Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-11-01
Mistsllaneu,1s gsading.
FOREIGN COTTON.
What Is Being pone to Grow the
Fibre.

England Is not moving alone towards
the extension Of the worlds cotton
supply. The schemes of the British
Empire Cotton Growing association,
which has now received q royal char
ter, are of much greater dimensions
than any other now before the world,
and the chief augmentation Of future
cotton crops will come from the Brit
ish dominions. But II the present at
tempts to promote International action
are carried out, and there is a general
concentration on cotton growing In
suitable localities, the foreign sources
of supply are worthy to be taken in
to consideration. France, for instance,
has wide colonial regions suitable for
the crop, and in the valley of the Up
per Nile there has been a considera-
BILE output Of cotton. Algeria, too, has
proved its suitability by past evidence.
During the cotton famine following
the outbreak Of the American civil
war an abundant crop of cotton was
grown there, and some French manu-
facturers believe that the industry
might now be revived. At that time
10000 acres Of cotton were cultivated,
and II at the present time $4,000 acres
could be restored to such cultivation
France would enjoy an annual native
crop of 1O,50O,000 kilos Of cotton. Cam
bodia, too, produces a considerable
quantity Of cotton, and the cultiva-
ton is being extended.
In Spain a bill to encourage cotton
growing has been introduced In the
cortes, the plan being to extend the
crop by offering prizes and other in
ducements to those who raise 1t.
Italy has a great and growing cotton
industry, employing 2,70O,000 spindles
and 171,O0O work people; 1t employed
$40, ,000,O00 pounds Of cotton in 1903,
as compared with 27O,0OO,000 pounds
In 1900. In 1882 the value Of the pro-
duce Of the industry was a5,800.000;
in 1903 1t had grown to e13,500,000.
Naturally such a market would well
come native cotton, and 1t Is believed
that the crop might be cultivated prof
itably in Italy. At any rate. the cot
ton which was grown there up to 1878
was useful. though not Of very high
quality, and a better staple might now
be obtained. Germany has been very
active in this matter, and has in some
respect gone ahead Of England. 1t Of
fers many incentives to colonists to
devote themselves to cotton growing.
A price has been offered In advance
for crops raised and premiums have
been given for the best crops. The CO.
lonial committee also furnished gins
and bale presses free Of charge and
the German Steamship Line, OF Ham,
burg, offered free transport. The re-
suit was that the Saxon Spinners' un-
ion, which had previously had cotton
from German West Africa, received in
1902 the first consignment from Ger
man East Africa, and there was the
prospect Of supply from Togo. Saada-
nj, Usambara and Pongene. Germany
also sent its experts to the cotton
fields in the southern states to study
cultivation, and established an office
at Dar- -es- -Salaam to organize all cot
ton schemes and see them properly
carried out. Railway development for
transport from the inner lands to the
points of shipment has also been TAX
en- in hand.
This systematic work has had the
best results. The Togoland cotton has
shown a marked improvement In con-
sequence Of the teaching which has
been impaired, and 1t was estimated
that the crop there in the current year
would reach 100000 pounds. The area
sown has been greatly extended, and
next years crop is expected to yield
1000 bales Of 500 pounds each The
Reichstag has voted the funds neces-
sary to construct a railway for trans
port from LONE to Palime. In Ger
man East Africa there are 1000 hec-
tares under cotton, but when the N.Y.
assa railway Is completed 1t Will be
possible to cultivate the Kilwa dis
trict, where there are 100000 hectares
of good cotton-growlng land. To OBJ
tain the advantage Of cheap trans
port the banks of the Rufidiji river are
being cultivated and the area will soon
extend over $50 kilometres, for which
distance the river Is navigable. Ger
many is fully alive to the necessity for
cheap transport and is aware that
nothing would tend to develop cotton
growing so much as the opening up
of light railway lines.
The Dutch have also given attention
to this important question, as 1t az
fects their East Indian colonies. Two
varieties Of cotton have long been cul-
tivated in Java, and much has been
done to develop the trade. In 1902 the
cotton export Of the Dutch East IN
dies amounted to about $500 tons, half
of which was Of Javanese growth.
The administration or the resluelcy
of Samarang, the chief centre Of the
cotton cultivation, is promoting and
protecting the interests Of the plant
ers, and the government has provided
sum of money to be advanced as
loans and premiums. The regent OF
Denmark has studied the question
closely, and has succeeded in produc-
ing a staple which sells for sixpence
pound in Holland. Even In Palestine
there is likely to be revival Of cotton
growing. Up to 1866 cotton was grown
there on a considerable scale on the
belt from GAIA to Tyre, one hundred
miles long and five to twenty miles
broad. The export from Palestine dur
ing the war averaged 10000 bales,
on5 though tho fall In nrices led to