Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-09-23

September / ends the cotton year and
marks the dividing line between two crops.
La place OF the vague speculation and guess
work with which the gentlemen of the mills
and the markets have had hitherto to CON
tent themselves, we have now the figures
showing the actual production for the wear
1881, aud indicating the disposition which
the world made OF the staple. The Fiada-
cidl Chronicle, in its careful and compre-
hensive review of the cotton crop and
movement for the year ending September l, I
makes the total crop reach 5435 S45 bales
The yield OF 1880 was $3.50, 1923 bales, show
ing a falling off Of ,153,4S4 bales. This
loss may be charged to the drought and
the ravages, in certain localities, of the
cotton worm. The acreage planted 20 co..
ton last year would have Welded, with
favorable weather and exemption from the
worm, q larger crop than that OF 1SS0-per-
haps fully 1000 600 bales, SO that the
weather and the worm together robbed the
country of about S75, ,000, ,000. There are
some modifying circumstances to be con-
sidered, however. The average weight
of tho bales In 1881 was 1858
pounds, for the year jus5 ended it was
1857, or more than 10 pounds lighter.
Measured by last years average weight per
bale, the crop grown In 1881 would be but
s, ,32l $50 bales. On the other hand, the last
crop was much cleaner, containing less
sand, dust and "trash" than that grown in
1880, so that Ia its superior spinning quail
ties and yarn product there is to be found
partial, If not complete compensation for
the lightness Of the tales.
The crop wss disposed OF as follows: Ex-
ported, 1886, OBJ bales; taken by spinners at
home, 1861 ,2C6; stock on hand September l,
40, 722. The eXports last year were 4 $685.,
279 bales. The European consumption OF
cotton, however, has been larger than ever
before. Great Britain having increased her
average weekly consumption from 68,692
bales in 1881 to 70,500 IN 1882, while the
weekly takings of Great Britain and the Con-
tinent together rose from 125, 53S bales to
130,250. The years importations of all
Europe mount up to 6760,000 bales,
Of 400 pounds each, the last two
months takings being estimated, the
actual figures not being yet obtainable. But
as our exports fell off 1,001, 24S bales, the
increase had TO be sought in another quar-
ter. India supplied most of it, sending to
all Europe 100000 bales "a the eight
months beginning January l of the present
year, against LOSS, 900 bales in the CORE
spending period last year. The Financial
Chronicle estimates that Europe will want,
during the year just begun, $50 600 bales
more than she took In the year just closed.
From present appearances we shall be
abundsntlY able to supply her needs.
In estimating home consumption for the
year it is necessary to take into account the
21S, ,043 bales on hand September, 1881.
This makes, with the crop grown that year,
an available supply for export and manufac-
ture of 5, ,653, ,SSS. D5duciing X ports, known
losses by fire, and the present stock on
hand. the total takings of the spinners of
the United States for the year are seen to
have been 1883, ,206 balee, of which 1,66l,206
were taken by Northern and 23S, 600 by
Southern mills. The amount taken by
Northern spinners fell off 25 ,598 from the
previous years figures, while the Southern
mills show an increase In their takings OF
$4,000 bales. This is the natural result OF
the rapid expansion of the manufacturing
interest In the Cotton States. In 1S79-S0,
with 157 mills, these States manufactured
179 900 bales Of cotton. They now have
252 mills-not all vet In operation-with
capital Of $41, PAL 450, or $2,000,000 greater
than two years ago, and have decreased their
consumption 59,0 600 bales in these two years.
The falling off ia Northern consumption has
resulted in part from the unfavorable condi-
tion Of the market for print cloths and sheet
ings, and in part from the suspension of
work at the Harmony Mills, the Pacific
Mills, and at Fall River on account of
troubles with operatives. The cloth market
has been overs ocked all the year, and
waile the staple has risen 10 price, the
manufactured product has fallen. Low mid
ding upland cotton sold for II 11-16c. per
pound year ago. 1t is now nearly cent
higher. Standard sheetings have, mean
while, after slight rise during the winter
months, fallen from SIC. to SLc., an6
print cloths, which ood at DC. last fall, are
now quoted at 85c.
The prospect for the future is nevertheless
excellent. An increased home consumption
will naturally result from the bountiful har-
vests of the year, and every spindle will be
kept busy. AS the Chronicle Justly points
out, we have in this connection TO look only
to the condition of the home market for our
cotton goods, as our tariff protects us
against foreign customers for our manufac-
lures" The effect OF this is to shut our
mills up to purchasers ia the United States,
and as the demand naturally falls off in
years of short crops end depressed trade.
they must suffer periodically from
the evils OF oVerproduction, since they
can find no outside market for their
goods, The exports OF cotton
N anufsctuTes for the year ending June 30
was only $13, ,2l2 979, or $3.50, ,30S less than in
the preceding year. Put this insignificant
sum in comparison with Great Britain's ex-
port Of 1896, 100000 for the calendar year
1881, and 1t is evident at a glance that some
thing is wrong, for we have In this contest
important advantages which would tell de-
cisively in our favor II we were not hRndi-
capped ia some other direction. We have
the raw material 600 miles nearer our mills
than the Manchester manufacturers; wages
in this branch Of manufacture are but
slightly, ii at all, higher here than there,
our goods are Of better quality, as every
one knows who has read the State Depart
ment's report ON the cotton goods trade Of
the world. Yet Great Britain exports thirty
'imos as many dollars worth OF cotton goods
as we do.