Page:Allan Octavian Hume, C.B.; Father of the Indian National Congress.djvu/158

 Jumna to Allahabad, and thence by the Ganges and Hooglee for Rs. 3 or 6s, per maund, whereas, if properly packed, it would certainly cost 8 ans. per maund less in transit. We have therefore —

Cost of cotton of quality of sample cleaned at Etawah, per maund of 8olb.... Packing ditto Carriage to Calcutta Cost at Calcutta of maund or 8o lb. At present Indian. English. Rs. I as. o 15 9 10 o 6 o 129 As suggested. Indian. English. Rs. as. 7 6 o 4 2 8 10 2 14 o o o 5 9 6 i o 3

I would add that though, allowing for contingencies, I have in answer No. 12 stated the price per maund of 80 lb. at Rs. 10 8 ans. or £1 is., I should myself be sanguine of reducing this average if the business were conducted on a sufficiently large and liberal scale.

14. Etawah is admirably situated as a locality for a cotton agency — it is built, as the map will show you, on the banks of the Jumna, thus ensuring cheap and uninterrupted water carriage to Calcutta. It has moreover a good road from Gwalior on the one hand (crossing the Jumna and Chambal, over both of which I have established bridges of boats) and ■ to Furrickabad on the Ganges on the other ; the main rail- road from Allahabad and Calcutta to Agra, Delhi and the Punjaub passes through it, and though two years will pro- bably elapse before that portion of the line lying between Raj Mehal and Allahabad is entirely complete the section from Allahabad to Agra will it is believed be open to the public in less than a twelvemonth. Besides this I have during the last three years constructed some 400 miles of good cart roads leading from all parts of the district to the 1 town of Etawah itself, so that really the only way in which