The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-01-03

It is thus shown, by the imports Of raw
material into Great Britain, that there ts on
increase of 32,237, ,294 pounds, and an Increase
in her exports to other manufacturing coun-
tries of 46,576,54l pounds. As consequence
of this increased importation of raw material,
England exported during the same ten months
warns and Woollen and worsted fabrics to the
value of EGG, ,528, ,000 against s20, 900 for
the same time in l870-an Increase OF over
twenty-five per cent. Is is also anoliceaDle
fact, In the face of this Increased consumption
and production, that the price of wool has
ranged above that of the preceding year. In
the cotton industry the same state OF affairs
exists. The same report shows that, during
the last Eugllsh cotton year, ending on the
3Oth of Seplsmber last. Great Britain took for
consumption 3,222, 900 bales, against 2, 760, 600
ba'es for the year previous-an increase OF
seventeen per cent; and the Continent 2,046,-
600 bales, against l,627, 900 In ls6s.70-an in-
crease of twenty-five and half per cent. Or,
to present the aggregate, England and the
Continent combined took for consumption
2.03s, 900, 900 pounds of cotton, against l,640,.
10000 the year prevlous-an Increase Oh
twenty-four per cent.
During the American cotton year, ending on
the 3lst Of August, we consumed $4,000 bales
more than the previous year-an increase or
ten per cent, In the United States we have
Imported since the beginning Of the year: &C
cordlng to the authority OF the New YORK
Bulletin, about rs. .OOO, 900 pounds of wool, or
46, SOC, 900 pounds more than during the whole
of 1870, while the receipts OF domestic at New
York and Boston together are about 2,OOO,000
pounds over those OF 1870; and yet the WOOL
dealers report stocks as being, on the aver.
age, quite low. In other words, we ,6 nave I'VE
consumed, since January l. about 5o,OO0,0o
pounds more wool than during the same perl
cd of last year-an increase which is equal to
thirty per cent. of the supply OF domestic and
foreign wool for the whole Of 1870. OF course
this implies very large Increase IN the pro-
ductlon of domestic woollen goods; yet, singu-
larly, with no corresponding effect upon the
demand for like foreign products. the I'M
ports OF woollen manufactures at New YORK
for the first ten months Of the year having
amounted to $50, ,9lO, 900, against s2S, 200, 900
for the like period of 1S70-au increase Of
thirty per cent. Yet, with this large Increase
IN the supply of raw material, strange as 1t
may seem, we find uniformly higher range
of prices-wool fully twenty-five per cent
cotton. The grades that sold at this time Of
last year at 16al6s cents, are now ruling at
l9al94 cents. Flax in the London market Is
f6S per ton, against f63 in September, 1870
and hemp f34 10s., against s32, showing again
high percentage of advance.
We thus see that OF the three great staples
which provides nearly all The clothing wants
"
of supply, accompanied by a consider able adj
vance in price. OF course, high prices imply
an increased demand from manufacturers, but
do the enlarged wants of manufacturers repre-
sent corresponding demand from the con-
sumers of goods? IL Is question OF solicl-
tude with manufacturers If the productive ca.
pacity OF cotton and woollen machinery, both
In this country and England, does not exceed
the capacity of consumers to take at present
prices. 1t Is known to those who have just
returned from Europe that there is large ac.
cumulation of goods in the chief marts, and
that we may reasonably look for very large
consignments of merchandise this spring.
These being the facts, and such the condition
of the markets, is there any reason why prices
should not return to their former level? And,
more, what reason Is there for supposing that
upon any other basis of values 1t will be possi-
bic to distribute among consumers the present
immense production OF textile fabrics? With
abundant capital, cheap In al! the markets OF
the world, no exception to this law can be
maintained In favor OF any particular class of
goods beyond limited period. The plentiful
ness and cheapness Of money Is, in the long
run, the only true barometero OF prices In every
thing, at least, In the absence of failure OF
crops or short supply of any Of the chief sta
pies that are the base Of manufactures.
ndoJnhjn Record