INDIGO. 



29 



124. Thus in the course of seven years only. Letter to 



Bengal, 



the article appears to have fallen off nearly in the so May 1792. 

 proportion of one-half. 



In our endeavours to trace the cause of this 

 reduction, we have been given to understand that 

 the planters have been gradually relinquishing the 

 article in favour of coffee, which they find to 

 answer much better. 



By an account published in France in 1770, it 

 was said that St. Domingo at that time yielded 



OfCofiPee 5^000,000 lbs. 



And of Indigo 2,000,000 „ 



In 1789 the produce of coffee had increased to 

 upwards of seventy-six millions, while that of 

 indigo had decreased to under one million. 



125. The late devastations which have over- 

 spread the island, will doubtless give a very severe 

 check to this, as well as every other of its pro- 

 ductions ; and as the planters discovered a dispo- 

 sition to reduce the culture previous thereto, it is 

 probable that it may be finally abandoned. 



At all events, a considerable time must unavoid- 

 ably elapse before the island can be brought to its 

 former state. This will create a further opening for 

 the introduction of the indigo of the East into the 

 various markets on the Continent, that have 

 hitherto been supplied by the French, and will, 

 no doubt, stimulate the planters to make every 

 exertion for securing to themselves, the Company, 



and - 



