European Companies and the Bengal Textile Industry in the Eighteenth Century: The Pitfalls of Applying Quantitative Techniques
Identifieur interne : 000008 ( Istex/Corpus ); précédent : 000007; suivant : 000009European Companies and the Bengal Textile Industry in the Eighteenth Century: The Pitfalls of Applying Quantitative Techniques
Auteurs : Sushil ChaudhurySource :
- Modern Asian Studies [ 0026-749X ] ; 1993-05.
Abstract
Bengal textiles enjoyed a unique place and an indisputable supremacy in the world market for centuries before the invasion of the machinmade fabrics in the early nineteenth century following the industrial revolution of the West and Political control of the Indian sub-continent by the English East India Company. It need not be emphasized that the products of the Bengal handloom industry reigned supreme all over the accessible Asian and North African markets in the middle ages, and later became one of the major staples of the export trade of the European Companies. Most travellers from Europe starting with Tomé Pires, Varthema and Barbosa in the sixteenth century to Bernier, Tavernier and others in the seventeenth singled out especially textiles of Bengal for comments on their extraordinary quality and exquisite beauty. But it was not only in the field of high qulity cloth that Bengal had a predominant position; it was also the main Production centre of ordinary and medium quality textiles. Long before the advent of the Europeans, the Asian merchants from different parts of the continent and Indian merchants from various regions of the country derived a lucrative trade in Bengal textiles.
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DOI: 10.1017/S0026749X00011513
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Asian Stud.</title><idno type="ISSN">0026-749X</idno><idno type="eISSN">1469-8099</idno><imprint><publisher>Cambridge University Press</publisher><pubPlace>Cambridge, UK</pubPlace><date type="published" when="1993-05">1993-05</date><biblScope unit="volume">27</biblScope><biblScope unit="issue">2</biblScope><biblScope unit="page" from="321">321</biblScope><biblScope unit="page" to="340">340</biblScope></imprint><idno type="ISSN">0026-749X</idno></series></biblStruct></sourceDesc><seriesStmt><idno type="ISSN">0026-749X</idno></seriesStmt></fileDesc><profileDesc><textClass></textClass><langUsage><language ident="en">en</language></langUsage></profileDesc></teiHeader><front><div type="abstract">Bengal textiles enjoyed a unique place and an indisputable supremacy in the world market for centuries before the invasion of the machinmade fabrics in the early nineteenth century following the industrial revolution of the West and Political control of the Indian sub-continent by the English East India Company. It need not be emphasized that the products of the Bengal handloom industry reigned supreme all over the accessible Asian and North African markets in the middle ages, and later became one of the major staples of the export trade of the European Companies. Most travellers from Europe starting with Tomé Pires, Varthema and Barbosa in the sixteenth century to Bernier, Tavernier and others in the seventeenth singled out especially textiles of Bengal for comments on their extraordinary quality and exquisite beauty. But it was not only in the field of high qulity cloth that Bengal had a predominant position; it was also the main Production centre of ordinary and medium quality textiles. 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Asian Stud.</title><idno type="pISSN">0026-749X</idno><idno type="eISSN">1469-8099</idno><idno type="publisher-id">ASS</idno><imprint><publisher>Cambridge University Press</publisher><pubPlace>Cambridge, UK</pubPlace><date type="published" when="1993-05"></date><biblScope unit="volume">27</biblScope><biblScope unit="issue">2</biblScope><biblScope unit="page" from="321">321</biblScope><biblScope unit="page" to="340">340</biblScope></imprint></monogr></biblStruct></sourceDesc></fileDesc><profileDesc><creation><date>1993</date></creation><langUsage><language ident="en">en</language></langUsage><abstract style="text-abstract"><p>Bengal textiles enjoyed a unique place and an indisputable supremacy in the world market for centuries before the invasion of the machinmade fabrics in the early nineteenth century following the industrial revolution of the West and Political control of the Indian sub-continent by the English East India Company. It need not be emphasized that the products of the Bengal handloom industry reigned supreme all over the accessible Asian and North African markets in the middle ages, and later became one of the major staples of the export trade of the European Companies. Most travellers from Europe starting with Tomé Pires, Varthema and Barbosa in the sixteenth century to Bernier, Tavernier and others in the seventeenth singled out especially textiles of Bengal for comments on their extraordinary quality and exquisite beauty. But it was not only in the field of high qulity cloth that Bengal had a predominant position; it was also the main Production centre of ordinary and medium quality textiles. Long before the advent of the Europeans, the Asian merchants from different parts of the continent and Indian merchants from various regions of the country derived a lucrative trade in Bengal textiles.</p></abstract></profileDesc><revisionDesc><change when="1993-05">Published</change></revisionDesc></teiHeader></istex:fulltextTEI><json:item><extension>txt</extension><original>false</original><mimetype>text/plain</mimetype><uri>https://api.istex.fr/ark:/67375/6GQ-K106F0Q4-N/fulltext.txt</uri></json:item></fulltext><metadata><istex:metadataXml wicri:clean="corpus cambridge not found" wicri:toSee="no header"><istex:xmlDeclaration>version="1.0" encoding="US-ASCII"</istex:xmlDeclaration><istex:docType PUBLIC="-//NLM//DTD Journal Publishing DTD v2.2 20060430//EN" URI="journalpublishing.dtd" name="istex:docType"></istex:docType><istex:document><article dtd-version="2.2" article-type="research-article"><front><journal-meta><journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">ASS</journal-id><journal-title>Modern Asian Studies</journal-title><abbrev-journal-title>Mod. Asian Stud.</abbrev-journal-title><issn pub-type="ppub">0026-749X</issn><issn pub-type="epub">1469-8099</issn><publisher><publisher-name>Cambridge University Press</publisher-name><publisher-loc>Cambridge, UK</publisher-loc></publisher></journal-meta><article-meta><article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.1017/S0026749X00011513</article-id><article-id pub-id-type="pii">S0026749X00011513</article-id><article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">01151</article-id><title-group><article-title>European Companies and the Bengal Textile Industry in the Eighteenth Century: The Pitfalls of Applying Quantitative Techniques<xref ref-type="fn" rid="fn01"><sup>1</sup></xref></article-title><alt-title alt-title-type="left-running">SUSHIL CHAUDHURY</alt-title><alt-title alt-title-type="right-running">18TH CENTURY BENGAL TEXTILE INDUSTRY</alt-title><fn-group><fn id="fn01" symbol="1"><label><sup>1</sup></label><p>This paper was written while I was a fellow-in-residence at the Netherlands Institute of Advanced Study, Wassenaar, The Netherlands, in 1990/91.</p></fn></fn-group></title-group><contrib-group><contrib><name><surname>Chaudhury</surname><given-names>Sushil</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"></xref></contrib></contrib-group><aff id="aff1"><institution>University of Calcutta</institution></aff><pub-date pub-type="ppub"><month>05</month><year>1993</year></pub-date><volume>27</volume><issue>2</issue><fpage seq="6">321</fpage><lpage>340</lpage><permissions><copyright-statement>Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993</copyright-statement><copyright-year>1993</copyright-year><copyright-holder>Cambridge University Press</copyright-holder></permissions><abstract abstract-type="text-abstract"><p>Bengal textiles enjoyed a unique place and an indisputable supremacy in the world market for centuries before the invasion of the machinmade fabrics in the early nineteenth century following the industrial revolution of the West and Political control of the Indian sub-continent by the English East India Company. It need not be emphasized that the products of the Bengal handloom industry reigned supreme all over the accessible Asian and North African markets in the middle ages, and later became one of the major staples of the export trade of the European Companies. Most travellers from Europe starting with Tomé Pires, Varthema and Barbosa in the sixteenth century to Bernier, Tavernier and others in the seventeenth singled out especially textiles of Bengal for comments on their extraordinary quality and exquisite beauty. But it was not only in the field of high qulity cloth that Bengal had a predominant position; it was also the main Production centre of ordinary and medium quality textiles. Long before the advent of the Europeans, the Asian merchants from different parts of the continent and Indian merchants from various regions of the country derived a lucrative trade in Bengal textiles.</p></abstract><counts><page-count count="20"></page-count></counts><custom-meta-wrap><custom-meta><meta-name>pdf</meta-name><meta-value>S0026749X00011513a.pdf</meta-value></custom-meta><custom-meta><meta-name>dispart</meta-name><meta-value>Articles</meta-value></custom-meta></custom-meta-wrap></article-meta></front><back><fn-group><fn id="fn02" symbol="2"><label><sup>2</sup></label><p><citation id="ref001" citation-type="other">The report of the Dutch factor, Henry Cansius, in 1670 put the value of textile exports by the Asians at Rs 0.8 to 1 million while Richard Edwards of the English, Company esstimated it between 2.25 and 3.75 million rupees in 1676. For Cansius' report, see Verenigade Oost-Indische Compagnie, 1278 (henceforth V.O.C., earlier Koloniaal Archief, 1168, henceforth K.A.) 7 September <year>1670</year>, ff. <fpage>2173</fpage>–74, Algemeen Rijksarchief, The Hague.</citation> The first reference to this report I saw in <citation id="ref002" citation-type="book"><name><surname>Prakash</surname><given-names>Om</given-names></name>, <source>The Dutch East India Company and the Economy of Bengal</source>, (<publisher-loc>Princeton</publisher-loc>, <year>1985</year>), pp. <fpage>99</fpage>–<lpage>100</lpage>, where it is mentioned under K.A. 1168. The series has since been changed to V.O.C.</citation> <citation id="ref003" citation-type="other">For Edwards' report, see Factory Records, Miscellaneous, vol. 14, ff. <fpage>334</fpage>–36, India Office Records, London (henceforth IOR).</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn03" symbol="3"><label><sup>3</sup></label><p><citation id="ref004" citation-type="book"><name><surname>Datta</surname><given-names>K. K.</given-names></name>, <source>Studies in the History of Bengal Suba</source> (<publisher-loc>Calcutta</publisher-loc>, <year>1936</year>), pp. <fpage>463</fpage>–6;</citation> <citation id="ref005" citation-type="book"><name><surname>Bhattacharya</surname></name>, <source>The East India Company and the Economy of Bengal</source> (<publisher-loc>London</publisher-loc>, <year>1954</year>), p. <fpage>17</fpage>;</citation> <citation id="ref006" citation-type="book"><name><surname>Chaudhuri</surname><given-names>K. N.</given-names></name>, <source>The Trading World of Asia and the English East India Company</source> (<publisher-loc>Cambridge</publisher-loc>, <year>1978</year>), pp. <fpage>239</fpage>, <fpage>247</fpage>, <fpage>261</fpage>, <fpage>272</fpage>–5;</citation> <citation id="ref007" citation-type="book"><name><surname>Marshall</surname><given-names>P. J.</given-names></name>, ‘Bengal—the British Bridgehead’, in <source>New Cambridge History of India</source> (<publisher-loc>Cambridge</publisher-loc>, <year>1987</year>), pp. <fpage>65</fpage>–7.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn04" symbol="4"><label><sup>4</sup></label><p><citation id="ref008" citation-type="other"><name><surname>Prakash</surname></name>, <italic>The Dutch East India Company</italic>, pp. <fpage>242</fpage>–4.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn05" symbol="5"><label><sup>5</sup></label><p><citation id="ref009" citation-type="book"><name><surname>Fogel</surname><given-names>William</given-names></name> and <name><surname>Elton</surname><given-names>G. R.</given-names></name>, <source>Which Road to the Past? Two Views of History</source> (<publisher-loc>New Haven and London</publisher-loc>, <year>1983</year>).</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn06" symbol="6"><label><sup>6</sup></label><p><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ref009">Ibid.</xref>, p. 124.</p></fn><fn id="fn07" symbol="7"><label><sup>7</sup></label><p><citation id="ref010" citation-type="journal"><name><surname>Towney</surname><given-names>Michael J.</given-names></name>, ‘<article-title>Employment in the Nineteenth Century Indian Textiles</article-title>’, <source>Explorations in Economic History</source> <volume>20</volume> (<year>1983</year>), pp. <fpage>37</fpage>–<lpage>57</lpage>, esp. pp. 48–9.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn08" symbol="8"><label><sup>8</sup></label><p><citation id="ref011" citation-type="other"><name><surname>Marshall</surname></name>, ‘Bengal’, p. <fpage>66</fpage>;</citation> <citation id="ref012" citation-type="book"><name><surname>Steensgaard</surname><given-names>Niels</given-names></name>, ‘Asian Trade and World Economy from the 15th to the 18th centuries’ in <name><surname>de Souza</surname><given-names>T. R.</given-names></name> (ed.), <source>Indo-Portuguese History: Old Issues, New Quesdtions</source> (<publisher-loc>New Delhi</publisher-loc>, <year>1985</year>), p. <fpage>232</fpage>;</citation> <citation id="ref013" citation-type="journal"><name><surname>Richards</surname><given-names>J. F.</given-names></name>, ‘<article-title>The Seventeenth Century Crisis in South Asia</article-title>’, <source>Modern Asian Studies</source> <volume>24</volume>, 4 (<year>1990</year>), pp. <fpage>634</fpage>–5. Richards, however, referred to the general conclusion without quoting the figure.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn09" symbol="9"><label><sup>9</sup></label><p><citation id="ref014" citation-type="journal"><name><surname>Prakash</surname><given-names>Om</given-names></name>, ‘<article-title>Bullion for Goods: International Trade ans the Economy of Early Eighteenth Century Bengal</article-title>’, <source>Indian Economic and Social History Review</source>, (henceforth <italic>IESHR</italic>) <volume>XIII</volume>, 2 (<month>04</month>.–<month>06</month> <year>1976</year>), pp. <fpage>159</fpage>–87;</citation> <citation id="ref015" citation-type="other"><italic>The Dutch East India Company</italic>, pp. <fpage>242</fpage>–8, <fpage>256</fpage>.</citation> The exact estimate is 87 to 111 thousand.</p></fn><fn id="fn10" symbol="10"><label><sup>10</sup></label><p><citation id="ref016" citation-type="other"><name><surname>Prakash</surname></name>, <italic>The Dutch East India Company</italic>, pp. <fpage>242</fpage>, <fpage>246</fpage>;</citation> <citation id="ref017" citation-type="other">‘Bullion for of Goods’, p. <fpage>172</fpage>.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn11" symbol="11"><label><sup>11</sup></label><p><citation id="ref018" citation-type="other"><name><surname>Marshall</surname></name>, ‘Bengal’, p. <fpage>6</fpage>;</citation> <citation id="ref019" citation-type="other"><name><surname>Steensgaard</surname></name>, ‘Asian Trade and World Economy’, p. <fpage>232</fpage>.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn12" symbol="12"><label><sup>12</sup></label><p><citation id="ref020" citation-type="other"><name><surname>Prakash</surname></name>, <italic>The Dutch East India Company</italic>, p. <fpage>243</fpage>, Table 8.1; pp. 61–5.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn13" symbol="13"><label><sup>13</sup></label><p><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ref020">Ibid.</xref>, pp. 65, 244; ‘Bullion for Goods’, p. 182.</p></fn><fn id="fn14" symbol="14"><label><sup>14</sup></label><p><citation id="ref021" citation-type="book"><name><surname>Yule</surname><given-names>H.</given-names></name> and <name><surname>Burnell</surname><given-names>A. C.</given-names></name>, <source>Hobson-Jobson</source>, a glossary of Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, etc. (new edn., <name><surname>Crooke</surname><given-names>W.</given-names></name>, <publisher-loc>London</publisher-loc> <year>1903</year>; facsimile reprint, 1968), p. <fpage>268</fpage>.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn15" symbol="15"><label><sup>15</sup></label><p><citation id="ref022" citation-type="book"><name><surname>Stapel</surname><given-names>F. W.</given-names></name> (ed.), <name><surname>van Dam's</surname><given-names>Pieter</given-names></name> <source>Beschryvinge van de Oost-Indische Compagnie</source> (<publisher-loc>The Hague</publisher-loc>, <year>1932</year>), vol. <volume>II</volume>, pt II, p. <fpage>451</fpage>.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn16" symbol="16"><label><sup>16</sup></label><p><citation id="ref023" citation-type="other">As, for example, in the order sent out on 14 Nov. 1701, the Heeren XVII asked for 4000 pcs. of <italic>malmal</italic> ‘van 36 cobidos lang en 2 co. breet’, and 1300 <italic>milmil</italic> ‘van ell breet’, V.O.C., 113 (K. A. 262). For the order sent out in 1733, they asked for 15,000 pcs. of Cossas ‘van 3 cobido—11/2 cobido’ while asked for 800 <italic>sanoes</italic> of ‘16 ellen lang’ (V.O.C. 120, KA. 269). Again in 1740, they asked for 60,000 pcs. of <italic>garras</italic> of ‘30 a 31 cobido lang’ while the order sent out in 1733 was for 60,000 pcs. of <italic>garras</italic> ‘van 21 ellen lang’ (V.O.C. 122, KA. 271).</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn17" symbol="17"><label><sup>17</sup></label><p><citation id="ref024" citation-type="other">V.O.C. 110 (KA. 259) order sent out in Nove. <year>1688</year>.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn18" symbol="18"><label><sup>18</sup></label><p><citation id="ref025" citation-type="other">V.O.C. 7381 ‘Eijsch’ for ships returning in 1757.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn19" symbol="19"><label><sup>19</sup></label><p><citation id="ref026" citation-type="book"><source>De Koophandel van Amsterdam</source>, by <name><surname>De L'Espine</surname><given-names>Le Moine</given-names></name>, ed. by <name><surname>Le Long</surname><given-names>Issac</given-names></name>, <name><surname>Deel</surname><given-names>Tweede</given-names></name>, <name><surname>Druk</surname><given-names>Negende</given-names></name> (<edition>9th</edition> edn., <publisher-loc>Rotterdam</publisher-loc>, <year>1780</year>), p. <fpage>91</fpage>.</citation> While discussing the problem of <italic>cobido</italic> with Dr B. J. Slot, Keeper of the 1st. Section, Algemeen Rijksarchief, he thought there might be a book like this, and we found out this edition and the subsequent information in the book. I am thankful to Dr Slot for his help and cooperation.</p></fn><fn id="fn20" symbol="20"><label><sup>20</sup></label><p><citation id="ref027" citation-type="other">Collectie Hope, No. 73 (13), Algemeen Rijksarchief. I owe this information to Huub Meens of Maastricht, Netherlands, for which I am grateful to him.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn21" symbol="21"><label><sup>21</sup></label><p><citation id="ref028" citation-type="book"><name><surname>Stavorinus</surname><given-names>J. S.</given-names></name>, <source>Voyages to the East Indies, 1768–71</source>, trans. <name><surname>Wilcocke</surname><given-names>S. H.</given-names></name>, vol. <volume>I</volume> (<publisher-loc>London</publisher-loc>,<year>1798</year>), p. <fpage>463</fpage>.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn22" symbol="22"><label><sup>22</sup></label><p><citation id="ref029" citation-type="other">Home Misc. 456F, ff. <fpage>135</fpage>–6, <fpage>173</fpage>, <fpage>175</fpage>, IOR.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn23" symbol="23"><label><sup>23</sup></label><p><citation id="ref030" citation-type="book"><name><surname>Bowrey</surname><given-names>Thomas</given-names></name>, <source>A Geographical Account of Countries Round the Bay of Bengal, 1669–79</source>, ed. <name><surname>Temple</surname><given-names>R. C.</given-names></name> (<publisher-loc>Cambridge</publisher-loc>, <year>1905</year>), p. <fpage>218</fpage>.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn24" symbol="24"><label><sup>24</sup></label><p><citation id="ref031" citation-type="book"><name><surname>Moreland</surname><given-names>W. H.</given-names></name>, <source>From Akbar to Aurangzeb</source> (<publisher-loc>London</publisher-loc>, <year>1923</year>), pp. <fpage>318</fpage>, <fpage>338</fpage>.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn25" symbol="25"><label><sup>25</sup></label><p><citation id="ref032" citation-type="other"><name><surname>Prakash</surname></name>, ‘Bullion for Goods’, p. <fpage>182</fpage>. But I could not find the reference in his book.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn26" symbol="26"><label><sup>26</sup></label><p><citation id="ref033" citation-type="other"><name><surname>Prakash</surname></name>, <italic>The Dutch East India Company</italic>, p. <fpage>243</fpage>, Table 8.1.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn27" symbol="27"><label><sup>27</sup></label><p><citation id="ref034" citation-type="book"><name><surname>Chaudhuri</surname><given-names>S.</given-names></name>, <source>Trade and Commercial Organization in Bengal, 1650–1720</source> (<publisher-loc>Calcutta</publisher-loc>, <year>1975</year>), pp. <fpage>194</fpage>–5, fn. 141.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn28" symbol="28"><label><sup>28</sup></label><p><citation id="ref035" citation-type="other"><name><surname>Prakash</surname></name>, <italic>The Dutch East India Company</italic>, p. <fpage>243</fpage>, sources for Table 8.1.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn29" symbol="29"><label><sup>29</sup></label><p><citation id="ref036" citation-type="other">V.O.C. 2862 (KA. 2754). HB, 14 March. 1755, ff. <fpage>898</fpage>–99.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn30" symbol="30"><label><sup>30</sup></label><p><citation id="ref037" citation-type="other">Auction Notice, Dt. 16 Sept. <year>1755</year>, Resolutions of Heeren XVII, V.O.C. 7380.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn31" symbol="31"><label><sup>31</sup></label><p><citation id="ref038" citation-type="other"><name><surname>Prakash</surname></name>, <italic>The Dutch East India Company</italic>, pp. <fpage>61</fpage>–5, with footnotes, especially 18, 23, 29, 30.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn32" symbol="32"><label><sup>32</sup></label><p><citation id="ref039" citation-type="other">The doubtful varieties are: <italic>achiabani</italic> (coarse calico according to K. N. Chaudhuri, p. <fpage>503</fpage>), <italic>asisbegi</italic> (like rajibegi?), <italic>ektani</italic> (like dotani?), <italic>kabulkhani</italic> (like kamkhani?), <italic>mobessabani</italic> (like mohanbani?), and gerberry (produced in Malda, according to Taillefert).</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn33" symbol="33"><label><sup>33</sup></label><p><citation id="ref040" citation-type="other">Hoge Regering van Batavia (henceforth HR), 246, 7 Nov. <year>1763</year>, Algemeen Rijksarchief. Taillefert actually wrote two ‘memories’, the first one dt. 27 Oct. 1755, V.O.C. 2829 (KA. 2741).</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn34" symbol="34"><label><sup>34</sup></label><p><citation id="ref041" citation-type="other">Prakash might raise the question that <italic>kamkhani</italic> was identified as fine muslin by Irwin also. The latter states that it was produced near Patna which is confirmed by our sources (V.O.C. 2594, HB, 4 Jan. <year>1744</year>, ff. <fpage>286</fpage> vo., 288).</citation> But Bihar was certainly not an area producing fine muslin. Secondly, if price is any indication which both our author and Irwin claim it is, <italic>kamkhani</italic> is at best a medium or coarse calico because the price of <italic>kamkhani</italic> in the export invoices works out to be around <italic>f</italic>. 4.5 (V.O.C. 2617, HB, 24 January 1745, ff. 157 vo.–58, Invoice of <italic>Hofwegen</italic>) while the price of muslin during the period would have been at least <italic>f</italic>. 15 to 20 (<citation id="ref042" citation-type="other">V.O.C. 2629, HB, 4 Jan. <year>1744</year>, ff. <fpage>199</fpage>–<lpage>218</lpage>. Contracts with Merchants).</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn35" symbol="35"><label><sup>35</sup></label><p><citation id="ref043" citation-type="other">Prakash can argue again that he mentioned silk <italic>lungi</italic>, silk <italic>taffachela</italic>, silk <italic>sjoukoria</italic>, etc., as a separate category from <italic>lungi, taffachela</italic>, etc. But the problem is that nowhere in the records of the early 18th century do we find these distinctions, and Taillefert never mentions such different categories of the same brand of piece-goods. Nor do we find such distinction in Irwin, K. N. Chaudhuri or Hameeda Hossain.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn36" symbol="36"><label><sup>36</sup></label><p><citation id="ref044" citation-type="other">The unit price of these piece-goods computed from the total cost price anf the number of pieces exported by the ships <italic>Bevalligheid</italic> (V.O.C. 2794, HB, 20 Dec. <year>1752</year>, ff. 7 vo. —8; 2829, HA, 10 Nov. 1754, ff. <fpage>134</fpage> vo.–35 vo.)</citation> and <citation id="ref045" citation-type="other"><italic>Ruijskenstein</italic> (V.O.C. 2829, HZ, 19 Jan. <year>1755</year>, ff. <fpage>185</fpage>–85 vo.).</citation> There is also great doubt whether <italic>sanu</italic> could be considered fine calico as is done by Prakash. Even Irwin contends that <italic>sanu</italic> was a ‘plain cotton cloth of ordinary quality’, and <italic>baftas</italic> and <italic>chintz</italic> as ‘white’ or ‘calico’ (<citation id="ref046" citation-type="book"><name><surname>Irwin</surname><given-names>John</given-names></name> and <name><surname>Schwartz</surname><given-names>P. R.</given-names></name>, <source>Studies in Indo-European Textile History</source> (<publisher-loc>Ahmedabad</publisher-loc>, <year>1966</year>), pp. <fpage>59</fpage>, <fpage>62</fpage>, <fpage>70</fpage>)</citation> <citation id="ref047" citation-type="other"><name><surname>Chaudhuri</surname><given-names>while K. N.</given-names></name>, <italic>The Trading World of Asia</italic>, pp. <fpage>503</fpage>–5, classifies <italic>baftas</italic> as ‘plain white …medium to superior’, chintz ‘printed …medium to superior’ and <italic>sanu</italic> as ‘plain white’. Still now <italic>salu</italic> (a corrupt form of <italic>sanu?</italic>) is considered a cheap coarse cloth in Bengal.</citation> It is strange that Prakash places <italic>nainsook</italic> which means ‘pleasure of eye’ under fine calicoes. It was actually one of the finest and most expensive muslins (Taylor– ‘a thick muslin’), the price being <italic>f</italic>. 73 per piece in 1754–55 (<citation id="ref048" citation-type="other">V.O.C. 2811, HA, 5 Jan. <year>1754</year>, ff. <fpage>46</fpage>–46 vo.)</citation>, <citation id="ref049" citation-type="other">V.O.C. 2829, HA, 19 Jan. <year>1755</year>, ff. <fpage>185</fpage>–85 vo.).</citation> Similarly <italic>dorea</italic> and <italic>humhum</italic> were not, in all probability, fine calicoes but muslins. According to K. N. Chaudhuri, <italic>humhum</italic> was muslin while Irwin thinks that it was ‘plain cotton cloth of varying quality’. Both of them however hold that <italic>dorea</italic> was mixed piece-goods, which is rather doubtful. If these two types were muslins, that will certainly strengthen Prakash's position.</p></fn><fn id="fn37" symbol="37"><label><sup>37</sup></label><p><citation id="ref050" citation-type="other">Collected and computed from Bengal General Journals and Ledgers, vol. 54, IOR.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn38" symbol="38"><label><sup>38</sup></label><p><citation id="ref051" citation-type="other"><name><surname>Prakash</surname></name>, <italic>The Dutch East India Company</italic>, p. <fpage>243</fpage>, Table 8.1.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn39" symbol="39"><label><sup>39</sup></label><p><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ref051">Ibid.</xref>, p. 244, note for Tables 8.1.</p></fn><fn id="fn40" symbol="40"><label><sup>40</sup></label><p><citation id="ref052" citation-type="other">V.O.C. 2821, HB, 20 Feb. <year>1753</year>, ff. <fpage>91</fpage>–95, Contract with Merchants, 24 June 1752.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn41" symbol="41"><label><sup>41</sup></label><p><citation id="ref053" citation-type="other"><name><surname>Prakash</surname></name>, <italic>The Dutch East India Company</italic>, p. <fpage>244</fpage>, note for Table 8.1.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn42" symbol="42"><label><sup>42</sup></label><p><citation id="ref054" citation-type="other"><name><surname>Chaudhuri</surname><given-names>K. N.</given-names></name>, <italic>The Trading World Asia</italic>, p. <fpage>504</fpage>.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn43" symbol="43"><label><sup>43</sup></label><p><citation id="ref055" citation-type="other"><name><surname>Chaudhuri</surname><given-names>S.</given-names></name>, <italic>Trade and Commercial Organization</italic>, p. <fpage>267</fpage>, Appendix E.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn44" symbol="44"><label><sup>44</sup></label><p><citation id="ref056" citation-type="other">Despatch Book (henceforth D.B.), vol. 107, 13 Dec. <year>1738</year>, ff. <fpage>536</fpage>–47; DB. 108, 3 Feb. 1740, ff. 364–76, IOR.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn45" symbol="45"><label><sup>45</sup></label><p><citation id="ref057" citation-type="other">V.O.C. 2821, HB, 20 Feb. <year>1753</year>, ff. <fpage>91</fpage>–5, Contract dt. 24 June 1752.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn46" symbol="46"><label><sup>46</sup></label><p><citation id="ref058" citation-type="other">For exampeile, the price of <italic>guineas</italic>, a well-known coarse calico, was f. 13–14 (because of its size? 75 co. x 2¼ co.) in the period 1752/53 to 1754/55 while the price of ordinary <italic>malmal</italic>, (a muslin) of Hughli was f. 11–13, ordinary <italic>khasa</italic>, (again a muslin) of Hughli from f. 13–15 and <italic>bethila</italic> (a fine calico) from f. 11–12 in the same period. Collected and computed from Dutch export invoices, V.O.C. 2794, 2811, 2829.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn47" symbol="47"><label><sup>47</sup></label><p><citation id="ref059" citation-type="other">Prakash classifies the various piece-goods even in the same category in ‘descending order’ on the basis of ‘fineness, workmanship and cost’. Om Prakash, <italic>The Dutch East India Company</italic>, pp. <fpage>61</fpage>, <fpage>62</fpage>, <fpage>64</fpage>.</citation> This is an extremely doubtful hypothesis. See for example, the prices of <italic>tanzebs, terendams, khasas, malmals</italic> (in ‘descending order’ of Prakash) for 1753/1754 and 1754/55. Tanjeb Dhaka -<italic>f</italic>. 42–63 Tanjeb Daudpur (Hughli) -<italic>f</italic>. 10–11 Terendam Santipur (Hughli) -<italic>f</italic>. 19 Khasa (Hughli) -<italic>f</italic>. 13–15 Malmal Santipur (Hughli) -<italic>f</italic>. 38 It is clear from this that Tanjeb Dhaka is the most expensive and hence finest quality but not Tanjeb Daudpur which is less expensive than Terendam Santipur while Malmal Santipur should precede in order of fineness both Tanjeb Daudpur and Terendam Santipur as also Khasa Hughli.</p></fn><fn id="fn48" symbol="48"><label><sup>48</sup></label><p><citation id="ref060" citation-type="other">See for example, <italic>Trade, Bullion and Conquest: Bengal in the Eighteenth Century</italic>, Presidential Address, Medieval India Section, Golden Jubilee Session, Indian History Congress, Gorakhpur, December <year>1990</year>. I have discussed the whole issue in greater detail in my paper ‘The Asian Merchants and Companies in Bengal's Export Trade, circa mid-Eighteenth Century’, presented at the International Conference on ‘Merchants, Companies and Trade’ held at Maison des Sciences de l'Homme, Paris, 31 05–1 June 1990.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn49" symbol="49"><label><sup>49</sup></label><p><citation id="ref061" citation-type="other">Dutch Director Louis Taillefert's ‘memorie’, V.O.C. 2849 (KA. 2741), 27 Oct. <year>1755</year>, ff. <fpage>188</fpage> vo.–189.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn50" symbol="50"><label><sup>50</sup></label><p><citation id="ref062" citation-type="other">Bengal Public Consultations (henceforth B.P.C.), Range 1, vol. 44, Annex to Consult. 19 June <year>1769</year>, IOR; Eur.Mss. D.283, f. 21;</citation> H. Verelst's letter to the Court of Directors, 5 April. 1769, <citation id="ref063" citation-type="book"><source>Fort William—India House Correspondence</source> (henceforth <italic>FWIHC</italic>), Vol. <volume>V</volume>., ed. <name><surname>Sinha</surname><given-names>N. K.</given-names></name> (<publisher-loc>New Delhi</publisher-loc>, <year>1960</year>), pp. <fpage>18</fpage>–<lpage>19</lpage>.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn51" symbol="51"><label><sup>51</sup></label><p><citation id="ref064" citation-type="other">The Dutch export is computed from export invoices in Dutch records and the English export is taken from <name><surname>Chaudhuri</surname><given-names>K. N.</given-names></name>, <italic>The Trading World of Asia</italic>, p. <fpage>534</fpage>.</citation> The value of both the Dutch and English export was calculated at the rate of Rs 7 per seer, the rate at which the Asian export was estimated in the sources. That the average price of <italic>tanna</italic> silk was about this is corroborated by other sources also, e.g. <citation id="ref065" citation-type="other">Factory Records, Kasimbazar, vol. 12, Consult. 6 Jan. <year>1756</year>, IOR; B.P.C., Range 1, vol. 26, f. <fpage>114</fpage></citation>, <citation id="ref066" citation-type="other">Consult. 18 April. <year>1753</year>, vol. 25, f. <fpage>86</fpage> vo., Consult. 16 March. 1752.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn52" symbol="52"><label><sup>52</sup></label><p><citation id="ref067" citation-type="other">All the English and Dutch silk converted into small English 1b.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn53" symbol="53"><label><sup>53</sup></label><p>Taillefert's ‘memorie’, V.O.C. 2849, 27 Oct. 1755, f. 245 vo. <citation id="ref068" citation-type="book"><name><surname>Scrafton</surname><given-names>Luke</given-names></name>, <source>Reflections on the Government of Indostan</source> (<publisher-loc>London</publisher-loc>, <year>1760</year>), p. <fpage>20</fpage>;</citation> B<citation id="ref069" citation-type="other">.P.C., Range I, vol. II, ff. 288 vo.–289, 28 Aug. <year>1736</year>;</citation> <citation id="ref070" citation-type="other"><italic>FWIHC</italic>, vol. V, pp. <fpage>18</fpage>–<lpage>19</lpage>.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn54" symbol="54"><label><sup>54</sup></label><p><citation id="ref071" citation-type="other">The Asian merchants imported into Bengal a few commodities like cotton etc. but their total value compared to the value of exports from Bengal was quite negligible.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn55" symbol="55"><label><sup>55</sup></label><p><citation id="ref072" citation-type="other">The Dutch trade to Europe valued at around Rs 1.5 million (computed from export invoices in Dutch records) and the English trade around Rs. 2.5 to Rs 3 million (<name><surname>Chaudhuri</surname><given-names>K. N.</given-names></name>, <italic>The Trading World of Asia</italic>, p. <fpage>545</fpage>) in the mid-18th century.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn56" symbol="56"><label><sup>56</sup></label><p><citation id="ref073" citation-type="other">Taylor's Report, Home Misc. 456F, f. <fpage>93</fpage>.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn57" symbol="57"><label><sup>57</sup></label><p><citation id="ref074" citation-type="other">See, for instance, the Geographical Analysis of Orders for Piece-goods from London in early 1680s, S. Chaudhuri, <italic>Trade and Commercial Organisation</italic> p. <fpage>201</fpage>, fn. 166.</citation></p></fn><fn id="fn58" symbol="58"><label><sup>58</sup></label><p><citation id="ref075" citation-type="book"><name><surname>Colebrooke</surname><given-names>H. T.</given-names></name>, <source>Remarks on the Husbandry and Internal Commerce of Bengal</source> (<publisher-loc>Calcutta</publisher-loc>, <year>1804</year>), p. <fpage>170</fpage>.</citation></p></fn></fn-group></back></article></istex:document></istex:metadataXml><mods version="3.6"><titleInfo><title>European Companies and the Bengal Textile Industry in the Eighteenth Century: The Pitfalls of Applying Quantitative Techniques</title></titleInfo><titleInfo type="alternative" contentType="CDATA"><title>European Companies and the Bengal Textile Industry in the Eighteenth Century: The Pitfalls of Applying Quantitative Techniques1</title></titleInfo><name type="personal"><namePart type="given">Sushil</namePart><namePart type="family">Chaudhury</namePart><affiliation>University of Calcutta</affiliation><role><roleTerm type="text">author</roleTerm></role></name><typeOfResource>text</typeOfResource><genre type="research-article" displayLabel="research-article" authority="ISTEX" authorityURI="https://content-type.data.istex.fr" valueURI="https://content-type.data.istex.fr/ark:/67375/XTP-1JC4F85T-7">research-article</genre><originInfo><publisher>Cambridge University Press</publisher><place><placeTerm type="text">Cambridge, UK</placeTerm></place><dateIssued encoding="w3cdtf">1993-05</dateIssued><copyrightDate encoding="w3cdtf">1993</copyrightDate></originInfo><language><languageTerm type="code" authority="iso639-2b">eng</languageTerm><languageTerm type="code" authority="rfc3066">en</languageTerm></language><abstract type="text-abstract">Bengal textiles enjoyed a unique place and an indisputable supremacy in the world market for centuries before the invasion of the machinmade fabrics in the early nineteenth century following the industrial revolution of the West and Political control of the Indian sub-continent by the English East India Company. It need not be emphasized that the products of the Bengal handloom industry reigned supreme all over the accessible Asian and North African markets in the middle ages, and later became one of the major staples of the export trade of the European Companies. Most travellers from Europe starting with Tomé Pires, Varthema and Barbosa in the sixteenth century to Bernier, Tavernier and others in the seventeenth singled out especially textiles of Bengal for comments on their extraordinary quality and exquisite beauty. But it was not only in the field of high qulity cloth that Bengal had a predominant position; it was also the main Production centre of ordinary and medium quality textiles. Long before the advent of the Europeans, the Asian merchants from different parts of the continent and Indian merchants from various regions of the country derived a lucrative trade in Bengal textiles.</abstract><relatedItem type="host"><titleInfo><title>Modern Asian Studies</title></titleInfo><titleInfo type="abbreviated"><title>Mod. Asian Stud.</title></titleInfo><genre type="journal" authority="ISTEX" authorityURI="https://publication-type.data.istex.fr" valueURI="https://publication-type.data.istex.fr/ark:/67375/JMC-0GLKJH51-B">journal</genre><identifier type="ISSN">0026-749X</identifier><identifier type="eISSN">1469-8099</identifier><identifier type="PublisherID">ASS</identifier><part><date>1993</date><detail type="volume"><caption>vol.</caption><number>27</number></detail><detail type="issue"><caption>no.</caption><number>2</number></detail><extent unit="pages"><start>321</start><end>340</end><total>20</total></extent></part></relatedItem><identifier type="istex">1308A1C75FA96C835F4D562F4D82E60E6CEDF58D</identifier><identifier type="ark">ark:/67375/6GQ-K106F0Q4-N</identifier><identifier type="DOI">10.1017/S0026749X00011513</identifier><identifier type="PII">S0026749X00011513</identifier><identifier type="ArticleID">01151</identifier><accessCondition type="use and reproduction" contentType="copyright">Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993</accessCondition><recordInfo><recordContentSource authority="ISTEX" authorityURI="https://loaded-corpus.data.istex.fr" valueURI="https://loaded-corpus.data.istex.fr/ark:/67375/XBH-G3RCRD03-V">cambridge</recordContentSource><recordOrigin>Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993</recordOrigin></recordInfo></mods><json:item><extension>json</extension><original>false</original><mimetype>application/json</mimetype><uri>https://api.istex.fr/ark:/67375/6GQ-K106F0Q4-N/record.json</uri></json:item></metadata><serie></serie></istex></record>Pour manipuler ce document sous Unix (Dilib)
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