330 IMPORT AND COST OF HEMP FROM THE HIMALAYAS. 
the quality so good, I believe it might be established as a 
regular article of export from India, or, at all events, of con- 
sumption in the dockyards of that country. I would therefore 
suggest that the local officers of the districts of Kemaon, 
Deyra Doon, Sirmore, and Kote Kangra (more properly Kooloo), 
should be authorised to purchase certain quantities of the Hemp 
(say from 5 to 10 tons), and send it down to Calcutta, for 
transmission to and sale in the markets of this country, taking 
care that while they give sufficient encouragement to the culti- 
vators, they do not so far increase the cost, either by raising 
the price or by enhancing the expense, as to interfere with its 
subsequent profitable sale by merchants. It is probable that 
the Himalayan Hemp would sell here for £35 a ton.” 
The Author has lately received a letter from Dr. Jameson, dated 
6th Nov.,1854, referring to this fibre, and also to the order which 
had been sent by the Court of Directors to India for the pur- 
chase of some of this Himalayan Hemp, in order to make it 
known in the markets here. He states that the Civil Authorities 
had “issued orders to purchase ten tons of the Hemp grown in 
Gurhwal and Kemaon, which they were procuring at the rate 
of from Rs. 4 to Rs.6 per maund, or £10 16s. to £16 4s. per 
ton. Carriage to Calcutta will cost about £5, and to England, 
with other incidental charges, say £10 per ton! more, which 
will bring the article up to £25 16s. to £31 4s, Of course, 
when it is exported on a larger scale the price of carriage will 
be greatly decreased.” ‘This country possesses immense ad- 
vantage in abundance of land, &c., and the Calcutta and 
Bombay merchants could always have their Hemp to ship in 
December.” With regard to the quality of the Hemp he 
observes: “ Moreover, the Hemp grown in our mountains and 
in the Doons (valleys) is far superior in strength to the Russian 
samples of Russian Hemp which have been sent by the Court 
of Directors. On showing these to the Puharee (Hill) growers of 
Hemp, they declared that were they to produce such an inferior 
article it would scarcely find a sale.’ The specimens were 
obtained from one of the most respectable houses in London, and 
bought for their own use. They were sent for the purpose of 
showing how the Hemp of commerce comes into market, instead 
of being twisted, tied, or platted, as is much of the fibre from 
' Mr. Henley (v. p. 86) estimates all such charges at £7 a ton. 
