The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-04-04
FOREIGN COTTON CULTURE.
Reports From Consular Agents in At
rican Countries Show Successful Ex-
periments.

perimentS.
So much enterprise is developing in
British South Africa that Consul Cen
eral Washington of Cape Town calls it
in a letter to the bureau of manufac-
lures, ga white mans country" The
whites now number 1855, ,00o out of
total poulation Of 6,333,000. He di-
rects attention to the various lines
of American goods salable there, and
to the fact that many Americans are
successfully taking part in the coun-
try's development. AN American IN
surance company has just completed
in Cape Town the finest office build
ing in South Africa, similar to their
Philadelphia structure, and firm OF
American architects in Cape Town
have had their plans accepted by
the city council for modern theatre
and for s450,OOO palace hotel. Amer
lean automobiles are also becoming
more popular, the governor of cape
Colony owning an American steam
motor. The heart Of Africa unknown
so years ago, is now penetrated by
railways, and the Victoria Falls and
Victoria Nyanza are. familiar names.
The falls, which rival Niagara, are
now reached from Cape Town by the
modern train-de-luxe, With electric
fans, shower baths, sleeping and din
ing cars, and private saloon cars
for the very rich. The principal ar
ticles exported from the United States
into Cape Colony in 1904 amounted to
1881, 900, out of a total of $4,000
600, and into Natal Colony $685. 600
out of a total of s52,0O0,000.
Consul Harris of Chemnitz states
that the latest reports on the growth
Of cotton in German East Africa and
Togo show that the attempts to grow
this important product have probably
passed the experimental stage. The
main question is how it will affect the
Southern states, but the consul be-
lieves that American cotton will have
no real competition, with the popu-
lation of Germany increasing 100000
year, and the United States 2,000,-
900 a year.
Consul Covert writes from Lyons,
France, that Frenchmen are pushing
the cultivation Of cotton in Abyssinia,
and Consul Hollis of Laurence Mar
ques writes that in Portuguese East
Africa, where cotton grows wild, ex-
cellent results have been obtained in
raising cotton from imported seed,
and shipments are made to Lisbon
and Manchester at a cost Of $40. per
ton from the plantation. Mr.. Hollis
states that some good cotton has
been raised in British Nyassaland,
but high costs Of transportation caus-
ed the culture to be abandoned.
Charles Page Bryan, American min
lister at Lisbon, quotes Portuguese
Official as saying that in thirty years
American manufacturers will take all
the cotton grown in the Southern
states. Even in five years it is cal
culated that 100000 bales annually
will be necessary for the worlds con-
sumption the present production be-
ing 16, 900, 900, and this is the basis of
argument for cotton culture else
where than in the United States.
Trade and commerce between the
United States and Liberia should
have prospered but Consul General
Lyons report to the bureau Of manu-
factures shows that they have
dwindled almost to the vanishing
point Liberia has been unprogres-
sive, yet England and Germany are
selling 100000 worth of goods there
annually. The United States has a
record of only $4,000 sales there.
Liberia is rich in natural resources
and their development with low
priced labor is bound to come from
some source The population is 2,O00.-
900, one-tenth American negroes, the
roroain1ar natives
Consul General 1ddings of Cairo
writes that Egypt is now in a state
of extraordinary prosperity. Agricul-
tural land values in the Delta have
increased in many places to $500 per
acre and labor and commodities have
advanced greatly in price. Sales
opening for American building mate
rial are created by the many modern
buildings in Cairo and Alexandra.
where palatial hotels and hundreds
OF modern dwellings are proposed.
Consul General Sammons writes
from Niuchwang to the bureau Of
manufactures supplying practical
oa,o,ooro;o1 ;,,forynotion which ShOU1G