Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/369

 ARTICLES OF EXPORTATION. 35S duced to one-third of the volume to which hard compression can reduce it by the application of machinery. It follows that the freight paid for it in the seed is twelve times greater than the necessary freight ! Exported to China by the junks at twelve Spanish dollars per picul, if properly screwed, and paying L. !2 per ton for freight, it might be sold with a gross profit of near 30 per cent, at twelve tahils. Bombay cotton of the second quality, or Tinnivelly cotton, may be quoted in the market of Canton usually at that price, but in that of JFokien cotton is much higher, not to say that this parti- cular kind of it is in higher esteem. Before any extensive intercourse took place be- tween continental India, and previous to the late wonderful improvement in the manufacture of the cotton fabrics of Europe, and the enlargement of intercourse between European nations and the Indian islands, the cotton cloths of the latter formed a considerable article of exportation from island to island, the more improved and agri- cultural tribes, that is to say, those that could, from superiority of soil and industry, grow cot- ton cheapest and most abundantly, furnishing their neighbours. Such stuifs are all the manufacture of the leisure hours of the women of the coun- try. From the imperfection of the machinery em- ployed, and, therefore, the great quantity of la- bour expended upon them, they arc comparatively VOL. III. z