New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-08-23
A Cotton Revolution.

! FROM tHe new 1OrK COMMERCIAL.
In the year 1860, eighty-fve per cent OF
all the cotton used in England was OF
| American growth-but the rebellion put an
end to the virtual monopoly long enjoyed
! by our Southern States, and, as events have
| proved, began complete revolution. The
English manufacturers, deprived by the
war of their usual supplies, cast about for
new fields, and under the stimulus of abso-
lule necessity, they have caused the lands
of the East to become abundantly fruitful
The increasing yield of the new cotton fields,
and their brilliant promise for the future,
are strikingly set forth in a work Just pub
lished in Manchester, under the title of
'The Cotton Supply A. ISOLATION: Its Origin
aud Progress Ine author, Mr.. Isaac Wat g.,
is the secretary of the ASSOCIATION, and he
has drawn the facts of his interesting mar
rative from the Offitill records.
The Cotton Supply Association was or
ganized in 1857, for h. specific purpose of
opening up and developing other sources of
cotton supply than the Southern States of
America; but up to the time of our civil
war its operations were limited in extent
and comparatively barren in result. The
pressure of the cotton famine in 1861 lent
new Vigor to its undertakings, and India
became the theatre of elaborate expert
ments, during period of ten years, are
now given for the first time in connected
official form.
In 1860, the sum paid to India for cotton
was about 81, 500, 900; but in 1864, it had in
creased to $3.50, ZOO, 900; and the average an
nual amount RENTED from England for
cotton during the past eight years is stated
at Sis, 000, 000-showing an aggregate in
crease in the value of the Indian cotton
trade, during this period, of about S750.000,-
600. This astonishing growth has been fol-
lowed by corresponding development of
the cotton producing districts OF Turkey,
Egypt, and Australia Since 1862 the pre-
eminenee of Egypt has been notable fact
in the history of cotton culture. Mr.. Watts
writes that in that year cotton began to be
SO much in favor that cereals were almost
neglected, and the enormous profits derived
from its cultivation during the Anne
rican war led to the abandonment of
the ordinary succession of crops-a result
which the late Viceroy, Said Pacha, beheld
with apprehension and alarm" The present
Khediye. however, has encouraged the new
industry, and during his visit to London, in
1867, gave much attention to the selection
OF cotton seed and to the measures best cal
culated to render the crops excellent and
abundant. Cotton culture is now firmly
established in Egypt, and both the govern
ment and the people are alive to its i'm
portance. 1t is believed that the fertile re-
gioDs which are watered by the Nile will, in
Jllle, DC converted INTO vast COTTON fleld,
and that India, prolific as it now is, will be-
come a secondary source of supply.
These facts indicate the character of the |
change whi1h is gradually coming to our |
Southern States-a change which will de- !
prive the cotton fields of their fancied adj |
vantages, and lead the planters to cultivate |
cereals for home consumption. The altered |
conditions of labor, the partitions of old es- |
tates, the loss of fortune, the necessity of |
giving larger areas of land to the eultiva- |
ton Of corn and grain, are some of the |
causes which must produce marked changes |
in the South; and with the complete explosion |
Of the fallacy that cotton is king, will come |
a better system ofagricultural development,
a sOunder financial basis, and the encourage
ment of the working classes, who are the /
real rulers in republic. Certain districts
in the South, fitted for little else than the
culture of cotton, will continue TO furnish
supplies for the home and foreign demand, |
but the extraordinary developments of ten
years in other fields show that in the gran
,ry, rather than III the cotton bale, the ele-
nents of future prosperity will exist