COTTON-WOOL. 



263 



districts to the eastward of Dharwar, in order to Letter from 



Bombay, 



afford those ryots who might adopt our plan of 5 Oct. isss. 

 gathering and cleaning cotton an opportunity to 

 dispose of their produce at fair prices ; by which 

 means it was hoped that the character of the 

 cotton would in time be so firmly established, as 

 to render further purchases or interference on the 

 part of Government quite unnecessary. As other 

 duties would fully occupy Dr. Lush's attention, 

 the agency was placed, with a fixed establishment 

 of fifty-three rupees per mensem, under charge of 

 Mr. James, who was allowed a salary of one hun- 

 dred rupees per mensem, with a commission of 

 three per cent, on his purchases (two hundred 

 rupees being the maximum, and one hundred and 

 fifty 'the minimum of his monthly receipts), and 

 batta at the rate of two rupees per diem when 

 trading. 



21. The objections which exist against Dharwar 

 cotton may, in a great measure, be attributed to the 

 impure state in which it arrives at the presidency, 

 and which is owing principally to the manner 

 in which it is packed and conveyed. It is thrown 

 loose into bags, and being carried on bullocks 

 which require to be daily laden and unladen, the 

 cotton is necessarily subjected to a constant accu- 

 mulation of dirt and dust. This is again increased 

 by the process of repacking which it undergoes 

 after arrival in Bombay. To remedy this very 

 great disadvantage, we resolved to endeavour to 



introduce 



