86 



and the work, though run on semi-philanthropic lines, is 

 organized on a sound commercial basis. 



The Association has also assisted in the formation of other 

 cotton growing and buying companies, and together with its 

 own capital of 500,000 the total amount raised for cotton 

 growing under its auspices amounts to 1,125,000. The work, 

 however, continues to grow rapidly, and the provision of large 

 sums of additional capital is a very pressing one. 



The Association owes great thanks to the assistance received 

 from the Government, no matter which party was in power, 

 and also to the officials both at the Colonial Office and in the 

 colonies, and more particularly to Mr. Harcourt and Lord 

 Emmott. It has also received valuable assistance and advice 

 from Professor Dunstan and the staff of the Imperial Institute. 



[DISCUSSION.] 



The CHAIRMAN : I will ask the President, Professor Dunstan, 

 to read some remarks which Lord Emmott would have made 

 had it been possible for him to have been present. 



The PRESIDENT : I have been asked by Mr. Harcourt, the 

 Secretary of State for the Colonies, and by the Duke of 

 Marlborough and Lord Emmott to present their apologies 

 and their regret that important Parliamentary engage- 

 meiDts prevent their attendance this afternoon at this meet- 

 ing. Lord Emmott has sent a written statement of some 

 remarks which he would have made had he been present, and 

 I propose now to read this. 



Lord EMMOTT: One hundred and thirty years ago a con- 

 signment of 1,200 Ib. of cotton purporting to come from the 

 United States of America was seized by the Customs Authori- 

 ties of this country because they did not believe so much cotton 

 could have been grown in the States at that time, whereas if 

 it were West Indian cotton it ought not to have come in a 

 foreign vessel. That story illustrates how great a business 

 may arise from small beginnings. The United States is to-day 

 far the largest grower of cotton in the world. Once the 

 cultivation was started on a sound basis it rapidly forged 

 ahead. It took them a long time, however, to grow their first 

 100,000 bales, and we who are interested in increasing the 

 supply of cotton for the world must not grow weary because 

 every effort in a new district is not crowned with immediate 

 success. 



The various difficulties in the way of the pioneer have been 

 dealt with in the course of Mr. Hutton's admirable paper. 

 Quite apart from the vital question of transport there are 



