INDIGO. 



V 



charges. This, it was hoped, would create com- Report, 

 petition, and operate towards bringing the article 

 to as high a state of improvement as possible, at 

 the same time that it would effect a reduction in 

 the cost of manufacture. It was thoug-ht that it 

 might likewise afford the Company's servants a 

 mode of remitting their fortunes to Europe, which 

 would be legal, advantageous, and adequate. 



As a further aid to this rising trade, the Com- 

 pany made large advances of money, secured on 

 the indigo, on a plan of remittance to London, * 

 and this course was followed for many years. 



In 1806 the Court saw fit to order that their 

 commerce in indigo should be resumed in the 

 following year, by ready-money purchases to the 

 amount of three lacs, and open to provisional 

 extension in that season ; and with some intermis- 

 sions the Company continued to purchase, either 

 in the same mode or by contract, for exportation 

 to London, to a greater or less amount, until a 

 short time before the expiration of the late charter. 



As the Company did not, at any period, engage 

 directly in the cultivation and manufacture of 

 indigo, their records do not afford documents 



similar 



* Letter to Bengal, 27th July 1796. 



