139 
Cotton Cloth. 
The last specimens shown are the various plain and coloured cloths manufaetured in 
India. The increased importation of comparatively cheap Manchester goods has, of late 
years, much affected the weavers. The middle-elasses wear English cloth in large quantities. 
There, are, however, two classes of cloth manufaetured in India, which are not likely to 
be easily supplanted by foreign goods. The one is the common, coarse, strong cloth used 
by the peasantry. The people say that it is stouter than English cloth, and Stands wear 
and tear better. The other is the luxurious fine cloth, used by the richer classes only, 
which the Manchester mills do not appear to have imitated as yet witli much suecess. 
Many beautiful specimens ol their rieh fancy goods are exhibited. The yarn is very fine, 
the cloth woven with great care and precision. Some specimens have rieh silk borders, 
others are embroidered with gold thread. They are very expensive, and are used only by the 
rieh. The cloths with the rieh borders are manufaetured chiefly in the Nagpore country. 
The trade was fostered by the former Rajah of Nagpore, who brought together weavers 
from different parts of India, and who patronized them largely. The trade has somewhat 
fallen off sincethe breaking up of the rieh native courtat Nagpore, but most of theleading 
Hindoo noblemen and gentlemen of India still draw’their supplies from Nagpore. Before 
the mutinies, the notorious Nana of Bhitoor used annually to send large Orders to the 
Nagpore weavers. 
Some of the cloth manufactories of the Nizam’s territory are celebrated, and good 
specimens are exhibited. Dacca, too, still produces muslins of the most exquisite fineness, 
and a specimen of the “ woven air ” from a Dacca loom is to be seen contrasted with the 
strong thick cloth manufaetured in Central India, and in common use among the peasantry 
there. 
Indian Dtes. 
The last section in the exbibition of Indian cottons and cotton manufactures is a col- 
lection of the dyes and of the blocks used in printing Indian cloths. The Collection of 
dyes used in the Bombay presidency has been brought together by Dr. Bhau Dajee, of 
Bombay, and is of much interest. They represent accurately enough the dyes used 
throughout the provinces. In India, as elsewhere, successful dyeing depends much on 
the water. Some of the villages situated on the sandstone formation beyond Nagpore 
are celebrated for the excellence of the water obtained there, and the best specimens of 
dyed goods come from that neighbourhood. 
Blocks used in Printing Cotton Goods. 
The collection of blocks is very perfect and interesting. Mr. Fitz-Gerald has brought 
together specimens of every block used in the Bombay Presidency, and Mr. Dunlop lias 
done the same for Central India; and thus nearly every populär pattern used in India 
is shown ; some of the patterns are very quaint, others are particularly graceful, and they 
all deserve the attention of manufacturers who desire to please the populär taste in India, 
Mr. Griffiths’ Sketches of Indian Costumes. 
The last point to be noticed is the series of water-colour sketches exhibited by 
Mr. Griffiths, of the School of Art, Bombay, showing the manner in which the cotton 
cloths exhibited are worn in India. These pictures have been very much admired for 
their artistic excellence. They are equally valuable as accurate representations of Indian 
costumes. 
This concludes this collection, brought together with a view of showing specimens of 
everything connected with the trade and the cultivation of cotton in India. Each stage 
is illustrated by Mi’. Kipling’s excellent sketches, and by lithographs of the several pro- 
cesses through which cotton passes, from the seed to the loom ; and those who take an 
interest in the cotton trade of India will find in the collection as practical a representation