8 COTTON TEXTILES IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



SIERRA LEONE. 



REPORT BY VICE-CONSUL MAT. 



The importation of cotton textiles into the district of Sierra Leone is 

 of an extensive character. The country is tropical, and the garments 

 of the people are largely made up of this material in almost every shape, 

 and worn nearly all the year round. Cotton textiles are much more 

 used than woolen fabrics. In Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, 

 cotton textiles is one of the principal articles offered for sale. In the 

 largest mercantile houses and in the smallest trading shanties is ex- 

 posed to the view of the buyer this important commercial article. Large 

 trading caravans, from the vast interior countries outlying the penin- 

 sula, visit periodically the city, and bring with them gold-dust, ivory, 

 india-rubber, hides, bees- wax, camwood, benne seed, and other African 

 produce, which are bartered for cotton textiles, principally, and rum and 

 tobacco. Merchants, not being content to await the slow and tedious 

 progress of these periodical trading visitors, have themselves pene- 

 trated the interior countries and established factories in the midst 

 of the people, thus carrying to their very doors their immediate wants. 

 A flourish ing trade is known to be done in these countries and particu- 

 larly in cotton textiles. So valuable is one yard of cotton cloth to the 

 eyes of an aborigine in the interior that he is prepared to exchange 

 any quantity of his produce for this coveted treasure. Near to Sierra 

 Leone, however, the people have more light through the frequent visits 

 of merchants and traders, and demand value for value. 



The quantity and kind imported is considerably varied. The follow- 

 ing list, however, furnished by one of the large mercantile firms in this 

 country, will help to give an idea of such variety needed for the market. 



Gray Cotton. (I) T cloth or abetter class of cotton. (2) Domestics and 

 Mexicans. (3) Massachusetts cotton (Manchester imitation). (4) Silk 

 finished and scoured. (5) Delver and Osnaburg. 



Bleached Cotton. (1) Pure shirtings. (2) Imperial shirtings. (3) 

 Wigan shirtings. (4) Horrocks long cloth. (5) Drills. (6) White lawn. 



(7) Brocade. (8) Brilliant. (9) Herringbone stripe. (10) Wftite satin 

 stripe. (11) Tape checks. 



Dyed Cotton. (I) India poudicherry bafts. (2) Manchester bafts. (3) 

 Turkey. (4) Ked twills. (5) Succatoons. (6) Colored lawn. (7) Crapes. 



(8) Cotton velvets. 



Printed Cotton. (1) Pink pads. (2) Purple pads. (3) White ground 

 prints. (4) Waste scarves. (5) Crape cloth. (6) Muslins. (7) Satel- 

 lites. (8) Linneas. (9) Reversible. (10) Handkerchiefs. (11) Fancy 

 printed. 



Woven Cotton. (I) Oxfords. (2) Ginghams. (3) Zephyrs. (4) Noil. 

 (5) St. Jago. (6) Bantis. (7) Madras handkerchiefs. (8) Imitation 

 Madras handkerchiefs. (!)) Denims. (10) Native cloth. 



