44 



INDIGO. 



Letter to incumbent on us to draw your attention to the 



Bengal, ^ ^ ^ ^ 



27 July 1796. propriety of levying such a transit duty on its way 

 through Bengal to this country, as may be the 

 means of giving a decided preference to the pro- 

 ductions of our own territories. 



26. It alfords us much satisfaction to learn, that 

 the natives are entering upon the culture of this 

 article; but we are not without our fears that 

 the present prices may be viewed as discouraging 

 to their efforts. If any reasonable assistance can 

 be afforded to induce their perseverance, we have 

 no objection to its being granted. 



No. 12. 



Extract Letter from the Court of Directors to 

 the Governor-general in Council, Bengal, dated 

 the 2Sth August 1800. 



Letter to Par. 1. We have lono; been accustomed to 



Bengal, ^ 



28 Aug. 1800. cherish a sanguine hope, that the article of indigo 

 would become one of the grand staples of our 

 Indian territories, and thus constitute a medium 

 of mutual and essential benefit between the so- 

 vereign and the dependent state. We have 

 attended therefore to your proceedings referred 

 to in the second paragraph of your letter in the 

 department of Salt, Opium, and Customs, dated 

 the 16th March 1798, with the interest which 

 this subject inspires ; and although we have no 



advices 



