Record 127 from 1801

This record provides information on American merchants selling imitation coloured handkerchiefs and ginghams leading to decline in demand for genuine Indian articles exported by the British East India Company.

[f.653] 22.Many years have now elapsed since the French Nation ceased to have trade from India; and we look the earliest opportunity after that went, to Indent for a large assortment of such articles as had constituted that trade among which we had learnt there were some which we sure of ready sale at very highly profitable rates especially the various discriptions of coloured handkerchiefs. [f.654] 23. Our orders on this head were strongly repeated in each season and we did not omit to inform you that we had learnt such pariculars relative to the demand for many articles as led us to form very confident hopes that large gains would attend our dealings in the assortment alluded to; but several years were suffered to elapse before we either received any of the goods inndented for, or the least particle of that information required as to the extent and assortment of the late French Trade, for which we had so urgently pressed and from which we hoped to desire material assitance in framing future Indents. [...] [f.656] 25.The first sale at which we could offer any considerable quantity took place in July when to our great surproise a large portion remains unsold upon our hands. 26. Our enquiring into the cause of this circumstance so very unexpected, we learn that although the French have not been enabled themselves to furnish the Markets and indeed that in fact for some years very few goods of such discriptions found teh way to the West India islands [f.657] that of the late the supply there has been ample, thorough the Channels of Americans who imported them from your coasts in large quantities. 27. On a review of all these circumstances we cannot avoid imprinting this disappointment in a material degree to a disregard of our orders so frequently repeated for it is evident that though the French trade was suspended, the manufacture of these handkerchiefs was continued and to a great extent, for Americans actually procured these goods even at season when from the tenor of the proceedings of the Board of Trade, we saw reason to apprehend foreign competition existed in any considerable degree at any of the Factories on the Coast. [f.658] 28. We have further found that all the most desirable patterns have been sent from America to be imitated in British looms, and so succesful has been the imitation that immense quantities have been in the last year exported to the West Indies, and sol there as the produce of India, for very large prices; these goods though best judge could scarcely distinguish them in their unwashed sale, have proved very inferior in wear and expecially as to the colours which soon fade both in the sun and in the wash; the consequence is not only that the Market is glutted with such articles, but that the genuine india and teh British being nearly similar in appereance the whole assortment is fallen into great disrepute adn the prices have undergone a great concequent abatement. [f.659] 29. As our last sale, the quantity sold has again been very contracted though the goods have been offered at reduced rates, and the cause is by the buyers still deduced from the before named circumstances. [f.660] 30. Those which have been bought are of course selected from teh superior patterns only, and we fear that of the remainder approportion must ultimately be disposed of at loss. [...] [f.661] 34. On examining the Bales of Coloured handkerchiefs and ginghams but more especially of the latter article, [f.662] a great number of pieces were found to be stained and spotted as to be rendered unsaleable [...]

Source: BL IOR/E/4/887 9 Sept 1801