now occupied by her Majesty's troops. The town of D'Urban, or Port Natal, is inhabited chiefly by the English, and contains about sixty houses, the majority being of temporary construction. Skirting the shores of the bay, and backed by an umbrageous wood, it presents a picturesque and cheerful appearance. The supply of water at present is rather scanty, but this defect could easily be remedied, by turning the waters of the Umgani river across the flat, when a copious and unfailing supply would be obtained. The Bay of Natal is of considerable extent, being about ten miles in circumference; it contains two or three islands covered with mangrove trees, and is traversed by three deep channels, sufficiently capacious for the anchorage of a hundred sail, and it is completely landlocked. The depth of water at the ordinary anchorage is twenty feet, so that vessels can lie alongside the beach and discharge their cargoes. The entrance to the bay is partially obstructed by a sand bar, which is about a hundred and twenty feet across; the breadth of the channel, on the bar, is about a hundred and fifty yards. Its depth varies a good deal, at different periods of the year,~in the rainy season, there is twenty-five feet; in the dry, but twelve feet of water: this great difference is supposed to be owing to the additional volume of water which is poured into the bay from three small rivers, which open into it near its head. To the north and south of the harbour of Natal, there are two large rivers, each between three and four miles distant. Each of these disgorges a volume of water perpetually into the sea, fully equivalent to that discharged by the three rivulets at the head of the bay, when swollen during the rainy season. These rivers, the Umgani and the Umlazi, could with comparatively little labour (as the intervening country is quite level) be turned into the bay, and would, combined, produce a force and volume of water sufficient to clear away all obstruction, and open a deep and permanent channel for vessels of large tonnage. Ships of from two to three hundred tons have, in its present state, made their exit and entrance with safety, but it is not just now considered prudent for any vessel drawing more than twelve feet to attempt the channel. There is, however, good anchorage outside, with a sandy bottom, which affords good holding ground. The prevailing winds are the N.E. and S.W., and as it very rarely blows from any other quarter, ships may clear the land at any time, without making a tack. With good surf-boats, cargo can be landed outside the bay, on the sea beach, with as little delay as in Algoa Bay. The attention of the settlers was at first directed to the cultivation of cotton, by obtaining the spontaneous growth of the native plant, scattered over the face of the country, as well as a general tendency in many indigenous plants, to produce a material of a cotton texture. The first seeds were imported from America, and sown in the garden of a mission station; for several years, these plants manifested the capabilities of the soil and climate for the production of cotton, to exist in a remarkable degree. The plant was found to be perennial, to acquire a gradual increase of growth, until it attained a height of from six to ten feet, and to spread over a large surface of ground; it produced throughout the year, winter and summer very abundantly; the quality of the cotton seeming rather to improve than deteriorate and the quantity rather to increase than lessen, with each additional year. This manifestation of the country's adaptation for the production of a valuable article of commerce, had no influence in rousing the indolent and unenterprising mind of the Dutch Boer; it was not until the appropriation of the country by the British, that a few spirited young men, by more extended experiment on various soils, and in different localities, fully established the claim of Natal to be considered one of the finest cotten countries under the sun. Seeds have been procured from the East Indies, Egypt, Brazil, China, and America; the first crops from the several kinds sown on lands in a comparatively foul and unprepared state, have produced a quality of cotton, not inferior in nature to that gathered in the several countries whence they have been brought. The American variety is, however, most commonly cultivated; and it has been ascertained that the plant furnishes cotton at Natal, superior to the American in all the characteristics that constitute commercial value; a fact established by the price obtained for a few bales sent over to this country. I need not dilate on this subject, as I presume the samples submitted to your inspection, which were hurriedly gathered from the nearest sources, the day before I left the country, will corroborate my statements. Owing to the limited number of Europeans, and the many obstacles arising from inexperience, want of suitable implements, deficiency of capital, and consequent difficulty of commanding labour, for the proper and extended cultivation of the soil, cotton has not yet been produced in a quantity sufficiently large to establish for itself a character in the English market; revertheless, the results have been sufficiently decisive to establish the capability of Natal for the profitable cultivation of this article to such an extent as would render it an important feature in colonial commerce. Perhaps in no British colony do the elements for cheap production, i e. cheap land, cheap labour, and cheap food, exist in a greater degree than Natal. Tracts of land, six thousand acres in extent, capable of being transfered into cotton plantations, were changing hands six months ago for from £150 to £400. Lands adjacent to the Port of Natal, reached a higher price, and were sold at the government sales from 4s. to 7s. per acre. It is computed that there are 100,000 native inhabitants scattered over the country; they are now simple and harmless barbarians, who might be trained by a vigorous and enlightened exercise of authority, into habits of industry and peace. Like all barbarians, they are constitutionally indolent and adverse to labour; but under the personal superintendence of the white man, they are found useful and willing workmen, fully capable for all the labours of the field, not requiring any extraordinary exercise of skill. Women and children are found well adapted for the lighter work of the cotton plantation. The rate of wages at present is very low, 4s. per month, or a cow which costs from £2 to £2 10s., is considered an equivalent for a year's service. The native labourers subsist chiefly on Indian corn, with an ocasional allow. ance of beef. The price of Indian corn, is from 1s. to 1s. 6d. per bushel; 'of beef, from 1d. to 14d. per lb. A Natal Cotton Company has been formed this last year, of shareholders, in Natal and the Cape, for the purpose of introducing one hundred German families: it has been fully organized, and agents are now in Germany selecting suitable emigrants for emigration; but this project is by no means commensurate with the actual resourses of the colony. It has also been discovered that Natal is well adapted for the production of indigo. The indigo plant is indigenous, and is found scattered like a weed over the country; it is said there are no less than ten different varieties of this plant to be met with there. I have to submit to you a small specimen of this article, which has been extracted by a rude process from a native plant; it has been pronounced by good authority, to be of superior quality; this opinion, if corroborated, will give an additional value to the country in the estimation of the commercial world. The sugar cane has been introduced, and it may now be seen growing luxuriantly in various parts of the colony. Several hundred of those plants have been imported from the Mauritius, and are now thriving very encouragingly. Shonld further experience prove that indigo and sugar can be produced in Natal, as well as cotton, it will soon acquire an important standing among our colonies; and when it is considered that the whole range of country from the Bashee to the St. Lucia, embracing a line of coast 300 miles in extent, affords equal capabilities, and may eventually be accessible to British enterprise, skill, and capital, this part of the world will be regarded as one of our most valuable transmarine possessions. Mr. Blaine, observed, in the course of his address, that he had brought a specimen to England of Port Natal coal, but unfortunately it had not come from London. The President said, on behalf of Mr. Blaine, he had now to lay before the Board, his samples of cotton, and the first was a specimen grown from Bombay seed; the quality was first rate, and worth full 50 per cent. more than the cotton of Bombay.-Mr. Owen thought that it was short in staple.-The President said it was true it was short in staple, but it was even, and very superior to that grown in Bombay.—The next was a specimen of cotton grown from Brazils seed: the quality seemed to be very much depreciated indeed-it was clean but common. Then there was a specimen grown from the green seed of America.—Mr. Boothman said he believed the green seed was a Mexican kind.-The Vice-President, (Mr. Lewis Williams,) asked if they had subjected the specimens to any process, to give them the beautiful white, clean appearance, they possessed; had they had machinery for cleaning it?-Mr. Blaine replied that they had no machinery in the country; the cotton had been gathered by hand.-The President said, the next sample he would hand to the board, was a specimen of Nankin cotton, or rather grown from Nankin seed; but the most gratifying specimen they had was a sample of cotton in common cultivation at Natal-it appeared to be of the Egyptian class.—Mr. E. Shawcress inquired, if this was cotton indiginous to Natal.—Mr. Blaine replied that it was not, but had been grown from seed imported about four years ago, and which was probably Egyptian.-The Vice-President, (who is a gentleman well qualified to judge of the value of cotton, seemed to examine this specimen with great interest,) said, that if we could get such cotton as this transmitted, we could find a market for any quantity.-The President said, the next question was one of the same description of cotton, but grown from different seeds: it showed that the soil of Natal possessed great capability; the cotton was superior and of a very bony fibre.-The next specimen he had to present, was one supposed to be grown from Sea Island seed; it was marked,- Supposed to be grown from Pitt's Island seed."-It was a beautiful cotton, and worth at market, he should say, 9d. or 10d. per lb.-The Vice-President said this was of a beautiful quality, and very equal in staple.Other directors of the Chamber seemed also to entertain a high opinion of the cotton.-The President said, the next was another specimen in common cultivation at Port Natal, and was very beautiful, the value of which could not be less than 1s. per lb.-Mr. Owen asked, what seed was this from.-Mr. Blaine said the seed came from America.-The President thought from its appearance, it was from Sea Islands seed.-The Vice-President remarked that it was of a more uniform staple even than the other, and was certainly a very beautiful and superior article.-The President thought so, and the staple drew out so beautifully clear,-it was also clean; he had never seen cotton so clean before. Mr. Joseph Owen here opened and stretched the sample with his fingers, so as to show its staple more thoroughly, and it appeared to be long in fibre, white, and exceedingly adhesive, combining with these qualities that of the bright, clear, glossy appearance, of the gossamer almost. The President also exhibited a specimen of Indigo, which was said to be worth from 3s. 4d. to 3s. 6d. per lb.-The President said, Mr. Blaine had fully shown the capacity of Port Natal to grow beautiful cotton for us, and that there was also great capacity in the mineral and agricultural products of the country, for commercial purposes. In answer to questions, Mr. Blaine stated that the colony had not a great trade with this country. Probably they had 14 or 15 arrivals of British vessels in the course of the year. The natives were tractable but indolent, and emigration would be necessary. There was now probably about 400 acres under cotton cultivation; they had no manufactories there. Only some three or four bags of cotton had ever been sent to the Liverpool market for sale. Their chief exports were to Cape Town and the Mauritius, the articles of export being sheep's wool, butter, ivory, and gum. Wheat was grown there by the boers, chiefly for their own consumption. With respect to the distance of the cotton-growing district from the sea, he said the cotton produced had been gathered round the bay. The district most suitable extends about 120 miles along the coast, and also about the same number of miles in depth, towards the interior. Their present means of transport, were by waggons drawn by oxen. The roads were only natural ones, but tolerably good. The natives brought their sheep's wool, now worth about 13d. or 14d. per lb., to market by that means, a distance of 3 and 400 miles. He was not acquainted with the course of the rivers, but believed them to be shallow. The climate was favourable to European constitutions, and under the white man's guidance the natives would work profitably. The entrance to the Bay was good, and vessels could pass the bar drawing twelve feet water, and in the rainy season. had done it with sixteen feet draft. They might anchor within a quarter of a mile of the shore. He was not prepared with any plan to recommend to the board, beyond that of encouraging emigration, but should probably give that subject further consideration. He had not been in communication with the Colonial Office. The colony had a lieutenant governor, and about three hundred troops were stationed there. Indian wheat, both white and yellow, was grown, but the natives prefered the yellow as sweeter than the other. The estimate per head for emigration, would probably be about £10 or £12. Mr. W. R. Calender suggested that it would be well to have a specific plan for consideration. The President said most likely Mr. Blaine would put himself in communication with Earl Grey. After an animated conversation, the President said he begged to thank Mr. Blaine on behalf of the Chamber, for his interesting communications, which should receive the attention of the Board, who would no doubt be willing to do everything that could be done to test the capabilities of Natal, as a cotton growing district. The interview was then brought to a close, the President announcing that specimens of the cotton produced would remain at the Chamber for the examination of members and friends. Such is the ample statement respecting the colony made by Dr. Blaine, now in England. About the same time that it was made, the following appeared in the Manchester Guardian,' written by one of the partners in the German Natal Cotton Company. I give it for the reader to exercise his judgment highly profitable investment for money, combined with industry and close attention. For casualities, frost, neglect of labourers, and the cotton perhaps, gathered and packed in a wet condition, we take off one third, we should yet offer great results to cotton planting at Natal; £2590, less, there would remain £1727. COTTON CULTIVATION AT PORT NATAL. To the Editor of the Manchester Guardian. of Sir, In consequence my statement on cotton cultivation at Port Natal, before the Chamber of Commerce, published in the "Manchester Guardian" of the 26th February, I have received a quantity of letters, which I am sorry I cannot answer, on account of my embarkation for the Cape of Good Hope. I therefore profit of the columns of the "Manchester Guardian," to answer the principal questions put to me, and inform, at the same time, the writers that I shall be most happy to give all possible information, if they will direct their letters to me to Cape-Town, Cape of Good Hope. ANSWERS. 1st. The vessel carrying my emigrants has sailed some months ago, and I am not engaging any more at present. 2nd. It is my opinion that good managers would find employment at Port Natal. 3rd. To correct an error in the report of the Manchester Guardian, I repeat more distinctly the calculation I intended to give : Suppose a family of five persons is to go out with a capital of £400 They will have to spend For passage, £20 a-head For 200 acres of land, at 6s. For eight oxen, at £3 per piece £100 60 24 30 £214 For temporary house, and necessary working implements Together Which would still leave for their living, and payment of wages and other expenses, the handsome sum of Suppose they cultivate in the first year £186 50 acres of land, which would produce (as proved already at Port Natal) per acre 600lb of clean cotton, the value of which is 6d. per lb. at Port Natal; but taking it only at 400lb of clean cotton per acre, and at 3d. per lb., in order to be on the safe side, the 50 acres would produce 20,000lb., at 3d. per lb. The second year, 100 acres might be cultivated, and The third year, 150 ditto, The fourth year, 200 ditto, £250 500 750 1000 1000 |