Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-03-16
Cnttnn AdnIferaffnn.


We published few days ago an artl-
Gle from the Manchester Guardian con-
tanning comments upon the report OF
Mr.. Shaw, the American Consul at that
point, on the subject Of the adulteration
Of American cotton, there having been
recently many serious complaints made
by English manufacturers against cotton
from this country on the ground that it
is frequently stained, damp and dirty,
and contains large quantity of sand,
sticks and other foreign substances.
1t might be supposed that these com
plants are based upon the condition OF
last years crop, which, owing to the
continuous and heavy rains which pre-
vailed almost constantly during the pick
ing season of 1880, and which beat out
very large proportion Of the crop and
caused it to be thoroughly mixed up
with trash. was unusually dirty. But
the investigation OF Mr.. Shaw into the
British mill owners complaints that they
had been deceived intopurchssing ''sev-
eral million pounds of American mud at
the rather extortionate price Of ten cents
per pound" showed that those com
plants were based on a much more
serious foundation than the dirty crop
Of 1880. In the first place, the cotton
damaged by the rain Of that year was
not sold at ten cents per pound,
but was disposed of at the low figures of
3, 4 and cents, and was classed as in
feriOr cotton. 1t seems that the adul-
terated cotton of which complaint is
made was of this years crop, which,
owing to the unusually fine picking
season of last fall, was remarkable for
its freedom from trash. Mr.. Shaw was,
therefore, compelled to report that the
complaints are just, and thinks the Eng
lish estimates of the amount of sand
mixed with our cotton under, rather
than above, the true figure. In some
instances the sand had evidently been
thrown into the cotton during the pro-
cess of packing, by shoyelfulls, as much
as one hundred pounds being found in a
single bale The sand he estimated as
constituting from to 26 per cent. Of
the entire weight of cotton, the average
being about 10 per cent. This would
amount to nearly four hundred thou
sand bales out of which English spin
ners are swindled annually in this way.
All the spinners declare that this abuse
has grown up since the war. Previous
to that period the loss to the cotton by
adulteratiOn was never estimated at more
than per cent
Mr.. Shaw is perfectly correct in pre-
nouncing this practice national scandal,
which cannot be too severely condemned,
and which is deserving of the severest
punishment. 1t is a reflection upon the
entire cotton growing community, and is
not only damaging to the reputation of
cotton planters generally, butts injurious
to the American cotton market. Already
it has caused a strong prejudice in Eng
/ land against our cotton, and has affected
its price fully one-half a cent
as compared with the Indian pro
duct, for investigation has shown
that cotton from Egypt. India and other
points is generally free from sand and
damp, and besides is much better packed
than that from this country. The reason
of this is that cotton from India has, of
late years, been required by law to be
thoroughly inspected, and any attempt
at adulteration is severely punished. In
consequence Indian cotton which
is now shipped to England is dry and
clean, and is steadily improving in this
respect, while that from America is
steadily growing worse annually.
This practice. of which certain of the
cotton planters and shippers of this
country are guilty, should be corrected
at once. 1t may perhaps be impossible
for law making cotton adulteration a
penal offense to be effectively executed,
but Nr. Shaw suggests very good way
to stop it. 1t is that each planter put in
the centre of his bale card giving his
name and residence and the weight of
the bale, so that II could be verified at
Manchester. This would enable the
English spinner to trace up any cot
ton he bought in case he found sand
in it, very difficult matter to do now,
in consequence of the confusing marks
on the bales and the torn and ragged
condition of the wrappers. We earnest
" commend this suggestion to our cot
ton planters. No one who is honest in
packing his cotton can object to its
adoption, and really the planters owe it
to themselves that they should pursue
this, or some other, course to enable the
adulterators to be detected. II they will,
Mr.. Shaw declares that the prestige of
American cotton, which is naturally the
finest in the world, will be fully reestab-
lished, but unless something of the sort
is done, he thinks the English spinners
will combine and obtain from Parlia-
ment such legislation as will seriously
affect cur cotton trade with Great
Britain.
The immense benefits which railroads