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ipulate the cotton and yarn used in the manufacture. The aptitude of the native men and women for such work had been proved by the fabrics they were able to weave upon the antiquated and rudely constructed Indian loom. It was calculated by the projectors of the manufacturing companies that, by using cotton grown within the Bombay Presidency, and with an unlimited sale in India itself of the goods to be made, and by employing available native labour at wages which in India would be considered good, but low compared with those paid to British operatives, a cotton-spinning or weaving mill in Bombay would return larger profits than one in Lancashire. The first mills in India were built and filled with English machinery at enormous capital outlay, the promoters and agents exacting extravagant commissions; but notwithstanding this extra loading on the cost of establishment, the speculation turned out, in the majority of cases, fortunately. After a few years of tentative operation, during which the “hands” acquired the arts of spinning and weaving by means of the perfected machinery, and the concerns formed their trade connections, the first cotton-mills built in Bombay were able to show profits sufficient to yield acceptable dividends to the shareholders, and to induce other capitalists to enter into the trade. Company after company was formed, mill after mill was reared and set agoing. Lancashire, witnessing the uprising of this vigorous rival in the midst of its best Eastern market for cottons, would have found no ground of complaint of this fresh competition, had it gained its footing with no helps except those of cheap labour, and the saving of shipment charges. But besides these substantial advantages, the Indian cotton-mills almost from the commencement were assisted by the effect of the levy of an import duty on British cotton goods unshipped at the ports of India. That this duty was not designed for protection of a native manufacture, but for purposes of revenue, did not render it less objectionable to Lancashire traders, by whom the loss of trade intercepted by the Bombay manufacturers was quickly felt, and, as it grew serious, an agitation against the Indian import duties was started by the manufacturers, supported by the operatives. It had to be persisted in some years before the obnoxious duties were abolished in 1875. By that time the Bombay manufacturing interest had become commercially strong, and grown into a political power in India. It had secured the coarse yarn and coarse piece-goods trade in that country, which Lancashire had accordingly been deprived of. The regulation of factory labour in India was easy by comparison with what had been done in that way here. In the United Kingdom the Factory Acts were severe, and were from time to time being amended and made more stringent. The hours of work in factories had been limited to ten hours in the day; then were further shortened to fifty-six hours in the week. The labour of women and children was carefully guarded and restricted by law. In the Bombay mills there were no such hard-and-fast lines of working. The practice was for workers of both sexes, and of all ages, to attend in the mills from dawn to sunset daily. The wages earned were stated to be about 7d. or 8d. a-day; or, say, a penny for every sixpence earned by a good spinner or a clever adult power-loom weaver in a Lancashire cotton-mill. Granted that the Lancashire operative turns out fully