The Lancashire Cotton Famine

Blockaderunner

First Sergeant
Joined
Oct 25, 2006
Location
North Durham, England
The cotton shortages in England during the Civil War are usually blamed on the blockade. But take a look at this website, which offers a different view. Over production by Lancashire mills in the 1850's had lead to a fall in the price of manufactured cotton goods. Cotton merchants had well stocked wharehouses but withheld supplies while waiting for prices to rise. Has anyone come across this view before? Makes interesting reading.

http://www.spinningtheweb.org.uk/m_...theme=overview&crumb=Lancashire+Cotton+Famine
 
The cotton shortages in England during the Civil War are usually blamed on the blockade. But take a look at this website, which offers a different view. Over production by Lancashire mills in the 1850's had lead to a fall in the price of manufactured cotton goods. Cotton merchants had well stocked wharehouses but withheld supplies while waiting for prices to rise. Has anyone come across this view before? Makes interesting reading.[/URL]
..."There were considerable stocks of raw cotton in Lancashire during the Civil War, but these were held in warehouses by merchants waiting for a further rise in prices or exporting to overseas markets like New York where a more favourable price could be obtained.", from the page cited.
Fits well with what I found while researching King Wheat for my web site. Cotton was moving from Great Britian to the U.S mills for prices reaching $1.00./lb.
Thanks for the addy Blockaderunner
 
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