CCXXVll 



To get an impression of how much of this sum of Rs. 60,000 actually 

 benefits the townsmen and how much goes to other countries and 

 places, what the component parts of a Madura cloth are must be exami- 

 ned. Let me take for illustration an ordinary white cloth which is sold 

 in the town for Rs. 10. The different items which go to make this 

 sum of Rs. 10 may be described as follows : — 



RS. A. p. 



Value of the thread 



Cost of preparing the same for weaving 



Profit earned by the merchant who sells the 



thread 

 Cost of fastening the thread to the loom 

 Wages for weaving thread into a cloth 

 Value of the lace 



Merchants' profits including brokerage 



Total 



When this cloth is dyed the excess charge is as follows : — 



RS. A, p. 

 For the first and rough coloring ... . 012 



For the making of spots ... ... 012 



For dyeing them over again ... . .. 012 



Miscellaneous ... ... ... ..040 



Total ...2 8 



Thus the great portion of the value of a cloth goes for the lace 

 which is manufactured in France. Then by the cotton twists used, it 

 is the English merchants who are benefited. . The dye is also j)repared 

 abroad and the greater portion of Rs. 1-12-0 spent for dyeing goes 

 also to other hands. The portion of Rs. 12-8-0 which actuallj^ circu- 

 lates among the townsmen may be taken at the highest to be from Rh. 

 4 to Rs. 5 or one-third of the value of the cloth. This calculated with 

 reference to the Rs. 60,000 worth of cloth yields a total amount of Rs. 

 24,000 to Rs. 30,000 and this amount may roughly be fixed to be the 

 sum earned from the industry by cooly upwards to the richest merchant. 

 Deducting again Rs. 5,000 or so as being the profits earned by 

 merchants, there remains Rs. 25,000 to be distributed amongst 5,0<»0 

 families, giving an average of Rs. 5 per family, the amount mentioned 

 above, as being the average income of a family. Grenerally speaking 

 the industry is becoming day by day less profitable to the actual 

 working classes. The causes thereof are not far to seek. Prior to the 

 importation of cotton twist, some fifty years ago, it would appear there 

 were in the town of Madura 2,000 to 8,000 families employed in 

 spinning out threads. This vocation has entirely ceased now. Again, 

 prior to the importation of lace there were 500 Mussulman families 

 engaged in making lace, and in their place there are, it Avould ajopear, 

 only 10 families employed in making country lace. The preparation of 

 coloring materials was at least done locally till a year or two ago, but 



