Indian Antiquary Vol 43

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 85

MAY, 1914.)
FIRST COMMERCIAL MISSION TO PATNA
81
some small diferance, the country coved beinge the longer by allmost a giery [girih, * of a gaz] or to. In buying the browne cloth the buyer payeth no brokeridge ; but in the sayle of the clothe the brokeres inhanceth five pices in eatche peece of what price soever ; wherof the brokeres share two pices, two pices the Governor or Shekdare (shikdar, revenue officer of the prigony (pargana, district] and one pice they retorne back to the merchant; which custome is very large, and wee shall endevor if possible to reduce it to lesse. And this is as much as I can advize you bothe for quantitye and Custome for buyinge the Ambertyes 'either here in Puttana or at Lackhoure.
What I was enformed concerninge the provision here of Bengalla silke, wounde of as our masters requiered, my letter of the 6th August acirtayned you bothe for price and quantitye, with which I sent you [thereof] musteres and advized you of the constant course I had taken for it's provision at the best hand, but our frends at Agra upon your advice unto them not to proceed further in that investment wholye discouraged mee which was th' occasion I almost let f[all my] determined purpose therin, yet with the rest of our goods have sent you a good sampell, which both for goodnes and price you will perceave to exceed what hath bin provided in Agra, the diference of them advized you ; so that it cannot but prove a profitable commoditye in England, and for the future if you shall determine on anye greate provisions to be made therin, I cannot prescribe or advize of a better course to attayne quantitye therof at cheape rates then for our selves to buye the silke rawe, as it comes in serbandy [cocoon) from Bengalla, and wynde it of here in Puttanna into the condition the Companye ayme at; and in that nature have now sent you from hence but hope at somewhat better ratte then that was, for that the ser bandy is latlye much fallene in price, of which sortes fittinge England I can acirtayne you the provision of 30 mds. per mounth, which as yet is the most I dare afirm to, and that will requier a good some of monye to keepe us Continually in Imployment, and if but 300 maunds per Anno at 4 rupes the seare of 331 pice weight (at which price wee maye without doubt furnishe you from hence) will requier at Leaste 50000 rups. for it's performance, wheron I leave you to conclude and determine. And if you shall desier sleave silke of the best and principall sorte, it will cost us drest and died unto severall Colleres 4 rups, net the seare of 331 pices weight. What wee now sent for a sample was drest from the coursest sortes of the serbandy silke, which is much inferior in goodnes to what maye here be provided in quantitye. And thuse have you my opynion and advice of the two mayne propes which must uphould this a factory, and theye not to be provided in anye quantityes without a continuall residence.
For other sortes of callico cloth, as sahanes and hammomes, wee perceave them not to bee brought hether in anye greate quantities, but a continuance here maye doubtles provide some, but to what nomber I cannot saye. For tusser stufes, 40 or 50 corge yerlye. And wares for Persia (of which wee have sent you some sampels) greate quantities of all sortes; 100,000 rupes speedilye employed therin. Lignom aloes, also good quantitye, wherof likwise wee sent a sampell of the ordinarye sorte knowne here by the name of simmulye samaleh) 36 ... Of this commoditye there is here of diverse sortes and prizes from 20 rupes per maunde to 40 and 50 rupes per seare.
36 Watt, Dict. of Economic Products, &. v. Aquilaria Agalloche, gives the three kinds of this wood as gharks (the heaviest), nim gharki or samalch-i-a'ld, and samaleh (the lightest or commonest sort.)