CCIX 



Against the prosperity of the agricultural and trading classes, however, 

 is to be set the pressure which the landless and old manufacturing 

 classes are feeling. The condition of the weavers is everywhere lament- 

 able. Their occupatiom is gone ; and they have not had time enough 

 to reconcile themselves to their new lot and to adapt themselves to 

 changed circumstances. The extinction of native manufactures means, 

 I suppose, the loss of so much wealth to the community and suffering 

 to the manufacturing classes ; but the net result of British adminis- 

 tration up to now has been an increase, and not a decrease of national 

 wealth. This is the impression of most people whom I have consulted. 

 I have no figures at hand to establish this. 



It is true the cost of administration has considerably increased of 

 late, the public debt has swelled, and the fall in the value of the rupee 

 is telling heavily on our finances.; making allowances for these and 

 the increase in taxation they imply, the country, owing to the secuiity 

 it enjoys and the facilities afforded for transport of produce and goods, 

 is very much better off now than it was in 1850. 



The increase in thei area of land under tillage, the starting and 

 successful working of spinning and weaving mills, and the discovery 

 of coal in several parts of the country, are all factors in the question. 



(2) Note by S. Seshaiyar, Esq., B.A., Professor^ Government College, 



Kumbakonam. 



I examined some bundles of old accounts in the possession of some 

 of the merchants of this town. The information to be gathered from 

 them is not as satisfactory as one could wish it were. Still there does 

 not appear to be any doubt about certain broad facts. 



Is^. — Brass and copper vessels are much cheaper now than they 

 were between 30 and 40 years ago. The average price of brass 

 wrought into vessels, such as ^<ru^u[T&rLQ and sfSJsrrmLh, &c., was 8 

 annas a seer, or, in other words, 7 seers for a pagoda, whereas now it 

 is 11 or 12 seers, and, 4 years ago before the Paris Syndicate raised by 

 compact the price of copper, it sold at 14 seers the pagoda. Copper 

 was likewise dearer in the same ratio. Roughly it may be said that 

 the price of brass and copper vessels has cheapened by between 80 

 and 40 per cent. This is due, of course, to the enormous importation 

 of metallic sheets from Europe, Formerly they had to make brass 

 here. It is a mixture of copper and tin. And there is the notion that 

 brass pots and other vessels of those days were purer in quality and 

 more durable. Everywhere, even in villages, and among the lower 

 classes of the population, the journeymen laborers included^ brass 

 pots, plates and bronze cups have taken and are taking the place of 

 the earthen vessels. Even for cooking purposes they use the metallic 

 vessels. 



2nd. — As regards clothing, there is no doubt that Manchester goods 

 are steadily driving out of the market the home- woven cloths, and this is 

 because of the great cheapness of the former. It is difficult to compare 

 the prices of these days with those that obtained thirty years ago. 

 Still, roughly, it may be estimated that cloths of nearly the same 

 quality are cheaper by 40 per cent. Then a ten, six, as it is called a 

 (£^ir(bv^^ and ^a/«sijsfi^irLi), of roiigli kind could not be had for less 

 than Rs. 1-12-0 ; 8 yards of jaconet will now do for it, and you can get 



DO 



