184748.] MR. FINNIE'S FOUB YEARS IN TINNEVELLY. 135 



Operations with the Churka, Thresher, and Oin : CHAP. 



meeting of the Cotton Brokers of Tinnevelly. Whilst __J 



Mr. Finnie's proposition to visit England was under the con- 187 

 sideration of the Court of Directors, he was still engaged, Mr. Fin. 



,. , . , t , -i nie's letter. 



according to his own account, in endeavouring to secure the asth March 



1848. Parl. 



co-operation of the people in promoting the improvement of Return 

 their Cotton. On the 28th March 1848, he had a meeting 28s? 7) 

 with the principal Cotton Brokers of Aroopoocottah, and 

 explained his views respecting the importance of attending 

 to the cleanliness of Indian Cotton ; as well as his plan for a 

 European Agency, by means of which he could give a better 

 price for the pure article than for the mixed dirty one. In 

 reply, the Brokers admitted that the gin was an excellent 

 machine, but said that it was too expensive for them. As 

 regarded the thresher, they said that they were quite pre- 

 pared to use it for taking the dirt and trash out of the Cot- 

 tori ; first, hecause it was both good and cheap ; and secondly, 

 because it loosened the Cotton on the seed, and thus enabled 

 the churkas to do more work. 



Cost of cleaning with the Thresher and Churka as 188 

 compared with that of the Gin. Mr. Finnie then gave 

 to the Brokers for a few days the use of his gin house and 

 thresher. They brought their own Cotton, as well as their 

 own churkas and people. The Cotton was first put in the 

 thresher, and then churkaed, for the purpose of ascertaining 

 the cost of this mode of cleaning. Mr. Finnie reported that Jj g letter", 

 the result was highly favourable. The relative cost of clean- 1347. Par 

 ing a candy of 500 Ibs. of Cotton, he estimated as follows : 



288. 



Ks. A. P. s. d. 

 With the Churka ....... 4 14 8='0 9 10 



With the Gin ............ 10 3 10 = 1 5J 



In a foot note however, Mr. Finnie so far modified his 

 opinion as to bring the expense of both methods more to a 

 level. On the one hand, he found it necessary to beat the 



