The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-07-18

"ouiu NC SultilDle. Inc S9Od grades of
our sea island cotton'' are SO much
more superior in flneness and strength
to the best grades OF EGYPTIAN cotton
that they sell for from so to 100 per
cent. more. The two growths Of cotton
differ SO greatly in their character and
value that there is really no competf-
ton between them. This view Is fully
concurred in by the Southern firm which
sells more sea island cotton" than any
house in the country. Our upland cot
ton" is not good enough to compete with
Egyptian cotton for use in the special
purposes FOR which the latter is I'm
ported, and our sea island cotton Is
too good and too high priced for the
uses in which Egyptian cotton is gone
rally employed.
NEnD OF EGYPTIAN COTTON.
The increase In the use Of Egyptian
cotton here is due to The fact that many
descriptions Of goods are now made in
this country for which we formerly de-
pended entirely upon Europe.
Our inlportS Of Egyptian cotton are
now used i'll about the following man
ncr:
Twenty-Five per cent for "Balbriggan"
underwear and hosiery.
Ihirty-iive per cent for fine cotton
goods requiring Il cotton Of fine and
strong fibre and absolute freedom from
"nits' Or other impcrfections.
Thirty per cent for sewing cotton and
for fine yarns 10 be used in silk and
cotton" and also ''worsted and cotton
goods; also for some, other special pur-
poses to a limited extent
Egyptian cotton IS lot used for warns
Of finer counts" thSa 800 For yarns
above 100 our sea island cotton has to be
used here and in Europe IS Egyptian
cotton does not possess the requisite
tincness and strength.
AMERICAN LONG STAPLE COTTON.
The cotton Of our country which most
resembles Egyptian cotton is the fancy
stabbed varities, known as ALLEN"
"Peeler." etc, which are grown to a
very limited extent Chiefly in the Mis-
SiSsipDl Valley. These cottons have \
staple ranging from 1h to ~ inches,
but. as they are ''ginned" by saw gins
the staple lacks uniformity, and Is often
cut and damaged by the saws Of the
gin. They do not possess the high lus-
ire ana sickness Of the Egyptian, and.
OF course. lack the .brownish color which
makes Egyptian cotton Indispensable in
l5albrisEan" underwear and hosiery,
which are never dyed nor bleached. All
egyptian cotton Is giuned by 'roller-
GIN, such MS is used here only for our
sea island cotton. and hence the staDle
is very regular and uniform The Yield
OF the varieties. such rs "Allen. "
Peeier,' etc, IS usually much less Per
acre Than the shorter staplcd kinds in
general cultivation. Unless the staple
is sufficiently long and uniform to prinp
a price high enough to compensate for
the smaller yield, the cultivation OF these
cottons is not profitable There are nc
statistics upon the subject. but it is well
known that the cultivation Of these
fancy varieties has diminished material.
~ within the last few years. I do not
think. however. that the reduction was
caused by the importation Of Egyptian
| cotton. but was due to tile fact tina,
because Of its larger yield and more
ready sale 1t was found moro profitable
10 grow the shorter staped variety II,
common use.
EFFECT OF sENATE's ACTION
The fact that the Senate has voted on
Inc Sth inst. to impose n, duty of twenty
t2U per cent. on raw cotton was known
IN every importan mt market in this coun-
try and Europe by the next day, and
mas mad no effect whatever upon the
price or sea island or any other kind
OF American cotton If merchants OF
spinners believed that the effect of the
duty would be to enhance the value Of
any description Of cotton, they would
nave bought SO freely as 10 have mate
rally advanced prices long before now
They would not wait for the actual on
actment of the law. On May aSth the
official quotations Of "midding upland
! cotton We're ~ cents in New York and
Az pence in Liverpool. and to-dav's
quotations OF South Carolina sen is
land cotton In Charleston. and of
Georgia and Florida sea island" cotton
/ IN savannah to-day are precisely til,
same as on May 2Sth. My latest Liver
pool quotations OF sea island cotton are
Tor the 18th inst. and while the prices
Tor Georgia and Florida sea island.
cotton were the same as on May eth.
the prices of some grades of South
/ Carolina sea island" cotton were a lit
tie lower.
| PRICES OF SEA ISLAND COTTON.
! ! am satisfied the present low prices
! FOR sea island cottons are not due 70
/ the alleged competition of Egyptian cot
! ION. nut the true cause is the ovcr-pro-
/ duction OF sea island cotton for the mast
three seasons.
! The nrices Of "sea island cotton" are
Hoh'fohcd by supply and demand. lust
IKE an other commodities. Being. how
ever, an article OF comparatively linn
Hted use an over supply causes 4 ,nuch
greater actual and relative decline than
could possibly occur with upland cot
ton for which there is so much larger
use - -
Inc cotton which comes here from
oIher countries does not, in my opinion.
restrict the sale or affect tho price OF
American cotton IN any Of our markets
Only about 80 per cent Of our entire
oo.toh crop IS taken by American spin
ners With the exception Of small shin
! ment TO McXico and Japan The remain
der IS exported to Europe in whose chief
markets the price IL adjusted by the
competition OF the surplus cotton recely