338 On the Maritime Commerce of Bengal. 



Dutch and Danes, and 450 chests were sold, and produced 

 28,87, 7aO sicca rupees^ besides which 700 chests sent, on 

 the company's account, to Bencoolen and Piinct- of Wales's 

 Island. These 1,150 chests, valued at the medium rate ot" 

 the sales of Patna opium, amount to 6.36,668,12 sicca ru- 

 pees. To this must be added about 500 chests annually- 

 imported from Oude, which, esti-naled at 500 rupees per 

 chest, makes the whole amount to 32,74,448 sicca rupees, 

 or 37,98,359 current rupees. Nearly the whole of this is 

 exported to the eastern islands and China ; or, if we deduct 

 two lacks for home consumption (which we know to 

 be principally supplied by smuggled opium), and allow 

 93,358 10 8 rupees for occasional exports to the coast of 

 Coromandel and Malabar, we shall not over-rate the value 

 of this article exported to the eastward, in staling it at 35 

 lacks of current rupees. Besides opium, our traders carry 

 to the eastward and China, grain, saltpetre, gunpowder, 

 iron, fire-arms, cotton, wool, silk, and cotton piece goods, 

 &c.; of the latter, including what goes to Manilla and Ea- 

 tavia, the value is considerable; not less, in our opinion, 

 than ten lacks of rupees. If I estimate all other articles at 

 five lacks, the exports amount to fifty-five lacks ; and I do 

 not conceive my assumption of the value of eastern exports 

 will be found overcharged. 



Next to the eastern trade I place that to Bombay and the 

 ports on the Malabar coast, including Surat, which, in the 

 year 1793, occupied 51 vessels, carrying 28,100 tons. Of 

 this tonnaae, I think, no less than 25,000 tons consisted 

 of grain and pulse, which, taken at the former valuation of 

 two and a half current rupees per bag, gives 8,12,500 cur- 

 rent rupees. Other articles of export to these marts consist 

 principally of sugar, raw silk, some silk and cotton piece 

 goods, saltpetre, ginger, long pepper, sacking (called gun- 

 nies), hempen rope, 6ic., which do not exceed five or six 

 lacks of rupees ; and the whole exports may be reckoned at 

 14 lacks of current rupees. 



To ihc gulfs of Arabia and Persia, Bengal sends grain, 

 sugar, silk and cotton piece goods, &;c. This trade was 

 formerly »•> consuUrablc, that the annual returns were esti- 

 mated at thirty lacks of rupees ; but, owing to the anarchy 

 which has prevailed in Persia since the death of Kherim 

 Khan, the successor of Nadir Shah, and in Egvpt, since the 

 overthrow of Ali Bey, with a variety of other causes, it has 

 greatly declined of laie years * ; and including the eastern coast 



of 



• It has been confidently a'sscrred th^it the trade to Su(2 w;$ shiit t;p 



by 



