APRIL — JUNE, 1857.] 



Observations on Cotton. 



121 



It is replied that the Hindoos would work, notwithstanding holi- 

 days, were they liberally encouraged by resident Englishmen up 

 the country, instead of being under native agents, who most proba- 

 bly sell the best Cotton to weavers on the spot, and only forward 

 the less saleable to the coast. As the Company cannot now en- 

 gage in commercial speculations, the tenure of their charter induces 

 every encouragement to speedy local improvements. It appears 

 that the ultimate buyers, residing entirely on the coast, have no- 

 thing to do with its production or transport, and purchase it only 

 as an article of speculation or remittance ; so that the exporter has 

 no direct interest in its original improvement. In quality the 

 Indian wool compares most nearly with the finest American, and 

 could its staple be a little improved, would rival it in the British 

 market. "It is likewise distinguished," observes Dr. Royle, "from 

 the American short-stapled cottons for some good qualities. The 

 first of these is colour, by which yarn and cloth in which it is em- 

 ployed are much improved in appearance. The second is the 

 swelling of its thread, which, when the cloth is bleached enables 

 the intermediate vacancies to be filled up, giving the whole a more 

 substantial appearance. The third good quality is that in dyeing it 

 takes the colour more uniformly than other Cottons. The best qua- 

 lity of the Bombay Cottons are those from Broach and Surat, which 

 in good seasons, are found to be equal to middling-bowed Georgia. 

 With respect to long-stapled Cottons, the presumption is that they 

 can be grown in India of an equally fine texture with those of 

 America." 



The improved East India Cotton will probably, for some time to 

 come, be bought up and manufactured on the spot, as but little of it 

 has yet reached England, and must on its arrival compete with 

 American. A large proportion of it is likely to find a better market 

 in China. The averages of five years up to 1841-2 give only 

 66,000,000 lbs.* as exported to Britain, and 90,000,000 lbs. to 

 China. The largest quantity obtained from India is but one-sixth 

 of our consumption, and of this above .one-third appears to be re- 

 exported from London. 



* Anti-Slavery Reporter for October 1845, page 182. 



