The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-08-13

Cotton Growing-India as a Competitor
With the possible exception OF wheat
cotton Is by far the most important @
agricultural staples. Whether we regar
cotton as afrording employment to vas
multtudes In its growth and manufacture
and as the material that clothes the grea
mass Of mankind; or whether we view 1t a
q subject Of commerce and a source o
revenue to transporter. banker, broker
merchant, manufacturer. artisan. and op
erative, 1t Is difficult to overestimate IT.
Importance or the extent OF Its contribu
tions to the comfort and happiness of man
Native to nearly all inter-tropical regions
the cotton plant has adapted itself to great
ly variant climatic conditions. SO elastic
| Is its constitution, that certain forms are In
| digenous and thrive upon the arid sands o.
the ella and the Oxus while others luxuriate
IN the humid atmosphere Of the Mississippi
delta, and the plains OF the lower Ganges
Its fibre Is as varying as its climatic range
The woollen weavers Of the north Atlantic
| States adulterate their fabrics with the
| kinky tree cottons Of Peru. while other
| American manufacturers improve their
| product by the use or admixture OF the
| lustrous Egyptian fibre.
The gossamer webs Of India are fabricated
from variety OF cotton that Is grown in
perfection nowhere outside a district limited
in extent to less than 100 square miles
and Its superiority Is attributed to annual
submergence Of the land. the deposition OF
alluvial detritus. and the favorable climatic
conditions surrounding its entire growth.
Still, uneQualled as are the choice webs OF
India. they have very numerous kindred.
OF which some are an eighth Of an inch in
thickness and Of greater weight a yard
than that OF hundred yards OF those woven
upon tho bamboo looms OF Dacca.
II India was not the birthplace OF the
bread-making cereals. it was the first re-
corded seat Of cotton culture and manufac-
ture. and Hindu literature as early as 800
B. O. contains explicit directions in relation
to cotton weaving. while In the Rig-Veda,
some 140O B. c., mention is made OF rats
gnawing the weavers' thread to get the
rice sizing.
AS clearly as the Indian people are en-
titled to the credit OF having been among
the first. II not the first. Of the historic
races to cultivate and manufacture cotton,
most Of the cotton grown in India Is OF in
ferior quality and but i'll adapted to the
finer fabrics: and for moro than O century,
efforts more or less persistent, have been
made by Governments. individuals. and as
sociatlons for its improvement by the i'm
portation and distribution Of seed Of Amer
loan and other varieties. but with little re-
suit, as the transplanted forms soon de-
teriorate and become less productive than
the Indigenous.
The manufacturers and statesmen OF
England have long been DESTROYS OF secur.
ing supply Of cotton from British de-
tendencies. in order to relieve their leading
industry from reliance upon q single and
foreign source for the major part OF its
raw material. With this object In view,
the East India Company. as early as
1888. instructed its officials to give every
encouragement to the culture and improve
ment OF Indian cotton. at the same time
100000 pounds Of Indian fibre sent
to England for experimental manufacture.
The erection Of baling presses in the cotton
growing districts soon followed. and seed
was imported from Mauritius, Brazil, China.
and North America. This seed was widely dis
tributed among the growers throughout the
East India Company's dominions. In 1901
small quantities Of Indian cotton, the prod
uce OF seed from Mauritius and Nankin,
reached England. and during the next
eleven years the shipments from India
ranged from 100000 to 2s.ooO.ooo pounds per
annum. From time to time official reports
as to the progress Of the experiments, &C.
by samples Of fibre. were re-
ceived In England; and fresh supplies OF |
West Indian and American seed were dis |
ri b,,f aI rpit tail L.,
lion to culture. cleaning. and preparation |
Of the staple for market.
After the declaration Of war in 1912. Eng |
ish manufacturers. being unable to secure
supplies from America. were forced to seek
raw material in all possible directions. yet
or some reason not now apparent. tho re-
,eipts from India In 1918 and 1914 foil to
about 100000 pounds per annum. About
his time the expedient was resorted to OF
employing Americans from the Southern
states to superintend experimental cotton
and these Instructors carried to
ndia a number Of American saw-gins.
AS an inducement to augment the pro-
luction and expectation of cotton to the
Utmost. the whole inland and export tax was
emitted. after 1916. on all cotton shipped to
treat Britain; and the high prices resulting
rom the American war and the bounties
'aid. both direct and by the abrogation OF
Internal and export taxes. had the effect OF
'reatly stimulating Indian export II not
as the shipments OF cotton rose
rom 100000 pounds in 1916 to 10000, 600
n 1877 and sc, 900 in 1918.
Such an augmentation Of the exports,
owever. was but temporary. as four years
ater they had fallen to 6.742.OOO pounds.
his shows the exotic character OF the
traffic. which declined as the price
ell from the war level OF 81 and 4s cents
ound to II and then to II cents.
From about 1920 to 1910 the efforts OF Ind
IN and British officials and commercial
odies were mostly directed to the distri-
ution Of seed from various cotton-growing
ountries. to endeavors to improve the
methods employed In free
x the Indian product from seed and dirt,
nd to offers of large bounties for the pro-
uction of given quantities Of certain quail
on ~ hra |