254 



COTTON. 



IMPORTATION OP COTTON INTO GREAT BRITAIN, SHOWING THE SOURCES OF SUPPLY AND THE ANNUAL AVERAGB 



PRICES IN LIVERPOOL. 



These have been the sources of supply, and 

 it is to be observed that high as the prices have 

 risen in the markets of the world under the effec- 

 tive demand of increased consumption among 

 the growing numbers and improved condi- 

 tion of the people of most civilized countries, 

 there has been no marked increase of produc- 

 tion among the old sources of supply, nor have 

 any new ones made their appearance, notwith- 

 standing the long-continued efforts of the 

 Cotton Supply Association. These efforts have 

 been numerous and well directed through the 

 agency of the British consuls and commercial 

 agents in all parts of the world. Seeds and 

 machines have been placed at the command of 

 cultivators, and great numbers have entered 

 into the culture without, as yet, much result. 

 In the past year the efforts of the Association 

 have been directed to the following places : 



Turkey in Europe has begun the culture un- 

 der great difficulties, arising from the nature 

 of the government. 



Greece has had seeds distributed throughout 

 its departments. 



Cyprus has 80,000 acres under cotton, with 

 English capital. 



Asia Minor. Under Sir Macdonald Stephen- 

 son seeds have been distributed in the valley 

 of the Meander. 



Egypt* There are efforts being made to in- 



crease the production from 100,000 bales to 

 1,000,000, by English agency. 



Tunis. The English influence with the Bey 

 of Tunis has impressed him with the import- 

 ance of rivalling Egypt in cotton. 



Madeira. Cotton has been introduced with 

 success. 



Sierra Leone. An English trader has com- 

 menced the culture, and native merchants are 

 purchasing cotton-gins in England. 



Sherbo. The supply of native cotton is fair, 

 and with a steady demand will increase, it is 

 supposed. 



Liberia. Great efforts are made to intro- 

 duce cotton as the staple culture. 



Gold Coast. The English governor is very 

 active in promoting the cotton culture. Two 

 societies have the matter in charge, and taxes 

 are payable in cotton, which sells at one cent 

 per Ib. in the seed. When cleaned it brings 

 fifteen in Liverpool. There are many millions of 

 Africans Avho may be engaged in the cotton trade. 



Lagos supplies the present African cotton, ' 

 and the quantity is about 3,500 bales. The 

 New York Civilization Society have made ar- 

 rangements with the chiefs of the neighbor- 

 hood for an allotment of five hundred acres 

 land to be cultivated with cotton by a colony 

 of free blacks from the United States. A sim- 

 ilar company is organized in London. 



