4 RED SANDERS (Pterocarpus santalinus). 



years. In 1628 the Agent, pressed by the Dutch rivalry, migrated 

 southwards to Arinegam. In 1639 Armegam in its turn gave way 

 to Fort St. George, Madras, which in 1653 was raised to the rank 

 of an independent Presidency. Between this young growing factory 

 and the court of the Honourable East India Company there was 

 considerable correspondence, and interesting extracts are made in 

 the Diary and Consultation Book of the Agent and Governor. In 

 their despatch, dated February 8, 1681, the Court wrote as fol- 

 lows : 



" And we do further order that you make the like provision of 

 300 tones Red wood for our next year's shipping. The Dutch called 

 this Red wood by the name of Calliature wood, and we do per the 

 Nathaniall and Willamson send a pattern thereof which came from 

 India. We are informed that it costs about 2^ pagodas per candy, 

 they are usually in pieces of about 3 yards long but you may have 

 it sawed into pieces of about 2 feet more or less as the Commanders 

 shall desire for conveniency, it being to be ground to powder here 

 and used in dyeing. 



" Contracts for the supply of the wood were negotiated by the 

 Governor, and the question of advances was settled with merchants. 

 In September 1682, the following entry in the diary occurs : ' The 

 Calliature or Red wood merchants having made a contract with ye 

 Agent, etc., for candy of Red wood, declared that without they 

 might have half the money beforehand they could do comply with 

 their contract which upon their promise of giving security was 

 granted them.' 



" Red wood was frequently used as ballast in home going ships. 

 A specific case is recorded in the diary for 1682 : Captain Will- 

 show of the ' Resolution,' complained that he would not be able 

 to ride out ye storm without sufficient Quintelage (ballast) therefore 

 ordered that the warehouse keeper doe lade on board him 100 tons 

 saltpetre and what Calliature wood can be got to stiffen his ship 

 and inable him the better to ride out ye storm' ' 



" In 1685 as much as 1337 pagodas were paid to the local Red 

 wood merchants in 7 instalments during the year. Calculating the 

 pagoda at R9, this amounts to 605. This, however, indicates only 

 a portion of the trade for the year. 



" Reference to the private Diary of Ananda Ranga Pillai from 

 1736 to 1761 " proves that the trade in Red Sanders wood was still 

 brisk. In 1753 the Ship " Fleury " sailed for France with 1,000 

 candies (candy 500-lb.) and the ' Phenix ' with 2,000 candies of 

 Red wood. It might be mentioned that 'James and Marv ' that 



