whether it was so in the other, is not stated: but it would be difficult to hit on a mode of expression less likely to give a clue, for soils which might be correctly described as "light and sandy" abound within both areas.

The Map.

As above stated, fiscal not physical boundaries are taken as our basis of arrangement, and the map is an attempt to display, in the form of a diagram, the facts on record in connection with the distribution of Cotton cultivation, and its consumption, throughout the Bengal Provinces.

Of the eleven Commissioners' divisions within the Lower Provinces, five are stated to grow no Cotton, namely, Rajshaye, Nuddea, Burdwan, Chittagong, and Arracan, and six to grow it to a certain extent for local consumption, namely, Patna, Bhaugulpore, Dacca, Assam, Chota Nagpore, and Cuttack. This has, after some hesitation, been taken as the safest plan of arrangement, and the map shows three tints intended to convey to the eye an impression consistent, if not commensurate, with the true state of the case. The whole of the area colored pale pink, as well as that colored green, imports Cotton, and every part of it likewise grows it to some extent; but the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal was, I presume, guided, in classifying the eleven divisions as above, by the general tendency of the evidence before him. I have used as a test question for distinguishing between the importing and partly self-supplying areas, this is the locally-grown Cotton found for sale in the bazars? Thus, the districts for which I can find no trace of the locally-grown Cotton among records of bazar prices, and the like, and which the Revenue Officers state to grow little or none, are considered as simply importing districts, and are colored green: those colored

* See letter from Mr. Secretary Gordon to Revenue Board, 17th June 1861.

pale pink form the other class, namely, that including those districts in which, although Cotton be imported, some of that locally-grown is to be found for sale, if not in the great marts, at least in the minor bazars and where the price of the Cotton of the district is referred to in the returns of the Revenue Officers. Thus the map, although it conveys but incomplete information, is not calculated to mislead, save only as to the extent to which a district may be self-supporting. In one respect only I have departed from the plan of the above classification: instead of taking the Commissioners' divisions, I have distributed the colors according to the Collectors' districts: some of the inconsistencies and contradictions certain to result from an attempt at classifying according to fiscal boundaries, facts due to the action of physical causes, or at least powerfully influenced by such causes,-have been thus evaded: for instance the Dacca Division is set down in the partially self-supporting class; but within it, the districts of Cachar and Jynteah, export; while in Jelalpore and Backergunge districts so little Cotton is grown or sold, that they may be placed in the non-producing class, without violating any probabilities: and thus in several other cases. Obviously had it been practicable to make use of some still smaller sub-divisions of area, the same process of eliminating discrepancies would have been carried still further, and the coincidence of the statistics of Cotton cultivation, with certain physical facts, been rendered still more apparent. For instance, this boundary between the upland and alluvial are as runs through the districts of Burdwan, Bankoora, and Beerbhoom; had it been practicable to show on the map the villages which grow Cotton, and those which do not, the closeness with which the limits of the simply importing (as distinguishable from the also partially self-supporting) area, coincide with those of the new alluvium, would have been much more clearly perceptible than it can now be made it would also have then appeared how such districts as Sylhet and Mymensing gain their

rank in the self-supporting area, in right of certain portions of each, where Cotton is grown, above the general level of the Gangetic delta.*

It will hereafter be seen that there is one case in which the general conclusions suggested by the above considerations do not apply in practice for we are assured, on competent authority, that in parts of the Dacca District, Cotton of excellent quality can be, and has been, profitably grown, not only within the limits of the true Gangetic alluvium, but on lands actually subject to annual inundation.

Evidence on the General Question of Profitable Production.

Bengal does not grow enough Cotton for her local consumption.

Every one who has seriously considered the practicability of exporting Bengal-grown Cotton is of course well aware that the Province does not produce nearly enough for its own consump

tion: that besides very considerable quantities sent into the plains by the upland country, in spite of the large quantities of English spun yarn, and of European Cotton cloths which it now absorbs, extensive supplies of raw Cotton continue to be annually drawn from the NorthWest Provinces, and from Central India, for its use.

The oldest record of the Indian Cotton trade to which I have had access, is contained in one Has always imported. of those volumes of the ancient archives of Government now in course of analysis by Commissioners lately appointed for that duty: it was kindly shown to me by the Secretary of the Commission.

In October 1755, there is an entry of the sum of Rupees 51,190

* The assertion that these facts would have been apparent rests principally on the statements of the Revenue Officers, who (as will be seen in detail hereafter) speak of the Cotton of these districts as always grown on the higher grounds.

G

stated to be due to the Bombay authorities for 1,045 bales of Cotton shipped from that port, for Calcutta, some time previously.

In November of the same year 1,044 of these bales were sold here by public auction: the report of this sale is very puzzling. One of the bales has disappeared from the account: the "invoice price" is given as Rupees 11-15-6, but per what quantity is not stated: it can't be per bale, as the sum thus obtained would only amount to Rupees 12,508-9-0: it probably referred to mans, as will hereafter be shown the bales were disposed of in 42 lots, mostly of 25 bales each, and the name of the purchaser of each lot is set down opposite to it in the list a sum is also written down opposite each lot, which, evidence to be referred to hereafter, shows to be the rate per man, though this is not stated in the document itself, nor is any total sum inserted short, from this list, nothing definite regarding the price can be deduced.

:

in

In a treasury abstract for the following December, an entry however appears, which affords ample means for clearing up the obscurity: a Mr. Paul Pearkes has paid in the sum of Rupees 7,599-8-0, being for 227 mans 11 seers of Cotton, purchased at the November sale: referring back to the sale list first mentioned, we find that Mr. Paul Pearkes bought one lot of 25 bales, at Rupees 33-7-0 per something not stated: the above figures show that it was per man: and thus we find that 25 bales 227 mans 11 seers, which at Rupees 33-7-0 per man cost him Rupees 7,599-8-0 : taking the man and seer at their present value, and the Rupee at two shillings, we find the following general values. The original 1,045 bales weighed 727-28 lbs. each, or probably averaged about this weight, which is a little below that of the Bombay candy as shipped at Bombay for Rupees 51,190, the price was 1.63d. per lb.: at Rupees 11-15-6 per man, stated to be invoice price, they cost, as landed in Calcutta, Rupees 91,309: the sum of Rupees 40,159, which is the difference between that charged at Bombay, and that

derived from the invoice price, must, I presume, have been for shipping and landing charges, and for freight: if this conjecture be correct, the Cotton cost in Calcutta 3.59d. per lb.

Mr. Pearkes purchased his lot a little under the average of sale, so that we are safe in applying his rate to the aggregate: doing so, we find that the gross receipts amounted to Rupees 317-370, and that the Cotton sold for 10:03d. per lb.

If the total cost of the Cotton, as landed in Calcutta, was only Rupees 51,150, as would at first appear from an inspection of the account, the net profit was Rupees 2,66,220, or 520 per cent. on the outlay whereas, if the hint furnished by the mention of this Rupees 11-15-6 as invoice price, has been correctly applied, the outlay was Rupees 91,309, and the profit Rupees 2,26,061, or only 442 per cent.

66

It is not impossible that this isolated fact may afford very fallacious indications of the average value of Cotton in those times the volume quoted contains indeed many complaints made by the Commercial Residents in the interior of the badness of the season for Cotton, and in the "consultation" of the 9th June of this year, 1755, a letter from the gomashta of Hurripal is recorded, in which he states that his weavers having tried the market price of Cotton, say that it is sold “at Rupees 5-0-6 per cutcha seer." Five shillings and three farthings per lb. is a fabulous price, but if an error in copying be supposed to have transferred the 5 from the place of annas to that of Rupees, we should have the Hurripal price as 4·12d. per lb. Whether the Cotton purchased at 10d. per lb. in Calcutta was destined for the Cotton manufactures of the interior, we can only conjecture.

"A Summary Report on the Cotton Trade," dated Fort William 1802,* reviews the course of events for some years previous to that date: it states that for several years anterior to 1790 the price of Broach and Surat Cotton had frequently sunk to Rupees 95, or even

*Reports on Cotton Wool, &c., 1836.