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The Cotton Supply Association held its annual meeting at Manchester, on the 11th. Mr. Cheetham presided ; and among the speakers wen! Mr. Bazley, Lord Alfred Churchill, and and T. G. Baring, Under tarp for India. Mr. Cheetham pointed out the capabilities of Africa an the East Indies, especially the latter, where labour is cheap, as cotton- growing countries :- In India, we have those first elements of success which were wanting in many other countries. There is cheap and abundant labour, cotton isgrown there already to a very considerable extent, and its export in the last twelve months was not less than 600;000 bales to Europe and 200,000 too2ms. The exports of the succeeding twelve months will probably be I, on tusked the Government of India ; and we must aim that country depend &Sao. at the advancement it bales. But our hopes of sufficient supply from abandonment of those antiquated and absurd principles which formerly its population rather than additions to its territory. One of the measures
that has been especially urged on the Government is the opening of the Godavery, which might perhaps be effected at an expense of less than half a million, so that from the heart of the country where cotton is grown not
less than 1,0002000 bales per annum might be sent down that Ivey, at a cost not greater than the American planter incurred on the Mississippi. The Association are very desirous of seeing the establishment of European agents
in direct communication with the ryots, and has already done their best to distribute machinery and information among the native cultivators. At present, the supply is greatly impeded and injured by the intervention of the middle-men. No doubt, from the result of the experiments which have been made, India is capable of growing cotton of the improved quality re- quired, as well as in sufficient quantity. From the report it appeared that the Association has expended 4000/. in distributing seeds and machinery in various parts of the world. Lord Alfred Churchill moved, urging Government to give every encourage- ment to promote the growth of cotton in Africa, Australia, and the East and West Indies. In his speech Lord Alfred dwelt on the capabilities of Australia and Asia Minor. Mr. Baring seconded the resolution :— The question of cotton-supply is one to which the Indian Government are paying very careful and constant attention. It is ready to give every proper support that can be given to the objects of this association. Ac- cording to the best calculation that has been made, no less than 24,000,000 acres are now under cotton cultivation in India, and that the production
is now something like 2,400,000,000 pounds of cotton. The TUBS of it, of
course, is consumed in the rough native manufactures, and the export amounts only to about one-tenth. The native cultivators have shown themselves tolerably wide-awake to their own interests; and it will be found that there has been an increase or decrease of export in proportion to the rise or fall of price in this country. He quite agreed in the recom- mendation of European agents settling in India in order to direct this pro-
ductive power in relief of our necessities. Respecting a point to which rather too much importance appeared to have -been given, the facilities afforded to Europeans for the purchase of land in India, he believed that all over that country any gentleman wishing to take part in such a speculation would no longer find any difficulty in obtaining such land as he might de- sire, though he would recommend great caution in ascertaining whether it could be cultivated to advantage. The navigation of the Godavery is al- ready open in some degree, and the removal of the first barrier was now in course of negotiation with the Nizam. He quite concurred in the opinion, that it was the duty of Government to give all reasonable aid to the exten- sion of communications in India, and bethought the attention given to this matter of the Godavery navigation, and the encouragement of railways, were evidences of an improved policy in that respect.
A meeting has been held at Birmingham, but very scantily attended, to pass resolutions against the Paper-duties, and to express an opinion on the course to be pursued by Lord Derby. The meeting agreed :— " That the practice which has prevailed in the House of Lords for nearly two centuries, of abstaining from interfering with any bills connected with the revenue or taxation of the country which have passed the House of Commons, is one which cannot be departed from without bringing the House of Lords into dangerous collision with the House which derives its authority from the direct vote of the people, and would be subversive of the sound constitutional principle that the representatives of the people shall alone exercise the power of imposing and remitting national taxes."
It has been decided that the assize business of the West Riding of Yorkshire, shall, henceforth, be conducted within the limits of the Riding. The Clerk of the Peace at Wakefield is now engaged in ascer- taining the opinions of the Magistrates on the question which shall be the Assize town—Wakefield or Leeds ?
One of the members of a Liverpool firm was robbed in the street of bills and securities worth 11,000/. They were taken from his pocket by an adept. Going to the police station, the victim found two detectives in ',larch of adepts, and setting out with these they encountered and captured , well-known thief. In his pocket was found a registered letter. Sus- erecting this letter contained the bills, the detectives took the train for criondon, followed the postman who had charge of the letter, and apprehend- ing the man to whom it was addressed, found on him all the Stolen securi- Both thieves are in custody.
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