The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-02-02
HOW TO BALE COTTON.
Present Method Wastefnl, and New One
Is Sought.
IYashinqton Post.

bureau Of foreign commerce OF the
State department an exhaustive state
ment of cotton baling and cotton fires.
No mort in the world receives so much
American cotton as Liverpool. The
annual importations there for num-
Der Of years past have amounted to
about 100000 Just at present the
American exporters OF cotton and the
English importers of That commodity
are discussing the best methods OF
baling, and they are seeking to agree
upon some improved method Of doing
this work.
Consul Boyle writes as follows up
on this matter:
"Reccntly, ON invitation Of the Euro
peau representative of the American
Cotton Company, who control the
cylindrical bale system, [ Inspected a
shipment Of cotton baled by them.
The bales were received at the ware
house in perfect condition, and l
learned that there was no loose cotton
in the hold of the ship from these
bales. nor was there a single case OF
"no marks One of the most an
noying features Of the old system OF
baling is that the jutc covering Of a
number of the bales becomes so torn
that marks indicating the place OF
origin. the quality and the consignee
arc absolutely undecipherable. Some
times the percentage Of mo marks is
as high as 5 per cent. of the total car
go. Under the rule Of the Liverpool
cotton trade the mo mark bales are
divided pro rata among the various
consignces of the entire cargo. The
loose coSton found in the hold OF the
ship and in the ware house consc-
ouens upon handling is also divided in
this manner.
CAS- may be easily imagined, this
system, while the best possible under
the circumstances, is often very un-
satisfactory, and especially so when
cotton Below sample is among the mo
mark bales. 1t is noted here that
the American manufacturers have
started an agitation for an improve
ment in the baling of cotton, but it
must be admitted that their grievance
is small one compared with that OF
the British cotton brokers and spin
ners. The coarse jute covering is
nearly always torn, and in large per-
centage of the bales, onc-third or one
half of the cotton is exposed, and
many of the bales have the covering
almost entirely off. Some OF the
bales are known as 'caulifowcr heads,
because of their likeness to huge
cauliflowcrs. There is an enormous
loss both to the American shipper
and to the British consignee through
the present defective system Of baling,
as much of the cotton becomes loose,
and a great deal of the outside of the
b,l.s nets damaged. Cotton brokers,
spinucrs. insurance men and ship
owners here all unite in declaring the
urgent need of an improved system OF
baling. AS to whether the cylindrl-
cal bale fully meets the requirements
of the trade | am not prepared to say.
Certain it is, however, that the cylln-
drica!lv-baled cotton consigned to
Liverpool arrived in perfect condition,
there not only being no lossc cotton,
but not a single case of no marks.
Fire ou board ship or at the dock is
ore Of the most serious enemies OF the
cotton exporting trade. Mr. Boyle
saws that there have been some very
damaging cotton fires at the Liver
pool docks in times past. but the last
two years have been peculiarly FORUM
ate ones in this respect, no fi:c OF real
consequence having occurred. Conc
Of the strangcst claims put forward IN
behalf of the cylindrical bale, writes
the consul, lis that it Is much less
likely to catch and hold fire tkan the
old style American bale. Some tests
have recently been made in Liverpool,
and the results Of them have upheld
this point.
The best. method Of cxtinguishing
fire IN cotton on board ship is also
considered by the consul. 1t is claim
cd that steam is superior to water Tor
this purpose, and the following article
from the Liverpool Daily Post is sub
mittcd to show the results Of practl-
cal experiment upon the point:
'-On November 30 fire Was dis
covered to have broken out i'll the al
terhold of tho Liverpool steamer Ben
croy, from Galveston. with a cargo OF