IMPORTS TO AND EXPORTS FROM INDIA. 329 



school, who measured the wealth of every country solely 

 by the abundance of the precious metals which it possessed, 

 and looked upon the relinquishment of these as the most 

 ruinous of all transactions. This was a chimerical distress, 

 the grounds of which are now almost entirely removed. 

 The company, by means of their territorial revenues, and 

 of the remittances from their servants to England, are en- 

 abled to supply the pecuniary part of their investments with 

 very little export of bullion ; while the private merchants 

 have obtained nearly the same result by the great quantity 

 of European manufactures which they have succeeded in 

 introducing. Formerly woollens were the only British 

 fabric that could find a market, and the company even 

 boasted that they sent out these solely on a patriotic prin- 

 ciple, and with loss to themselves. At present numerous 

 articles are sold, not excepting cotton, the staple commodity 

 of India herself, which in 1829 was exported to the extent 

 of above a million and a half sterling. 



The following is a statement presented to parliament, 

 showing the proportion of merchandise and bullion in 

 rupees, imported to and exported from India by the com- 

 pany and private traders, for the years 1827-8 and 1828-9 : 



IMPORTS TO INDIA. 



5,00,228 | 2,46,414 | 6,26,16,845 | 1,08,503 



EXPORTS FROM INDIA. 



1827-8.. 1,75,37,150 I 34,58,720 I 2,08,80,224 I 49,48,050 



1828-9. . 1,41,26,165| | 2,20,94,580 | 33 ,65,238 



3,16,63,315 | 34,58,720 | 4.29,74,804 | 83,13,288 



The mode in which the commerce of India is carried on 

 is a subject of deep importance, and has given rise to very 

 warm discussions. We have seen this trade from its first 

 establishment uniformly conducted by exclusive companies, 

 the only interruptions being caused by the occasional oppo- 

 sition of rival bodies. The mercantile public, notwith- 

 standing loud and repeated remonstrances, were never 

 admitted to any share, till on the renewal of the charter in 



