The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-12-28
British Cotton supply.

Writing on the British cotton sup.
ply, Consul Boyle, Of Liverpool, re-
marks that without doubt the one
great question in regard to cotton in
Great Britain is that OF the supply,
quite apart from the source-a supply
constant, reliable, plentiful. cheap and
free from control by manipulators.
it has become almost automatic that
the American supply now fails tc
meet these requirements, fact be-
walled in Lancashire. What of the
futureg Here a peculiar situation
presents itself. The Liverpool cotton
men do not seem to worry much about
the fusure. They decline to become
enthusiastic over. the possibilities OF
British grown cotton. ,, Some openly
poo-poo efforts Of the gentlemen who
have embarked upon this enterprise.
and the general local attitude in the
trade seems to be that Of Indifference.
For the presenb the American supply
and the s rises and fallso Of the
5Amefican-LiVerpooI market are all
sufficiently abosrbing for the trade
there and Of the comparatively few
who areslooking Ear ahead, the ma
iority believe that there is still sufd-
eiens unused cotton land in the south
.srns states TO meet. the reaui rements OF
the world for q long period; bat apart
from Liverpool there is throughout
Lancashire, and especially in Man
chester genuine feeling Of anxiety
as to the future supply of cotton.
There lis TO be noted a distinct differ
ence as to the pointzof view held by
the Liver pool mid ddleman and specu-
lator and shat by the actual consumer,
the spinner. Hence 1t is that IN
Lancashire, apart from Liverpool,
there is intense interest In the posi-
bilities of g British gown cotton.
There are Indications that the cot
ton trade of the United States very
generally shares the views Tor, as is
possibly more correct, the lack of
vieWs) of the bulk Of the Liverpool
trade aEto the movement inaugurated
by the British Gotton Growing Asso-
ciation. It may as we'll be recognized,
however,, that this organization means
business. It is receiving earnest: sup
bort from che actual spinners ofNan-.
cashire and has the backing OF the
colonial Office, with all its ramifca-
tiiors throughout those portions Of
sl,e British empire where it is believ-:
ed cotton can be commercially grown.
Recently is received q royal charter.
Soffar its work has been altogether
eyneriuental, and, there have been
but meager returns to the over-en-
prophecies OF someeofethose
interested in the enterprise. Occasion
ally q small parcel Of cotton comes from
Africa or the West Indies, and gen.
eraIay the quality is pronounced to be
good daonaetsMes. exceptionally so.
But ksrg In all the many places
selected icr experiment has cotton
growing yet been established as re-
gular industry, and the probabilities
are that even though there DO che
most favorable progress as to cultiva-
ton, labor and transportation, it will
be fully ten years before British
factor IN the Liverpool market.
For some years past there have been
indefinite and without
apparent real business enterprise back
of them, however, for the shipment OF
cotton direct from the American pro-
ducer to the Lancashire spinner. A
new movemnet in this direction is
Just announced. Is is reported that
The general manager of the Merchants
6 Farmers Cotton Company, with
large plantations between Memphis
and New Orleans, has arranged to for
ward large consignmenss of cotton
direct to mills in England.