432 



INDIA. 



Including Government stores, the total im- 

 ports in 1889 were 83,282,678 and the exports 

 98,844,620. The imports and exports of bullion 

 and specie, both on private and Government ac- 

 count, for the last five financial years are shown 

 in the following table, giving the values in tens 

 of rupees : 



The distribution among the different countries 

 in the foreign trade of British India is shown in 

 the following table, which gives, in tens of rupees, 

 the values of merchandise imported from, and of 

 Indian produce exported to each country desig- 

 nated in 1889 : 



Imports of the value of Rx 55,377,385 and ex- 

 ports of the value of Rx 57,227,190 went through 

 the Suez Canal. 



Not included in the above figures is the land 

 trade, which is carried on with thirty states, in- 

 cluding Cashmere, the trade with Nepaul being 

 the most important, as most of the trade with 

 Tibet passes through that state, although the 

 settlement of the Sikkim question and the resto- 

 ration of tranquillity in the Chumbi valley is 

 likely to change that condition of affairs. Cot- 

 ton piece goods, two thirds of which are British 

 and the other third Indian, are largely exported 

 to Nepaul, Cashmere, and Tibet, the total value in 

 1889-'90 being Rx 2,063,766. Yarns are also ex- 

 ported and raw cotton to western China. The im- 

 ports of wool from Tibet are increasing. Among 

 other exports are indigo and other dyes to Cabul, 

 and Indian tea, the demand for which in central 

 Asia has not expanded to the expected extent. 

 The exports to Afghanistan increased from Rx 

 574,890 in 1888 to Rx 796,517 in 1890. The total 

 trade across the land frontiers for 1889-'90 was 



Rx 3,737,678 of imports and Rx 5,113,749 of ex- 

 ports, inclusive of treasure, showing an increase 

 in the merchandise exports of Rx 450,410 and 

 a decrease of over Rx 200,000 in the imports. 



The trade of Burmah for 1889-'90 was by far 

 the largest on record, the imports of private mer- 

 chandise being Rx 235,000 and the exports Rx 

 1,917,500 more than in the previous year. The 

 largest part of the increase in imports was due 

 to large supplies of kerosene from the United 

 States. The imports of oil were Rx 245,000 ; of 

 cotton goods, Rx 240,000 ; of cotton yarns, Rx 

 213,000. The exports of rice were Rx 1,640,000 ; 

 of teak, Rx 237,500; of cutch, Rx 135,000: of 

 raw cotton, Rx 80,000. The imports of Burmah 

 for the two years before the war averaged Rx 3,- 

 750,000 and the exports Rx 5,980,000; during 

 the two years of fighting the imports were Rx 

 3,560,000 and the exports Rx 6,680,000 a year ; 

 and during the last three years the average value 

 of the imports has been Rx 5,380,000 and of the 

 exports Rx 6,840,000. 



The returns for the whole of India for the year 

 ending March 31, 1890, show a slight falling off 

 in the value of imports and a large gain, amount- 

 ing to Rx 6,445,598 in the value of exports. The 

 total imports of merchandise and Government 

 stores were Rx 69,199,376, which was Rx 241,000 

 below the previous year, but above the average 

 for the five years immediately preceding by Rx 

 7,683,100. The falling off as compared with 1888 

 -'89 was due to a decrease in the imports of text- 

 iles and cotton yarns that more than balanced 

 an increase in the imports of copper, which plays 

 an important part in native industries. The 

 exports of Indian products and manufactures 

 amounted to Rx 99,088,333. The increase was 

 mainly due to larger exports of raw cotton, jute, 

 and rape seed. 



The cotton crop of India for the season 1889- 

 '90 was the largest ever known. The quantity 

 received at Bombay was 2,238,000 bales of 350 

 pounds, and at Calcutta 146,856 bales. The In- 

 dian shipments to Europe, China, and other for- 

 eign ports, amounted to 1,939,610 bales, against 

 1,632,000 in 1888-'89. The quality shows an im- 

 provement, though complaints of adulteration 

 are still common. 



The state forests in 1889 covered 54,917 square 

 miles. In 1878 there were only 17,705 square 

 miles. In the next year large areas in the Cen- 

 tral Provinces and elsewhere were added, in- 

 creasing the total to 40,425 square miles. The 

 total figure for 1889 was made up of 19,712 

 square miles in the Central Provinces, 10,236 in 

 Bombay, 5,111 in Lower Burmah, 4,988 in Ben- 

 gal, 3,727 in Madras, 3.727 in the Northwestern 

 Provinces and Oude, 3,447 in Assam, 1,535 in 

 the Punjab, and 1,059 in Berar. 



The British mill owners, who effectually re- 

 sisted the proposal to place a slight duty on im- 

 ports of cotton goods for the encouragement of 

 Indian manufactures, now that the industry has 

 attained so great a development in Bombay, 

 show a desire to cripple their Indian competi- 

 tors by interfering with the conditions of native 

 labor, and in this they are seconded by the Brit- 

 ish working classes. For their behoof, and not 

 from any spontaneous demand emanating from 

 either laborers or employers in India, an Indian 

 factory commission was appointed, which made 



