522 Mr. Thomas Bazlcy, [May 30, 



have been thence received ; and I now have the satisfaction of placing 

 before this meeting a sample of superior cotton sent by Dr. Short, from 

 Chingleput, in Madras. I am also enabled to display some very good 

 yarns, of above the average fineness, being 60^. warp and 80*. weft, 

 spun from it by Mr. Kirkpatrick at his mills near Manchester. India 

 has in truth been slandered, both as to its power to produce excellent 

 cotton, and the adaptability of it to the manufactures of Europe ; but 

 the cotton and yarn now shown afford all the evidence necessary to 

 prove the fact that our great dependency can supply cotton equal to 

 that obtained at New Orleans. It has also been asserted that Indian 

 cotton would neither bleach nor receive colours so perfectly as 

 American, but here again I am prepared to refute the error and mis- 

 representation, for I have the pleasure of exhibiting cloth as good 

 made from Indian cotton, and as white and beautiful in the colours 

 of the bleacher and calico printer as a similar fabric would be made 

 from American cotton. Here we possess the foretaste of the now dor- 

 mant means which would regenerate India, and resuscitate the drooping 

 cotton industry of the United Kingdom. Apathy must cease, and 

 remedial measures be applied to the evils which retard the prosperity 

 of India and embarrass our home trade and commerce. There are 

 duties to be performed by the mercantile community, as well as obsta- 

 cles to be removed by Government ; and without the performance of 

 these duties prolonged disappointment will ensue. 



A Cotton Supply Association was formed in Manchester a few years 

 ago, and its labours are constantly directed to obtain corrective measures 

 for the evils of India, and to promote the growth of cotton wherever 

 the soil and climate of any country will enable it to be produced. This 

 association has impelled a wiser policy for India, and has rendered 

 valuable services to that dependency and to other countries, having 

 made grants to upwards of 400 places of cotton seeds and of cleaning 

 gins, besides other agricultural implements. By the exertions of this 

 body small supplies of cotton have been received from many new fields 

 of cultivation. Cotton growing is being slowly resumed in the British 

 "West Indies, whence encouraging supplies are now received ; but if the 

 proprietors of estates in those islands did their duty to themselves and 

 to their country, an enlarged production of excellent cotton would com- 

 pensate them and contribute to the nation's prosperity. The fine island 

 of Jamaica, which could produce very large quantities of superior cotton, 

 is a territorial wreck ; but see the capability of this island by this sample 

 of cloth made from its cotton. Demerara and other neighbouring pos- 

 sessions can produce more cotton than the United Kingdom could 

 manufacture. From the Cape of Good Hope to Port Natal cotton can 

 be abundantly produced. Africa has of late years sent small, but 

 valuable supplies of cotton of qualities quite equal to the produce of 

 New Orleans, but her Egyptian cotton has, from the time of Mehemet 

 Ali to the present moment, been a large and most welcome contribu- 

 tion. If the million per annum which our fleet for the suppression of 

 slavery costs had been devoted in our own colonies, or even in Africa, to 



