

184142.] MR. FISCHER'S CO-OPERATION DECLINED. 33 



Contemplated removal of the Planters to the 

 neighbourhood of Mr. Fischer's establishment at - 

 Salem. The non-arrival of the gin machinery prevented 

 the Planters from doing anything further during the season 

 of 1840-41 in the way of preparing the Cotton wool. Mean- 

 time Lord Elphinstone, who was then Governor of Madras, coSiufta- * 

 decided on removing the Planters from Tinnevelly to Coim- May 

 batore and Salem, where they would be in the immediate turn 

 neighbourhood of Mr. Fischer, who was a large Contractor P< 

 with Native Cotton growers. Mr. Fischer however consi- chef's tet- 

 dered that the general inferiority of the Madras Cotton arose May i84i. 

 from the vicious system of trade, by which there was a sue- turn (isi7) 



p. 311* 



cession of middlemen or brokers, from the village Chetty who 

 made advances to the Ryot in his hour of need, up to the 

 Dubash of the European Agent at Madras who shipped the 

 Cotton for England. Thus after each middleman had made 

 his own profit, the smallest modicum remained to the Ryot, 

 who consequently had no other resource but to supply the 

 largest possible quantity. Under such circumstances, Mr. 

 Fischer considered that the services of the Planters might 

 prove valuable in giving to the Ryots an improved system of 

 cultivation, including the picking, cleaning, and embaling ; 

 but that the real difficulties in the way of raising the 

 character of Madras Cotton were altogether beyond their 

 control. Mr. Fischer then followed the suggestion of Lord 

 Elphinstone, that the Planters should be removed to the 

 neighbourhood of his establishment. On the one hand he 

 undertook to induce those Ryots, who received advances 

 from him, to follow the instructions of the Planters. On 

 the other hand, his establishment would afford opportu- -|K 

 nities to the Planters of cultivating different kinds of Cotton, 

 and would also furnish them with an American saw gin for 

 separating and cleaning the wool. 



First Season, 1841-42: commenced under Captain 39 

 Hughes. The Court of Directors disapproved of the ex- 



