 100000 bales,
During the next three years she sent l,5OO,.
900 bales g. year.. Previous to 1850 the con
sumption of American cotton in England wass
80 per cent. of the whole, and last year the
consumption of American cotton was reduced
to 46 per cent. The growth of Indian cotton
had been stimulated by paying to that coun.
try during the last i've years sotal3o of S625,.
900 900 for the staple. Previously India had
not received over S. .000, 600, or,$3, 500, ,0O9
for cotton. It.was- held that not more than
100000 bales could be expected from the
United States next year, with an annna iu;
crease Of 10 per cent. This amount was bel
|. low the wants of. the manufacturers, and thS
great. Question. remained as to the sources
whence the deficiency in the Ameriuaa sup
ply could be obtained. ), -. /
/: The. general opinion was expressed thatths
increased supply of cotton could only be obi
taiued from India, and that private capital
and Government influence should co-operate
to stimulate production. Increased rail road
facilities and irrigation were relied upon as
means torthis. end. Although much had been
accomplished in this direction, yet the work
was only in its first stages of Development
America and India must remain the great
sources of cotton. supply, and it was to the
especial interest of England to stimulate pro
l. 1oI,o Tho antorfdinoI at
this meeting are Of great Importance, and all
the more so in view of the likelihood Of being
followed up by prompt action on the part Of
English capitalists and the English Govern,
ment. ~ :. -,