For many decades, England had almost a monopoly for providing Asia, and the rest of the world, with cotton goods, and required a corresponding amount of raw material, but now, it has lost that position. Grave concern is felt in England, as well as in the whole of Europe, regarding the future of the cotton industry, as it seems impossible to prevent a further expansion in America and Japan, besides that, there is the growing menace of the boll weevil, which many people consider an unwelcome guest, that has come to stay. Amongst the other cotton growing countries, Brazil perhaps, offers the best prospect, on account of the great interest taken there in the cultivation of the cotton plant, also, the Argentine gives rise to some hope. BREMEN'S POSITION IN COMPARISON TO THE RIVAL MARKETS. The following figures are intended to show how the imports of Bremen, and its consequent importance, have grown in comparison to the great rival markets of Liverpool and Havre: The Import was to | Bremen | Liverpool | Havre | in 1000 | in 1000 | in 1000 | bales | bales | bales + + + 1880/81 | 452 | 2 843 | 543 1883/84 | 422 | 2 470 | 465 1886/87 | 493 | 2 694 | 471 1890/91 | 911 | 2 314 | 525 1893/94 | 832 | 2 732 | 578 1896/97 | 1 213 | 2 683 | 672 1900/01 | 1 546 | 2 478 | 711 1903/04 | 1 757 | 2 081 | 690 1906/07 | 2 083 | 3 251 | 863 1909/10 | 1 760 | 2 089 | 948 1912/13 | 2 216 | 3 066 | 1 001 1913/14 | 2 619 | 2 903 | 1 021 1919/20 | 385 | 2 477 | 555 1920/21 | 1 279 | 1 525 | 583 There are not exact statistics before 1880, however, Bremen's yearly import will have been 2-300 000 bales. From small beginnings, quite a creditable result has been reached, that is worthy of some consideration. History frequently chronicles the decay of some once flourishing commercial centre, and nobody knows to-day, the exact reason. Was it an opportunity missed? Of such, no records are kept in the book of time. Should anybody compile a history of lost opportunities, it might easily require a bigger volume, than that needed for the story of opportunities taken at the crucial moment.