Page images
PDF
EPUB
[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors]

FORSTER'S TRAVELS.

LETTER I.

Benares, 31st August, 1782.

DEAR SIR,

HAVING refolved on visiting Benares, that I might, there, indulge, for a short time, an investigation into the mythology of the Hindoos, I procured permission to proceed to that city; and, as you may receive fome amusement from the relation of my journey, with the observations that occurred, I will lay it before you; intreating, that you will make the necessary allowance for a stranger*, who, though his remarks, and the con

* The author is a civil fervant on the Madras establishment.

VOL. I.

A

clufions

clufions drawn, may partake of errors, will not, premeditatedly, difcolour the truth.

On the 23d of May, I left Calcutta, and on the next day arrived at Sookfagur, a valuable and rifing plantation, the property of Meffrs. Crofts and Lennox, Thefe gentlemen have established, at this place, a fabrication of white cloth, of which the Company provide an annual investment, of about two lacks of rupees. They have alfo, founded a raw filk manufactory, which, as it bears the appearance of increase and improvement, will, I hope, reward the industrious and eftimable labours of it's proprietors. In this plantation, a large quantity of fpirituous liquor is made, resembling, in an inferior degree, the American rum, which, fince the commencement of the Dutch war, has become in great demand. Being applied to all the uses of the Batavia arrack, a confiderable benefit is expected to arife to the Bengal province, from a current sale of this commodity. In justice to those who enrich their country by an introduction of valuable manufactures, the Government is called upon to yield them every protection, and grant them every fair indulgence; it is, likewife, the duty of the man of obfervation, to circulate the fuccefs of fuch works, that an emulation may warm the breafts of his fellow citizens, and that those who project them, may receive the tribute of applaufe, due to genius and industry. It must not be omitted that this new eftablishment, hath been noticed by the particular attention of the Government of Bengal, which, on many other occafions, has

evinced

evinced a zealous difpofition, in encouraging and promoting useful undertakings.

THE English should no longer account themselves fojourners in this country; they are now, virtually, it's lords paramount, and their policy fhould not be that of a day; but, confidering the opulence and wealth of the subject as clofely tending to enrich the common state, they should, at large, fupport his wants, and encourage his labours. A conduct equally wife and profitable, would conduce to the increase of public, and private, prosperity, and operate as a compenfatory retribution for fome actions, which cannot bear the test of investigation; and which have, already, involved the national character in difgrace, In touching on this fubject, I am neceffarily led into reflections on the commerce of Bengal, interior and foreign, and on the common want of specie, throughout the province,

PREVIOUSLY to the æra in which the English became poffeffed of Bengal, the different nations who visited it were obliged to give fpecie for the greatest portion of the commodities they purchased; there being but a small proportion of articles taken in barter by the natives. This fpecies of commerce, fo lucrative to India, and which must have depofited a large amount of gold and filver, continued for upwards of a century and an half. But, after the English Government was established in Bengal, the neceffity of this commercial system no longer exifted; the amount of the revenues became fufficient to purchase the cargoes of the country, and to defray

A 2

defray the public expenditures: here, one channel of the influx of fpecie into Bengal was ftopped, and it will be found, also, that the revolutions, which in that quarter, advanced the fortunes of the English, have materially leffened the like imports of the other European nations, who traded to Bengal. For, exclusively of finding a current sale for their commodities, they have been enabled to procure, from the English, large fums of money, for bills on Europe. An important change has been also effected on the interior commerce of Bengal, by the extinction of the Mahometan dominion.

THE native princes, and chiefs of a various description, the retainers of numerous dependants, afforded a constant employment to a vast number of ingenious manufacturers, who supplied their masters with gold and filver stuffs, curioufly flowered, plain mus lins, a diversity of beautiful filks, and other articles of Afiatic luxury; the ufe of which, wealth, and a propensity to a voluptuous life, naturally excited. These Mahometan, or Hindoo, chiefs, have either been removed, or being no longer poffeffed of their former refource, have fallen into poverty and decay; and the artizans, who had been fupported in their profeffions by these powerful and wealthy masters, were, on their expulfion, obliged, from a want of fubfiftence, to quit their profeffions, or the country. Hence, many branches of rare manufacture, evidently declined; and fome of the most precious are now no longer known. The distracted and impoverished condition of the Moghul and Perfian empires, hath contributed,

« PreviousContinue »