COTTON-WOOL. 



27 



increased demand for piece- floods to be provided Report 



^ • . External 



in tile Doab, wiien the account of tlie prelimina- Commerce, 

 ries of peace were received by the merchants in 

 the Upper Provinces ; but whether these prices 

 were for cotton the growth of the Doab or of the 

 Mahratta country, cannot be ascertained. 



40. The importance of obtaining* an invest- 

 ment of cotton for the China market in the Ceded 

 Provinces on better terms than is now paid by the 

 Honourable Company either at Bombay or Surat, 

 supersedes every other mercantile consideration. 



41. It may be advisable that the attention of the 

 Commercial Resident in the Doab should be solely 

 directed to the two articles of cotton and saltpetre. 



42. In respect to cotton : — 



1st. By a guarantee of a certain price and occa- 

 sional advances to the cultivators (if requisite), to 

 whatever extent the Honourable the Lieutenant 

 Governor may deem advisable. 



2d. By occasional purchases from the Mahratta 

 or other merchants when the price does not ex- 

 ceed nine rupees per maund, agreeably to the 

 resources of Government and the orders in con- 

 sequence which would be given by the Honourable 

 the Lieutenant Governor. 



3d. By encouragement to the native merchants 

 to store their cotton at such particular gunges as 

 the Honourable the Lieutenant Governor may 

 deem best adapted for this purpose. 



No, 



