20 COTTON IN THE MADRAS PRESIDENCY. [CHAP. I. 



transferred to Bombay; but another Planter named 

 Finnie, who had been originally deputed to Bengal, 

 was engaged for four years longer by the Madras Go- 

 vernment. Instead however of joining Dr. "Wight at 

 Coimbatore, Mr. Finnie was located in Tinnevelly. 

 Thus another period of four years passed away, ex- 

 tending from 1845 to 1849, during which Mr. Imnie 

 was engaged in Tinnevelly, and Dr. Wight in Coim- 

 batore. But towards the end of this second period a 

 serious disagreement broke out between Dr. Wight 

 and Mr. Finnic About the same time, the Marquis 

 of Tweeddale was succeeded by Sir Henry Pottinger. 

 The new Governor seems to have been thoroughly 

 dissatisfied with the progress of the Cotton experi- 

 ment; and in 1849 Dr. Wight's farm at Coimbatore 

 was suddenly ordered to be given up, and Mr. Finnie 

 was informed that the term for which he had been 

 engaged was nearly over, and that when over, his 

 services would be no longer required. The same year, 

 however, the Court of Directors sent out a despatch, 

 approving of the steps taken with reference to Mr. 

 Finnie, but directing the Madras Government to re- 

 instate Dr. Wight in his position as Superintendent 

 of the Cotton experiment. Thus a third period of 

 four years passed away ; at the expiration of which, 

 in 1853, the experiment was finally brought to a close. 

 Dr. Wight retired from the service and returned to 

 Europe ; and the Government withdrew from all direct 

 attempts to promote the cultivation of American Cot- 

 ton, or to extend the use of foreign machinery in this 

 Presidency. 



29 Twelve years of Cotton Experiments, divisible into 

 three periods of four years each. — From the foregoing- 

 particulars, it will be seen that the narrative of the 

 Cotton experiments naturally separates itself into six 

 chapters. The first chapter comprises a description 

 of the field of operations, and a review of the objects 

 sought. The second chapter comprises a brief review 

 of the early experiments which had been undertaken 

 in reference to the subject ; and a narrative of the 

 agricultural proceedings of Dr. Wight and his three 

 Planters in the Cotton farms in Coimbatore, during 



