1845-46.] ME. riNNIE'S rOFE YEAE3 IN TINITETELLT. 89 



English market. Dr. Wight considered this last mea- 

 sure to be of the utmost importance ; inasmuch as the 

 native dealers were so accustomed to mix the inferior 

 qualities of Cotton with the better sorts, that very few 

 samples of the best qualities of Indian Cotton ever 

 reached the English market, and consequently much 

 ignorance prevailed respecting the average prices which 

 such Cotton would realize. Thus the per- ^^ Finnie's 

 mission granted to Mr. Einnie to purchase letter, 15th 

 churkaed Cotton harmonized with Dr. paS'.'^tam 

 Wight's own views. A distinction, how- (1857), p. 207. 

 ever, must be made between the authority Dr. Wight's 

 which he received to purchase on Grovern- sept'^'S' 

 ment account seed Cotton for ginning Pari.'Eetum 

 towards making up the 6000 bales, and the 'i857),p.337. 

 churkaed Cotton for threshing to make up the 600 

 bales ; and the permission granted him to purchase 

 any Cotton he pleased on private account, as agent 

 to any merchant who might consider it expedient to 

 engage his seirvices. This, however, wiU be noticed 

 further on. Meantime it will be sufficient to say 

 that Mr. Einnie secured the thresher already al^ 

 luded to. He also ordered an American hand gin 

 made by Mr. Idler of Philadelphia, on the ground 

 that the gins made in America had been found to 

 work with less labour, and to turn out nearly double 

 the quantity of Cotton, than those made in England. 

 Both purchases were supported by Dr. Wight, and 

 sanctioned by the Madras Grovernment. Nothing of 

 course was done during the first season, as Mr. Finnio's 

 Mr. Einnie could not obtain Cotton except oot^i^^' 

 of the poorest quality, and moreover had no Pari Efitiim 

 house in which to set up his gins. (i807),p.S39. 



Queries submitted to Mr. Finnie by the Marquis 142 

 of Tweeddale. — Before entering upon the second year 

 of Mr. Finnie's operations in Tinnevelly, it may be as 

 well to bring forward the results of his experience in 

 reference to the cultivation of Cotton both 

 in America and India. Dr. Wight's Notes °'™" 

 on American Agriculture,, which he drew W^^ ^^■ 

 up at the request of Lord Elphinstone, have of TwS^ 



