82 



A variable proportion of grade No. 9 (between 2f 

 and 2^ inches in diameter) is added to the bags as the 

 cutters object to any large proportion of this grade, on 

 account of the difficulty of utilizing any large number of 

 bracelets of such small diameter. No shells under No. 

 9 (2^ inches diameter) are mixed with the assorted sizes ; 

 these smallest size shells are kept separate and sold 

 apart from the others. 



Shells wormed on the larger whorls are also excluded 

 from the bags, but if the apex only be slightly affected 

 no objection is made to inclusion as this part is of no 

 value, being smashed in prior to slicing up the shell. 



The present tendency is towards enhanced prices 

 partly because of competition actual or threatened, and 

 partly because of the increasing prosperity of the chank 

 bangle industry. The former cause is fortuitous and 

 may be transitory, the latter substantial and giving pro- 

 mise of continuance owing to an increased demand 

 for chank bracelets by the better class Hindu ladies of 

 Benofal. The Beno-al Swadeshi movement has been 

 the principal factor as the people were asked to discon- 

 tinue the use of foreign-made glass bangles (almost all 

 made in Austria) and to resume the wearing of chank 

 bracelets according to the custom of their ancestors. A 

 second factor of considerable and increasing force is 

 the marked advance in the artistic quality of the brace- 

 lets turned out. Some firms produce beautiful and har- 

 monious designs, infinitely more artistic and pleasing to 

 the eye than any of the gaudy glassware imported from 

 Europe. The higher caste Hindu ladies who a few 

 years ago were rapidly discarding chank bracelets as 

 regular adornments fit only for the use of low caste 

 people, are resuming the habit, a change due undoubt- 

 edly to the Swadeshi movement reinforced by an 

 increase of skill and taste on the part of the more enter- 

 prising firms. 



The first distribution of shells made from Calcutta is 

 effected at an enhancement of price approximately equal 

 to 40 per cent, upon that paid to Government at Tuti- 

 corin. Shells bought at 100 per 1,000 are sold at the 

 Calcutta godowns, at not less than Rs. 14 per 100 or 

 Rs. 140 per 1,000. Excluding interest upon capital 

 locked up, this gain of 40 per cent, may be said to be 



