Record 104 from 1796

This record provides information on the use of handkerchiefs and coarse textiles in the French Caribbean and the role of Indian weavers in the French East India Company textile trade.

f. 414 Weavers & merchants formerly conducting French trade, now 'placed under your government. we conceive that pretty accurate lists may be obtained from them of the several spices of goods which they used to procure. Although a variety of your coarser articles have been named to us as being much in demand for their late West Indian possessions, we do not as yet posses information by which we can ascertain the precise speces but in respect to the finer coloured articles, particularly the handkerchiefs, and ginghams some of the most approved patterns have been furnished us of these we transmit you in the packet of our ship. Please: Charlotte Copies drawn on paper, they are numbered from 1 to 20 the following observations are such as we have been able to collect and transmit as a guide in directing their manufacture. **\[f.416\]** The first eight patterns are of handkerchiefs. They sheir\[?\] the corner and the girst check of the middle. they must be all made yard wide, being pricipally used as a decoration for the head, any deficiency of that width wil materially injure their sales, each price to contain eight handkerchiefs, the quality much be very strictly attended to none should be inferior to those invoiced to us as Madras Red Handkerchiefs, and in the richer patterns in which green and purple are introduced that degree of finery must be still exceeded.

Source: BL, IOR/E/4/882, ff.414-420