Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-03-11
The American Consul ON Cotton
Adulterati0u,
Manchester guardian. February IS.

AuuANcIdAAUNs
Manchester Guardian, February IS.
Colonel shaw, United States Consul 10
this city, has furnished to his government his
annual report on the state Of trade in his
district. He has given much attention, IS
we have from time TO time stated, to the
numerous complaints of the bad and
adulterated state in which much American
cotton reaches this market, and We subjoin
his statements and conclusions:
Complaints as to the adulteration CT
American cotton by the addition OF dust
and sand are not only more general than the
complaints In regard to the mixing and
dsmping of cotton, but they are likewise Of
a far more serious character. There have
been extreme cases brought to my attention
in both respects, and some Of these have
been Of 5 shameful description. Whether
the adultefatiOn consists OF q percentage OF
sand OF of an equal percentage Of damp, the
aetusl loss to the spinner is the same N
each instance. l have, therefore, endeav
ored to obtain precise information on this
subject In the course OF my inquiries, the
spinners were asked TO stste what kind OF
sand Is most frequently found in the cotton,
and in what quantities It has been discOv-
cred; whether they aseribe it to the need Of
more efficient apparatus for cleansing the
cotton, or whether the proportion Of sand
Is sometimes so large as to lead them to
believe that il has been willfully
added. They were also desired to say
from what parts of America they # eeive the
worst adulterated and worst sorted cotton,
and whether any particular class Of cotton
is more complained Of than others. The
answers to these questions are somewhat
huniliatiDg to an American. In too many
cases the sdulteration is fragrant and extern
sive. oldham" l am told, 'hss to pur-
chase, st the price Of cotton, Thousands Of
tons Of white and red sand every year, and
some concerns, il is said, have been carried
on at 8 loss 10 consequence of this grievous
sdulteration of the raw material. / am in
clined TO the opinion that the above esti-
mate is erroneous, and that hundreds Of
tons" would come nearer the truth than
thousands OF tons;n but, in either view,
the undoubted presence Of sand and damp
in large percentage in bales Of our cotton is
q scandal that cannot be exposed, and the
frauds done away with, s dsy too soon. In
some instances the sand is evidently thrown
into the cotton, during the process of pack
ing, in shovelfuls, and enc Of the largest
consumers OF American cotton in Ian
cashire-a spinner in the Ashton
under Lyme district, whose supply
Is mostly from New Orleans
mentions q case in which nearly 100 pounds
OF sand was found in one bale Of cotton. In
quite a number Of cases that have been
brought TO my notice, sand In quantities
varying from 20 to so pounds has been
found IN the middle Of bales of cotton. The
sand was evidently wet when the bales were
pressed, because, In some instances, the
cotton about the sand was discolored and
''caked." A Preston cotton spinner, who
has worked every kind of cotton named ia
the Liverpool Weekly Cotton Circular, from
sea island to Bengal" and who makes it g
practice to examine personally 70 per cent.
Of the cotton used by bis firm, informs me
that "the adulteration OF cotton with dust
and sand Is a nest almost peculiar to Ameri-
can cotton. Very rarely Che says is sandy
lot Of cotton alike as regards the amount of
adulteration. Some bales may be wholly
free from sand, others Will contain more or
less, while two or three bales will be
full of it." A Warrington firm Of
cotton spinners, who are extensive
buyers Of American cotton, say that in most
cases the sand is So evenly distributed
through the bale as to give to the cotton 8
deep red color. while in ether instances the
sand is so very fine and white as to be hardly
perceptible at the first glance, and has the
appearance, upon examination, OF having
been blown into the cotton. This view is
likewise held by an Oldham spinner, who
says that "dust and sand are apparently
blown into the cotton by some process at
purchaser is able to assess from samples,
with tolerable certainty, the proportion OF
sand In the cotton he is buying, but in many
instances, | am assured, the sand varies so
considerably even in the same bale as to
render 1t impossible, by means of samples,
TO determine the amount of adulteratiOn
with any degree Of accuracy. Only one of
the numerous cotton spinners have consult
ed on this subject replied that In some
he corH vgoa Faroho hlv loft IN tho
ton through the inefficient action Of the gins,
and the same gentlemau-a Stockport spin
ner-declsres that In some cases sand and
dust are evidently put into cotton at or be-
| fore packing, some bales being found quite
free from sand, while others Of the same lot
contain large quantities, such as could not
possibly be taken up either in growing,
packing or ginning. A spinner In the
Stockport district states that he purchased
q lot Of 100 bales. one quarter of which
we're heavily laden with fine red sand, vary
ing from 9 to 20 per at. of their weight.
A Warrington firm of cotton spinners in
form me that they have recently made sew
eral tests 10 learn the amount of sand In the
cotton they were using, strictly good and
good ordinary Texas and Orleans.
| The results varied from 1915 to %
per cent, and averaged 1713 per cent.
of sand, which, in their opinion, had
been Willfully put into the cotton. They
! add, "We consider that our average loss
from sand has been not less than 10 per
cent" In the last case the loss appears IN
usually heavy, and was, no DOUBT, eKcep-
| tional. That It was serious no one will deny
when the large average loss OF 10 per cent.
Is considered. a Preston cotton spinner
| finds middling and low middling cotton
most subject to sand, and states that "leafy''
and "sticky" cotton is less liable to it. a
| Stockport gentleman, who has had nearly
| forty years experience as a cotton spinner,
| made the following statement on this sub
| iect: SIN ordinary American the loss is
| very heavy, little less in low middling,
while middling and upwards shows consid-
| cradle loss from sand and dust. Twenty
i7e or thirty years ago, middling Orleans
/ would only lose about per cent. In the
blowing room, and now, even in qualities
| above that, the loss is seldom under per
cent, and often more than that. | have
| had apparently clean cotton which has lost
| 9 per cent. in the blowing room. Orleans
and Texas are pronounced the most lossy
cotton" Many old cotton spinners state
| that the adulteration Of American cotton Is
much greater now than It was before the war.
| The explanation is advanced that likely the
| increased number OF small producers Of
cotton has LED frauds to increase the weight
| OF cotton sold by this poorer class.
| In reply to queries as to whether the con-
sumner Of American cotton has any means of
OBTAINING compensation in respect Of a1ul-
| terated cotton, an Oldham spinner states
that in cases where such cotton had been
purchased ''on spot" in Liverpool, there
was a remedy in respect of csksd cotton,
which is considered understandable, and an
allowance could be claimed by the puI-
chaser; but in cases where similar cotton
had been purchased in America, there was
no remedy for caked cotton. Whether cot
ton was bought ION spot" or otherwise, in
no case could an allowance be obtained for
damp. A Mossley spinner says the con-
sumer can generally obtain compensation in
cases of gross adulteFation or OF false pack
ing, but not so generally from damp or sandy
cotton; and Stockport spinner informs me
that the consumers receive no recompense
for "spot" cotton, but for false packed OF
caked cotton, damaged and unmerchant-
able, they recover from the merchant. A
Preston spinner ststes: "As to compensation
for damp, the consumer has hitherto had
no redress. but the increasing amount OF
damp found IN American cotton has caused
such an outcry that the various associations
of cotton spinners are beginning to take the
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