The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-31
An Interesting Cotton Report.


We have received from Mr.. B. +. Nourse,
chairman OF the Statistical Committee of the
National Association Of Cotton Manufacturers
and Planters, the interesting report of that
commlttee, presented October IL, 1870.
ACCORDING to a ratio based upon returns repre-
eenting over eighty-three per cent Of the cotton
spinning power, it gives statement Of the
nome consumption. 1t applies the ratios
obtained from The new returns to October
Rnd from other careful estimates to oil the
cotton mills, North and South, reported and
pnreported, with tho following results,
Feckoned, as last year, in bales of four hum
pred and sixty-six pounds each totals,
k47 mills (73S Northern and 100 Southern,
p, 900 spindcs and ISL, 5G4 bales used in
4S69-7O against S44 mills, G,763, 557 spindles
hnd 1854, 254 bales used in lS6S-G9, showing an
Increase of 350,443 spindles and II, $40 bales.
The consumption per spindle in Northern mills,
ST pounds, against 81. l3 pounds last year,
confirms the opinion held by the trade that the
average fabrics produced this year were
Tighter than for the year ending August 81,
1860, and much lighter than for the year pre-
ceding that, when the rate was 59.57 pounds
per spindle, or fifteen per cent more than dur
ing the year just closed. Low prices, active
Grade, good profits and the consequent full
working Of mills-largely on heavy goods-in
1s67-6S are assigned as explaining the diffe-
Fence between the weekly consumption OF that
year, IL, 600 bales, and the weekly consumption
pf this year, less than $1,000 bales, under
opposite conditions.
The smaller production in the mills since the
spring of 1869, especially of heavy goods, has
not kept pace with the consumption, and now
the surplus is reduced very low--of the popu-
lar fabrics quite exhausted. The report pre-
Aicts that the demand to meet the necessities
of our rapidly increasing population will be
large and imperative, for the manufacturing
power has not Increased with the population,
even since the war, and il will be seconded by
p demand for export whenever the price Of
export goods will justify the restoration OF
this once extensive and profitable trade. The
demand to come from the needs of consumers
nnd exporters, and the lower prices of cotton,
etill further to be cheapened, according to tho
prevalent opinion, under tie combined effect
of present excess in supply and the war in
Europe together open to manufacturers a
better prospect than they have had for long
time. The total production of the last cotton
crop is estimated at about $500, 900 bales.
The average weight Of bales as reported by
mills September /, 1870, is 465.72 pounds,
the result varying slightly from the average last
year, 465.34 pounds. The average weight of
lhe whole crop Of lSG9-7O is about FIVE pounds
per bale less than in the preceding year. yet
The average in the table, from mill returns, is
hbout the same as last year, inasmuch as the
manufacturers took their cotton chiefly from
the localities whence came the heaviest bales.
The aggregate stock of cotton in all the Euro
pean ports October /, 1SGa amounted to
6S3, 900 bales. We have not the actual data
D. tho 90 date fhia pasr. Int computing from
The figures of September Is it appears that the
aggregate will be about S25, 900 bales, or about
242, 900 bales more than in 1869, while the
potion at sea for Europe is about $4,000
bales less than last year, leaving ne: increase
Of about 10000 bales. The cotton crop now
coming in is favoraby reported from all sec
lions, leading TO estimates that range between
B,5O0,000 and 100000 bales. But the
National Association of Cotton Manufacture
ers and Planters does not indulge in prophecies
Pf future supply and price. 1t deals with
facts in the past and present, wisely consider
Sng that all such Speculative opinions are
useless in the presence of the fearful war
which is devastating France and impoverishing
the Prussian people, and moro or less para
Lying the trade and industry of other coun-
tries.