94 



somewliat dearer than machine-made cloths, are preferred to the 

 latter as being more durable and warmer. The coarse thread 

 is spun by the agriculturists themselves and given to weavers 

 who weave them into cloth on being paid about one rupee or its 

 equivalent in grain for each cloth. These cloths are extensively 

 in use in the Ceded districts, Kurnool, Coimbatore and Salem, 

 where the cold in the winter months is severer than in other 

 parts of the Presidency. The amount of weaving done in the 

 country has not probably diminished sensibly of late years, but 

 the profits of the weavers, both on account of the Manchester 

 competition and the additional pressure on the weaving industry 

 due to the collapse of the spinning industry, have undoubtedly 

 been much reduced.^*' The Madras Board of Eevenue, who 

 instituted enquiries into the condition of the weaving industry 

 in 1871 and again in 1890, have reported to the same effect. 

 In 1871, the number of looms at work was nearly 280,000 or 

 nearly 42 per cent, higher than the number at work between 

 1856-57 and 1860-61, as ascertained for the purpose of assess- 

 ing the old moturpha tax. The returns for the earlier years, 

 however, were imperfect and not fully to be relied on, and the 

 Board estimated the real increase at between 20 and 25 per 

 cent, and attributed the advance to the abolition of the vexatious 

 and inquisitorial moturpha tax. The total quantity of twist 

 worked up into cloth was estimated at 31|^ million lb., of which 

 11 J millions were imported and 20 millions spun in the country. 

 In 1889 the number of looms at work was ascertained to be 

 300,000 exhibiting an increase since 1871 of 7 per cent., while 

 the increase in the population is 14 per cent. The quantity of 

 twist worked up into cloth was estimated at 34 J millions — an 

 increase of a little less than 10 per cent. — of which 19 millions 

 were imported, 1 million was manufactured in the Indian mills 

 and 14| millions were hand-made. Since 1871, the outturn of 

 hand-made yarn has, therefore, diminished by 22^ per cent. 

 For the whole of India the total production of cotton was esti- 

 mated in 1869 at 7*1 million cwt., of which 5 millions were 

 exported and 2*1 million cwt. consumed in India — ^ million 

 by the Indian mills and 1-8 million by the hand-looms. In 

 1888-89, the total production was estimated at 9| million cwts., 

 of which 5^ millions were exported to foreign countries, 3 

 millions were consumed by the Indian mills and 1 million by the 

 hand-looms in India. This shows that hand-spun yarn is being 

 rapidly superseded by yarn made in the Indian mills, and that 

 what the hereditary spinning classes have to fear now is not the 



** See appendix V.-F. (17) for a note on the condition of weavers in the Madura town. 



