DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.25990#0055
LOONGEES AND DHOTEES.
27
The man who could afford to purchase only one garment piece in the year found it true
economy to buy one which would both last long, and give him a proper protection against
cold.* *
We may here remark that many of the mixed cotton and woollen fabrics now manufactured
in this country would probably be suitable substitutes in the Indian market for the thick
and warm cotton stuffs which the native makes ; all that is wanted being skill in turning
out goods of the proper lengths and breadths, and with a style of ornamentation like that
which the native adopts and likes; an important necessity, however, being that they
should be of good washing material, both as to quality and dye : without this qualification
they would be useless.
It would be well if a thicker class of cotton goods could be supplied at a price which
would suit the ordinary Indian consumer; but there is no doubt that mixtures of cotton and
wool of a fine soft description, would suit a large class of the people. Indeed, we actually
find that in India, where the supply of the finer kinds of wool is as yet but limited, the high
price of cotton during the past three years considerably increased the use of woollen
manufactures, which in some districts were more than doubled in price.f
7. Cotton.—Coloured Thread ; Borders and Ends formed by Modifications of Pattern.
The subjoined table indicates the examples which come under this head.
It will be observed that with the exception of Nos. 117, Vol. III., and 129, Vol. IV., the
whole of the illustrations given have been manufactured by the Lubbays of Madras, to
whom reference has already been made. Some of the specimens show expertness in the
imitation of foreignj: patterns, and their skill in suiting these to the requirements of the
being cent, per cent., and in some cases rising even to near 200 per cent., while the latter have risen only from 50 to
100 per cent.”
“ One chief reason for this difference is, no doubt, that the native fabrics are heavier and contain more cotton ; the
cost of production remaining the same, the rise in the price is of course greater in the heavier than in the lighter
stuffs.”.“ What is strange is, that while they have increased in price so much more than
English goods, they should still maintain themselves in the market better than English goods can do. Yet the tenor
of the evidence contained in the returns leaves no doubt on this head.”
“ The consumption of the native goods has diminished in consequence of the increased price, but the consumption
of English goods has diminished in far greater measure. In this view the native goods have, to some extent and
in a certain sense, taken the place of the English ; yet this has been, not in consequence of increased, but in spite
of very considerably diminished production. The reasons assigned are various. It is alleged that, notwithstanding
the relatively greater increase of its price, the cost of the coarse native article is still considerably less than that
of any English stuffs that would answer the same object. It is held that the native article is more durable,
thicker, warmer, and better suited to the wants of the people in these provinces ; and that Lancashire must
produce a coarser, thicker, and cheaper article than it does at present before it can compete in this department of
manufacture with the native weaver.”
In the appendix to the same report, Mr. W. A. Forbes states that the Markeen, a stout warm kind of English
cloth, somewhat like the stout native variety, became doubled in price, whereas the ordinary light English goods
increased in price to the extent of only one-third.
* The inconvenience which would arise from wearing the thicker material during the hot period of the year
is simply avoided by not putting it on.
j- Mr. H. D. Robertson (in Appendix to the Report already quoted) states this with reference to the Saliarun-
pore districts , and the remark applies to other places as well.
1 Is it certain that the checks and other patterns here alluded to are foreign to India ? Our knowledge of the fact
that these Lubbays are reputed to have devoted themselves very much to the manufacture of such imitations seems to
indicate the probability that the patterns in question are of exotic origin, and we are inclined to believe that some of
the more Tartan-looking ones must be so. On the other hand we have, from parts of India with which our
communications have been of recent date, patterns clearly of Indian origin, yet very similar to our Tartans.
(3428.) Gr
27
The man who could afford to purchase only one garment piece in the year found it true
economy to buy one which would both last long, and give him a proper protection against
cold.* *
We may here remark that many of the mixed cotton and woollen fabrics now manufactured
in this country would probably be suitable substitutes in the Indian market for the thick
and warm cotton stuffs which the native makes ; all that is wanted being skill in turning
out goods of the proper lengths and breadths, and with a style of ornamentation like that
which the native adopts and likes; an important necessity, however, being that they
should be of good washing material, both as to quality and dye : without this qualification
they would be useless.
It would be well if a thicker class of cotton goods could be supplied at a price which
would suit the ordinary Indian consumer; but there is no doubt that mixtures of cotton and
wool of a fine soft description, would suit a large class of the people. Indeed, we actually
find that in India, where the supply of the finer kinds of wool is as yet but limited, the high
price of cotton during the past three years considerably increased the use of woollen
manufactures, which in some districts were more than doubled in price.f
7. Cotton.—Coloured Thread ; Borders and Ends formed by Modifications of Pattern.
The subjoined table indicates the examples which come under this head.
It will be observed that with the exception of Nos. 117, Vol. III., and 129, Vol. IV., the
whole of the illustrations given have been manufactured by the Lubbays of Madras, to
whom reference has already been made. Some of the specimens show expertness in the
imitation of foreignj: patterns, and their skill in suiting these to the requirements of the
being cent, per cent., and in some cases rising even to near 200 per cent., while the latter have risen only from 50 to
100 per cent.”
“ One chief reason for this difference is, no doubt, that the native fabrics are heavier and contain more cotton ; the
cost of production remaining the same, the rise in the price is of course greater in the heavier than in the lighter
stuffs.”.“ What is strange is, that while they have increased in price so much more than
English goods, they should still maintain themselves in the market better than English goods can do. Yet the tenor
of the evidence contained in the returns leaves no doubt on this head.”
“ The consumption of the native goods has diminished in consequence of the increased price, but the consumption
of English goods has diminished in far greater measure. In this view the native goods have, to some extent and
in a certain sense, taken the place of the English ; yet this has been, not in consequence of increased, but in spite
of very considerably diminished production. The reasons assigned are various. It is alleged that, notwithstanding
the relatively greater increase of its price, the cost of the coarse native article is still considerably less than that
of any English stuffs that would answer the same object. It is held that the native article is more durable,
thicker, warmer, and better suited to the wants of the people in these provinces ; and that Lancashire must
produce a coarser, thicker, and cheaper article than it does at present before it can compete in this department of
manufacture with the native weaver.”
In the appendix to the same report, Mr. W. A. Forbes states that the Markeen, a stout warm kind of English
cloth, somewhat like the stout native variety, became doubled in price, whereas the ordinary light English goods
increased in price to the extent of only one-third.
* The inconvenience which would arise from wearing the thicker material during the hot period of the year
is simply avoided by not putting it on.
j- Mr. H. D. Robertson (in Appendix to the Report already quoted) states this with reference to the Saliarun-
pore districts , and the remark applies to other places as well.
1 Is it certain that the checks and other patterns here alluded to are foreign to India ? Our knowledge of the fact
that these Lubbays are reputed to have devoted themselves very much to the manufacture of such imitations seems to
indicate the probability that the patterns in question are of exotic origin, and we are inclined to believe that some of
the more Tartan-looking ones must be so. On the other hand we have, from parts of India with which our
communications have been of recent date, patterns clearly of Indian origin, yet very similar to our Tartans.
(3428.) Gr