, 1876-06-28

I0t&l........... .......7. 154. 0eQ ..-.
few years. ago tho British consumption
was equal to ~ per coat,
The latest danger to this cotton trado Of
England ia the growing loss Of the exports
to 1ndia- India produces her own cotton,
aud In bygouo Times produced mt only nil
tho cotton goods her people needed, but e1-
ported then largely. But tile primitive
wearing Of Inda could not survive compe-
tition with English machinery propelled by
ateam gonornted with cheap coal. Though
tho cost Of labor in Intlia was nominal and
that Of the cotton tritiing, the mills Of Eu-
gland could deliver the machine.made cloth
to the peoplo Of India cheaper than thoy
could produce it by hand. In tho progross
OF timo tllcre has been groa. improvements
in India. There has been largo accumula-
ton Of capital thero has beon m nd
Vance In tho commercial cultivation of
the people. Expanded and Intelligent views
Of industrial md economic questions have
taken doep root, and As roauit It las como
to pass that 1ndin Inns gone back to tho
manufacture at cotton gools,- in ths
old style Of hansl-looma, but with the mpst
1nodernized nnd improved atoam-, machinery
imported FROM England. Iii 1858 tho first
Indian cotton mill was built, and OF tie closo
Of 1876 there were forty mills iii operation,
eighteen of which wcro established in 1873,
The capital invested IN these mills In July,
1874, wis e, ,0S5, 900 rupees cqunl to about
:l1,uoo,Wo Of our money, while in Eovo1n.
her, 1875. it Ind rcached $40, 600, 900. The
number Of spiu&alys al work In India Is
1000, ,oOo, an increase of 100, ,ooO in 1876. It
il estimated thot G,00o, 900 Of spi miles will
make ali tue cotton goods that can be con.
au1nea in India, antl That number, at tho
pscsont rato Of inereaso, will bo rapjdly
reache1.
These fncts haye attractcd considerable at-
tention in England, especially in Lancashire,
II is atatcd by writer In the F3rtntQhtly
Rerst'o that there IL half a million OF people
and fleo,ooo,ooo ($eoo, ,ooo, ,00o) Of capltal
directly employed in Eng!and in tho cotton
traac, which, with various other Industries,
including the shipping trade, depend for
their prosperity upon tho foreign demand TOR
these goods. Tho average british product
Of cloths and yarns ia 9G5, 1909 pounds,
OF which only 16 per cont, or l6f, COX, 600
pounds, are retained for home consumption.
Tho Government OF India is, OF course,
supported by revenue derived from taxation,
aud, curious!y enough, one part OF this tnx
Ia duty OF per cent on tho imports OF
cotton manufactures. All British cotton
goods satesing India pay this duty of per
cont. The tux is light one, but In tho
alarmed state Of the cotton interest In En-
gland 1t Is regarded ~ q ser,ous in
jury to British trade. 1t is claim
ed that this tax. though lavied for
revenue. ia in fact a. protection
to Indian industry, and that under its pro-
lection Tia Indian cotton mi1ls are rapidly
building up to tho exclusion Of the 1nauufao.
tsYes OF England. The writer, speaking in
the interest Of tho capital and labor Of En-.
gland, earnestly appeals for tho repeal Of
this per cent duty before its repeal ba too
lato, and before India will be producing all
the cotton she moods, md will become an ex-
porter to ull tho adjacent countries Of tho
East. 1t il aasurtod that already tho Inl,an
Import Of Driti6l cottonx Of tho coarset