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m,. 471. APBii. 2, 1859.] THE LEADEB. 43...
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INDIA AND INDIAN PROGRESS.
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COTTON IN INDIA—MANCHESTER AND COLONEL S...
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generally. Several new companies, for va...
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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M,. 471. Apbii. 2, 1859.] The Leadeb. 43...
m ,. 471 . APBii . 2 , 1859 . ] THE LEADEB . 439 '
India And Indian Progress.
INDIA AND INDIAN PROGRESS .
Cotton In India—Manchester And Colonel S...
COTTON IN INDIA—MANCHESTER AND COLONEL SYKES . The subject of cotton in India has been a ^ ain brought before the Society of Arts , with Mr . J . 13 . Smith , M . P ., in the chair , to represent Manchester , and Colonel Sykes , M . P ., to abuse Manchester and to Whitewash the old Company . The staunch sepoylike adhesion to the old company , whose _ salt he ate , gains our respect for the gallant Colonel , though it cannot induce people to submit to the military dictation to which he strives to subject
them . At the same time it must be owned that the Colonel himself is losing ground , as well as the cause which he has espoused . A quarter of a century ago he was esteemed the most distinguished authority on Indian statistics , and now some of the younger Indians hare nearly persuaded the public that he knows nothing of the greater part of India , and little even of Madras , as it is at present . By the time that Sir Charles Trevelyan ' s term of office has expired , the Colonel will not even know Madras as the most lagging presidency
a full export of Cotton froni India to that of a reduction of the transport charges to such a rate as to allow of the safe and profitable export of tlie cotton crop . He states unhesitatingly that the cost of carriage in the Marhatta district amounts to from 4 d . to 7 d . per ton per mile—a sufficient proof of the poverty of the country , and a reason for it . And here we may pause to consider one fact mentioned by Dr . Watson . The cotton traffic from . Berar to Bombay was opened by Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy , and rapidly advanced , . but in 1846 it became stationary ,
180 , 000 bullocks being employed ,, and the traffic admitting of no more . Some might suppose that 360 , 000 bullocks might be made use of , but the number is effectually limited by the minimum of food on portions of the route , and the duration of the season during which that food can be obtained , which is a short one . This natural limit exists wherever there is a bullock traffic or a mule traffic , a llama traffic , as inPeru , or a traffic on goats' backs , as over the Hindoo Kosh . In poor countries , too , the rates of traffic will always be found high on account of the poverty of the country . Thus , while in England hundreds of thousands of tons . are carried at from three farthings to a penny per ton per mile , there are parts of Ireland paying from 9 d . to Is . 6 d . per ton per niile ; and reckoning the value of . inoney , there are many parts of India where the rates are . ' effectively higher . The first step in progress is to suppress pack animals , and to apply the power of the beasts more effectually in draught ; but to work carts there must be continuous roads , and every stream must be bridged or ferried ; there must be no breaks .
The hour was late , and nobody chose to answer Colonel Sykes , and Sir Erskine Perry and their accustomed antagonists were not present ; but the answer would have been an easy one . The indigo , the sugar , the rice , and . the jute are chiefly brought down the Ganges , which the Company did not make , and were not able altogether to spoil , though they have allowed some of the channels to
be closed ; or the products were shipped from the sea coast . Thus the real facts , instead of confirming the Colonel ' s view , support Dr .. Watson ' s , for he too showed that the cotton of Guzerat Broach , & c , on the coast , having free access to the market , had been largely exported ; on the otker hand , those districts which depended on the Company for roads could not get their , produce to the shipping port . _ . ¦ ¦¦ : ' ¦ ... heart
As to the Manchester men going in to tlie of the country , and buying cotton , the price alread y is sufficiently remunerative on the spot , for 2 , 400 , 000 , 000 lbs . are yearly grown , but the Manchester men cannot bring the cotton away . Mr . Brice stated , on the same evenings that when he went to Dharwar there were no roads , and when he had bought cotton , and stored it in ruined temples , he could not get it away . That fertile Country was in such a miserable state that he had to walk about " with his bag of rupees on his back , and to travel many hundreds of miles , with no resting-place except the ground . " Such is the India governed by Colonel Sykes and his codirectors .
Dr . Watson unhesitatingly adheres to the doctrine that railways must be the chief means employed to open up . the cotton districts , and this af ter fbll consideration of the assertions that railways suitable for high speeds are unsuitable for India , and that tramways should be cheaply laid , or the want supplied by roads or canals . Looking to tlie fact that so much of the soil of India is soil possessing no stones for the construction of roads , but in the rains turning into deep niudj Dr . Watson affirms that well constructed railways are- essential for India ; but although such a railway is callable of being worked at a high speed , and night be so worked for passenger traihc ,, yet for cotton traffic it could be worked cheaply and slowly . lie , therefore , advocates the immediate completion of the railways and the extension of a line to Dharwar .
Although npt actually expressed , Dr . Watson's facts suggest a stinging commentary on the conduct of the late Government of India , in keeping the country without roads , bridges , or railways . Colonel Sykes considered it in this light , and in his wrath arose to defend the Company and assail the cotton men . He affirmed that the growth of cotton had nothing to do with land tenures , the administration of justice , the treatment of English settlers , or the Government of India ; and in his usual statistical style affirmed that jt was a mero question of the price paid to the grower for tlie cotton . He tauntingly observed to Mr . Smith , that if tho Manchester men wanted cotton , it was , no-business of the Government to help them ; they should not call on Jupiter , but put their own shoulders to the wheel ; they should for cotton
# o"to India \ pay the ryots a good price , and buy it of them . If they did this ,, they would get cotton in abundance . UTho Company had been abused for not giving facilities to English settlers , and not allowing them to have land , whereas it is now abundantl y proved tlint , they can get land on vovy moderate terms . Tho Colonel was furious at the requirement of tho sotllers'to have tlio land in fee-simple . Notwithstanding nil tho allegations that had been made , when indigo was wanted Englishmen got into India somehow ( tUo Colonel forgets to state how ) , and have supplied tho whole ¦ world with indigo , the samo with sugar , tlio same with rioe , with lac dye , teak , nnd jute . Those assertions tho Colonel made with as much coolness and boldxioss as if Dr . Watson ' s facts and figures were not before him , and as if in their place he had some columns of his own favourite figures .
inIndia . Cotton was too grave a matter , apparently , to raise Colonel Sykes ' s ire ; , but in fact cotton is the keystone of his political system , for he holds that it was the unfounded misrepresentations of the cotton lords , and the credulity of the ignorant public of England , which have led to the downfal of his beloved Company , and the old regime . , He ¦ was present , consequently , impelled by a spirit of gallantry to meet the foe , and his achievements contribute in no small degree to the interest of the occasion .
The paper itself was the production of Dr . JForbes Watson , the worthy successor of Dr . Royle , who holds the important office of Reporter on the Products of India—an office which does great credit to the Government of India , arid which , unfortunately , is not provided for our other colonies , or in reference to national , interests generally . Yet there is one man , Mr . P . Ti . Simmonds , who has by bis own labours , kept alive this department in England , and who , at the meeting in question , was the only unofficial authority ; for his short temporary employment in the Economical Museum at South
Kensington is at an end . The paper of Dr . Forbes Watson , although he carefully disclaimed for it an official character , is , in fact , a part of his official labours , and will be followed by like communications . While possessing all the , scientific information , which can be required , Dr . Watson is far froni treating the subject as a mere matter of botanical science , but he brings to it all the resources of a practical man , and it becomes in his hands an important political disquisition . This constitutes the I'eal value of the paper , which will be found a useful contribution to the progress of the cotton
question . Moderate in his views , and yet independent in the assertion of them , tli . is deliberate expression of opinion by Dr . Watson must have weight with the Government of India . The place too , for its utterance was well chosen ; for the Society of Arts , by means of its journal and its strong parliamentary committee , exercises great influence , although sometimes there are no members of parliament at its meetings , and seldom more than half a score . The society also puts forward a claim to be considered the constituted embodiment of colonial interests , in which capacity it has of late yoars made its strength better felt . The paper of Dr . Watson may be easily summarised . He first showed tliat
the extent of cotton growing soil in India is , practioally speaking , beyond tho limits of demand ; ho then proved that India already raises 2 , 4 OO , 0 © 0 , 000 pounds of cotton , or twice the ci'op of tho United States ; it is next demonstrated that cotton can be raised and delivered in India at the rate of 2 id . to 24 d . por pound , while in thq United States the oost is 3 d , to 8 Jd . ; and he goes on to lay down the faots that in those districts where the cotton can by natural means reach the coast for export , the export has enormously extended , and that in those , districts where good means of transport are deficient the export is stationary , or the oxponso too groat to allow of transport to tho coast . He consequently narrows the whole question of
Generally. Several New Companies, For Va...
generally . Several new companies , for various purposes , are in progress ,, and India is looked to as the great field for tho employment of capital . Many exertions are made by private individuals connected with India to obtain further capital for investments in tea , coffee , and cotton . A proposition is now under the consideration of Lord Stanley for introducing into India the cinchona trees , from which quinine is obtained , the vanilla plant , and the cocoa , the cultivation of which have not been attended to in India , Tlie Hollanders are making great exertions to introduce , the cinchona into Java , and havo brought over a great many young trees . that tho Indian Government has
NOTES ON INDIAN PROGRESS . The state of Indian finance has been a prominent topic for consideration within the last few- days . There is now a growing suspicion that , after all the mystery and mystification which has been in- ? dulged in , Indian finance is in no better condition than ' any other department of the late Company ' s administration , if much better than that of Turkey or Morocco . There is also a strong determination evinced to obtain correct information ou the subject by commission of inquiry , and then to apply to India the same measures of finance which eponomic science recommends , and which have proved successful in England and the United States . The pressure on-the railway market rather affects particular companies than the general mass of shares j but , on the whole , there is a great increase of investment in such securities among the public
We regret to seo done nothing for introducing the alpaca into India , while Australia and tho Capo havo made considerable exertions . Mr . Swain , a railway engineer , has found excellent elafofor stone pottery in IJengal . XIo proposes to make telegraph insulators , paving-tilos , vprandah tiles , copings for bridges and walls , jars , & c . Tho Soindo llaihvay Company hold a mooting on Tuesday , when a . very favourable ropbrt was fflven , of tho progress of tho sovoral undertakings . *« ° calls during the next year will bo very limited . A lie beginning of tho steam trains on tho Indus was roforrod to with satisfaction . . A now company has been fbrmoJ , ¦ undor the Limited Liability Aot , at Kungporo . ^ Iho capital is only £ 1 , 000 , and tho shares are £ 5 each . J . bo shareholders are chiefly natives . Tho object w to export country produeo to different parts ot Bq ? o ' ry useful measure has boon adopted bv _ the Bombay Government . Tlio Bombay Stoum Navigation Company has boon deprived of tho contract for carrying tho mails botwoon Bombay andKiwrachoo It rocoivea £ 750 monthly » but tho work has now ' increased , and tho Company demanded £ 1 , 000 ,
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), April 2, 1859, page 23, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_02041859/page/23/
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