AGRICULTURAL BULLETIN 



OF THE 



STRAITS 



AND 



FEDERATED MALAY STATES. 



No. 6.] - JUNE, 1904: [Vol. III. Fart I. 



A Review of the Introduction of the Cotton Industry 

 in Netherlands India, 



By Dr. K . \V . T R o M P 1 > E H A a s. 



Reprinted from the - Tfysmannia " 14th Annual^ 

 ioth & 1 1 th Editions. 



By kind permission of Dr. Treub we publish a translation of this 

 important Dutch paper on the cultivation of Cotton in 'Java. It 

 has been translated by Mr. W. Seelhorst. 



Introduction. 



The influence of Watt's invention on the intellectual and material 

 development of mankind, is in no way better demonstrated, than 

 by the perusal of the history of two manufactured products, taking 

 one from the mineral and the other from the vegetable kingdom, 

 for instance iron and cotton. 



If we follow the histories, of these two products, and note care- 

 fully the different stages of progress, the power of human skill, in 

 adapting the uses of one to those of the other, will become evident. 



Hail, to the country that is able to produce both the raw 

 materials ! 



How the cotton industry has been affected, by the power of steam 

 may be seen from the following figures. 



From 1790 — 1850 the production of cotton increased from 1 — 3 

 millions of bales and from 1850— 1894 from 3 — 15 millions of bales 

 of 400 lbs. each. 



In 1895, the product of the world amounted to 17 millions of 

 bales of 400 lbs. each, representing a value of about one thousand 

 millions guilders. Is it a wonder therefore, in view of these figures, 

 that each individual Country, endeavours to cultivate and spin its 

 own cotton ? 



Java and Madoera alone import yearly about 30 millions worth 

 of cotton and linen ware. 



