184 COTTON IN THE MADRAS PRESIDENCY. [1849. 



CHAP. Decision of the Madras Government as regards 

 Y ' Dr. Wight, reversed by the Court of Directors, Sep- 

 239 tember. The proceedings of Sir Henry Pottinger's Govern- 

 ment as regarded Dr. Wight, seem to have been altogether 



court of opposed to the wishes of the Court of Directors. Immedi- 

 5th sept, ately after the receipt of the proceedings, the Court sent oufc 

 a857) n a Dispatch, * n which they ordered a reversal of the resolu- 

 226 - tions which had been passed by the Governor in Council. 

 They were of opinion that, under the circumstances men- 

 tioned by Dr. Wight, it would have been desirable to avoid 

 the abrupt termination of his arrangements. They had 

 previously concurred in the opinion that the Government 

 Cotton Farm in Coimbatore might be relinquished, because 

 they had considered that the object for which that Farm had 

 been established had been fully attained, " by demonstrat- 

 " ing that the soil and climate of the Coimbatore district 

 " were capable of producing Cotton of a description in every 

 respect suited to the wants of the British manufacturer." 

 But at the same time, they had directed that the Madras 

 Government should continue the distribution of American 

 seed ; and they had authorized the cultivation of fields in 

 particular localities, with the view of ascertaining whether 

 the soil and climate of those localities were suited to the 

 production of the American, or any other description of Cot- 

 ton. Whilst therefore they had believed that the time had 

 arrived for discontinuing the extensive farming operations 

 at Coimbatore, they had not intended to prohibit the cul- 

 tivation on a small scale on account of Government. Again, 

 they had expressly ordered that Dr. Wight's purchases of 

 American Cotton from the Ryots at remunerating prices 

 should not be discontinued ; and it was neither their wish, 

 nor their intention, that Dr. Wight should be removed from 

 the Office of Superintendent of Cotton Experiments under 

 the Madras Presidency. Accordingly, the Directors ex- 

 pressed their regret that the Madras Government should 



