330 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



of cotton every year, instead of only one crop. And the quality 

 of the irrigated cotton is one hundred and fifty per cent, better 

 than field cultivated cotton, whicli is easily accounted for. 



But the works for irrigation all over India are in a state of ruin 

 or decay. Besides, roads and communications are fundamental 

 elements of national prosperity and wealth. And it may be said 

 of India, that she has no roads, there being only three thousand 

 to four thousand miles of metalled roads for a population of one 

 hundred and fifty millions. While in England, there are one 

 hundred and twenty thousand miles of metalled roads. For want 

 of roads in India, cotton is brought four hundred miles to a ship- 

 ping port, on the backs of bullocks, each bullock carrying about 

 two hundred and fifty pounds weight; and their journey occupies 

 two or three months. They are frequently overtaken by the rainy 

 season; the streams and torrents become impassable, and droves 

 of these bullocks die on the road from over fatigue. "When rail- 

 roads shall be established, the transit of now sixty-four days will 

 be made in thirty-six hours. Mr. Mackay says it took him seven 

 hours to travel in the bullock cart twelve miles, on the road 

 between Jamboosar and the port of Tankaria. In 1839, railroads 

 in India were projected, but only about two hundred miles are yet 

 opened; while, in the same period, twenty thousand miles of 

 railroad have been completed here. And a want of a tenure of 

 the land, also, form a formidable obstacle to improvement. The 

 king owns all. Except in Bengal, no person in India, native or 

 European, can own, in fee simple, a single acre of land. With 

 this system, no country can ever rise beyond barbarism. - 



Lord Stanley remarked, that a rise of one penny a pound of 

 cotton, was a loss to the community of four to five million pounds 

 sterling, ($25,000,000,) but little less than the whole of our income 

 tax. 



Mr. Crawford believed there was no risk of the falling off of 

 the supplies of cotton from America, for centuries to come. He 

 heartily wished it could be obtained otherwise than by slave labor. 



It is recommended to send competent men with the jiroper 

 machinery to India, to manage this fibre. 



