28 



BRAZILIAN COTTON 



From this statement it would appear that Minas Geraes has still 

 the largest number of mills, but from reference to the spindles column 

 and to the detailed list in the Appendix it Avill be seen that the 

 industry in Minas is insignificant in comparison with that of Sao Paulo 

 and the Federal District. 



If the rate of exchange of the milreis was any way near its par 

 value — 27d. — against its present rate — 8d. — European goods would, 

 no doubt, be able to compete with the national production, in spite of 

 the excessively high tariff, but as it is, nothing but the very finest goods 

 have a chance of competing with the Brazilian made goods. Twenty- 

 five years ago Brazil was an excellent market for Manchester. I 

 personally remember the time when a Manchester shipping house, 

 in which I was employed, had weekly shipments of cotton goods of 

 £10,000 for one Rio importer. There were then shipped all kinds of 

 Greys, Whites, Prints and Fancies. First the Greys dropped out, 

 and now all these goods are being manufactured in the country and 

 only the very finest qualities remain to be imported. There are 

 already some few concerns in Brazil which are spinning 80's and 

 higher, such as the " America Fabril,"" Rio de Janeiro, '" The Agro 

 Co.," Pedra, and Dr. Street of Sao Paulo, and these yarns are spun 

 with cotton grown in the Serido, the North-East of Brazil ; a few more 

 mills spin up to 60's, but the bulk of the yarn produced averages about 

 1 8's to 20's. 



Those countries which have been exporting in the past to Brazil 

 will have to reckon with the times when hardly any cotton goods Avill 

 be sent from Europe to this country, and if they wish to have a share 

 in the Brazihan market, they will have to open their OAvn mills in 

 Brazil, as Coats' have done. In view of the labour troubles which the 

 European cotton industry has to contend Avith and in view of the heavy 

 taxation in Europe, such a step may not seem an unwise one. A 

 Belgian and a Dutch millowner are largely interested in a Brazilian 



