New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-09
INDIA COTTON.

The article which we publish in another part
of to-day's TRIBUNE on the history and pros
pects of cotton culture in Hindostan was pre-
pared for us by a gentleman who, having been
long connected officially with the British adj
ministration in that country, has abundant
means of information, and has devoted especial
attention to this subject. 1t is important for
our Southern planters to know just how far
the efforts of Great Britain to emancipate
herself from dependence upon American cotton
fields have been successful, and how far they
are likely to be rewarded hereafter. lt will
be seen from this article that by extraordinary
exertions Great Britain has succeeded in nearly
doubling the amount of cotton drawn
from her Indian possessions, yet the
supply from that source is slowly fall
ing Off and the preponderance OF the
United States in tue Manchester markets
is rapidly increasing. India has just the kind
of soil that is best for cotton growing but
much of this soil is useless without an expen-
sive system of irrigation and though the Gov
eminent in time will probably construct the
necessary works, little OF nothing has been
done as yet and not much can be expected
for number of years. Moreover, it is no easy
matter to persuade the native cultivators to
abandon their food crops and undertake the
raising of q staple which fluctuates in price,
and from which they have heretofore suffered
heavy losses. The curious and complicated
system of land tenure operates rs bar to any
great change, and renders it at the same time
impossible for white settlers to obtain planta-
tions, should they feel disposed to engage in
cotton growing. The work must be left to the
or liGnncn1
heartily into it, there is no power to make
them.
The great difficulty at the start was not to
get enough Of the cotton, but to get 1t Clean
1t came to market in such filthy state, In
consequence partly of the rude method OF
separating the seed from the wool, by which
the seeds were crushed and so stained the
fiber, partly of careless packing and transport
tation, that its value was seriously diminished.
With immense trouble these difficulties were
partially overcome; but then the American
supply was cut off by the war, and curiously
enough this circumstance, which was expected
to powerfully stimulate the India cotton trade,
had a decidedly unfavorabe effect. The de-
mand became so active that the poorest quail
ties of cotton found ready purchasers; the
natives returned to their old slovenly methods
of preparing the lint for market; the reputa-
ton of India cotton fell and when the war
was over and the Southern States began to
export, hardly anybody would touch the Hin
dostan article. and a panic was the conse-
quence. The India planters have never entire
" recovered FROM the effects of this widespread
bankruptcy, and it will be long before they
consent to devote larger share of their farms
to crop from which they have suffered SO
severely. 1t may safely be predicted therefore
that the United States will retain the first
nosition in the cotton markets of Great
Britain which they always held before the war,
and surrendered only for very few years