being eighty-five per cent of the whole cotton
production of the world for the use of the
foreigner. The country which came next to
America was India; and India supplied only eleven
per cent, the remainder dropping in by driblets
from different parts of the world. The
consumers were in a disproportion equal to that of
the producers. As America was the largest
grower, England was the largest customer.
England took no less than fifty-two per cent of
the entire supply of cotton from all parts of the
world; the entire Continent only thirty-two;
while America contented herself with a modest
sixteen. The value of the American crop at the
close of 1860—the year of its largest growth—
was estimated at 40,000,000l. At last came the
crisis so long prophesied, and for which everybody
but those whom it most concerned were
prepared. Manchester had always said that the
war would not break out; now said that it could
not last long; because the war was against the
interests (its constant expression) of the United
States; as if the vices and passions of men had
not been running counter to their interests since
the creation of the world! At last things
became too serious to be played with, and
Manchester stopped her mills, or kept them on
partial work only; the country at large being
compelled to look after the millions thrown out of
employment, and to feed them by subscriptions.

In the mean time it must be admitted that
Manchester had taken every means which would
not answer the end in view, to render herself
independent of America. She had particularly
turned her attention to India, which held the
second place to America in the market. The
Association which she formed to collect information
on the subject of the cotton supply,
collected all the information that it could from that
country, and published it in a weekly journal
which it established as its organ. But Manchester
never had liked Indian cotton, and was not
disposed to change her mind on account of the
war, which might come to an end any day.
Indian cotton, as far as her experience of it
went, had been generally insufficient in staple,
ill prepared, ill cleaned, and even adulterated
with such foreign matters as mud, leaves, and
stones. However, she was at last goaded into
sending out two gentlemen as commissioners
to India, to report once more upon the capabilities
of the country for the growth of cotton; but
without any great belief in the utility of the
mission—the old prejudice being almost too
strong for the reception of new facts. In India
there was great enthusiasm on the subject.
The government took the question in hand, and
ordered that one gentleman for each Presidency
should be appointed to compile all available
information with regard to it. A commissioner
was also despatched to the North-West
Provinces, to gather fresh facts, and make a
special report. All this activity raised a great
many hopes in India, but did not materially alter
the state and prospects of the supply. More
cotton was exported from India than had ever
been exported before; but very little, if any,
more was grown; the extra supplies being merely
diverted from the native market. A great many
sanguine speakers and glowing writers attempted
to show that the opportunity of India had at last
arrived; that the Indians had only to sow as
much cotton-seed as they could lay their hands
upon, and they would at once take the place
of America in the market. But the Indians
are not such simpletons. They had once
before been deceived by a similar cry, and all
the cotton which they had sent in trusting
confidence to the home market had proved a dead
loss. They were quite willing to do the best
they could with their current crop, by sending
it to the most favourable market; but if
Manchester wanted any more, Manchester must take
the risk. This was just what Manchester was
not disposed to do; and both sides being so
particularly clever and unavailable for victimisation,
it seemed as if nothing could be done
between them. Manchester had still the old
prejudice against India, the old hankering after
America. She had, besides, a strong belief in
the existence of some four million bales of
cotton in the Southern States which would
come like an avalanche upon the market
immediately after the cessation of hostilities, and
leave Indian cotton and all other cotton in
the lowest depths of discount.

Manchester did nothing more, therefore,
than invite India into the market to take her
chance—making her the handsome offer of
buying her cotton if no better was to be had
elsewhere. To be sure, she admitted that somebody
ought to do something for the encouragement
of the Indians; and this somebody she
declared to be the government. She had for
years past been in the habit of badgering
successive Indian administrations for reforms of
various kinds, and now she set to work with
renewed vigour. Not only legislators who
might be considered to represent " the
interest," but independent members, principally
representing themselves, caught up the cry; and
it is certain that the authorities are in no danger
of remaining ignorant of the wants of India,
and their own short-comings, for lack of candid
opinions on those subjects.

For a long time it is undoubtedly true that
political causes retarded the progress of
enterprise in India. These were well discussed
during the indigo disturbances, and need not
be entered on here. It is sufficient to allude
to the obvious fact that—in a country where
the state of the law is unfavourable to the
liberty of the subject, where land may not be
held on an independent tenure, and where a
person who makes a contract may break it without
punishment—there is no great temptation
for men to risk their capital and throw away
their energies, even in the cause of cotton.
These grievances have to a great extent been
put an end to by recent reforms. Yet more
remains to be done; for the measure for the sale of
Waste Lands, though assented to, has not yet
been carried out, and the Contract Law, the want
of which caused the almost utter ruin of the