88 
of porterage, and the deadly character of the climate. 
Myr. Alderman Greenwood said that he was inclined to take 
even a more gloomy view of the commercial future of Africa than 
when he brought the question before the Club five years ago. 
He considered Mr. Stanley’s recent utterances in Manchester as 
enormous exaggerations; and his calculations as to the quantity 
of cotton cloth which would be required by the natives were 
opposed to our experience of the trade with the more settled 
communities in India. The Board of Trade returns shewed that 
our exports to Africa had been stationary for the last ten years ; 
and that fact was important, inasmuch as we were already 
acquainted with the more civilized people of the continent. 
India and the South American Republies were the only countries 
where there had been an expansion in the cotton trade during the 
last decade. The outlook as regards Africa was after investiga- 
tion somewhat depressing. 
Mr. James Kay, J.P., argued that if the portions not yet 
opened up could maintain a population of 176 millions, it 
was only reasonable to suppose that the people could produce 
sufficient to sustain an equal number elsewhere. The produc- 
tions were abundant: the length of navigable rivers very great ; 
and he trusted that Mr. Stanley’s sanguine expectations might 
be realized. 
After remarks from Messrs. W. Thompson, R. Nelson, W. 
Witham, and F. H. Hill, Mr. Joshua Rawlinson said that the 
primary difficulty was the absence of civilization, and until 
progress had been made in directing the natives in the ways of 
civilization, the suggested development of Africa could not suc- 
ceed. They must recollect that the lines upon which trade was 
conducted were the exchange of manufactured goods for agricul- 
tural products. He failed to see where, with the exception of 
Egypt, it was likely that agriculture would be so carried on as to 
enable produce to be exported to any important extent. The 
question of the development of India was of immensely more 
moment to Lancashire industries than the development of Africa. 
He did not anticipate that Africa would afford any sensible relief 
to commerce during the present generation. 
Mr. Grant made a few comments on topics which had arisen 
in the course of the debate, and the meeting then concluded. 
