1846 47.] MB. FINNIE'S FOUR YEAHS IN TINNEVELLY. 129 



that the English manufacturer will only give a low price for CHAP. 



Indian Cotton, because he never knows what he is buying, '_ 



nor what quality of Cotton will be found in the bales, nor 

 whether the staple will be dirty or clean. 



Conclusion of the season of 1846-47: difficulties 179 

 in the way of conducting the ginning operations at Mr FiQ 

 Aroopoocottah. Notwithstanding Mr. Finnie had secured 

 a temporary gin house in good working order at Aroopoo- 

 cottah, he had still to contend, according to his own account, 363? 7) p ' 

 with two great difficulties. 1st. He could not purchase good 

 Cotton from the Ryots at market price. 2ndly. The 

 expenses of ginning were so heavy, as to render its use 

 utterly impracticable as a mercantile transaction. 



1st. High prices demanded by the Ryots for their 1 SO 

 seed Cotton. The arrangement made by Mr. Finnie to 

 purchase seed Cotton from the Ryots proved a failure ; and 

 he was unable to procure a sufficient quantity to keep his 

 few gins in working order. The seed Cotton delivered to 

 him was always so inferior to the sample that he was com- 

 pelled to reject it; and though he was ever willing to 

 take it at a reduced price in proportion to the quality, yet 

 in that case the people preferred selling it to the Brokers. 

 The object of the Ryots appeared to be to compel him to 

 purchase the Cotton at their own price ; but against 

 this proceeding Mr. Finnie made a determined stand. Go- 

 vernment could afford to lose, but if once the precedent of 

 high prices were established, it could never be broken 

 through. He considered that the object of the experiment 

 was to ascertain if the business could be carried on as a 

 mercantile transaction ; and if high prices were created, no 

 merchant would ever succeed in carrying on the business. 



