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Cotton from India: a cotton fleet descending the Ganges - casting off from Mirzapore, 1862. Creator: Smyth
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Cotton from India: a cotton fleet descending the Ganges - casting off from Mirzapore, 1862. Creator: Smyth
Cotton from India: a cotton fleet descending the Ganges - casting off from Mirzapore early in the morning, 1862. Boats en route to...Calcutta, for the purpose of shipping the cotton to Europe. The cotton not having been submitted to any pressure, the bales are of an unwieldy size, and the space occupied by them necessitates the employment of the largest and broadest boats the Ganges can provide, outrigger beams being generally attached to the boats sides to give more space for the shapeless masses. This will account for the unnatural and grotesque-looking craft employed in this trade. As the current of the Ganges runs very swiftly, the usual masts of the boats are struck, a small and stunted pole only being used to hold one small and generally ragged sail, holding just sufficient wind to give the boats steerage way. The boats are all flat-bottomed, no two being of the same tonnage, size, shape, or pattern...India has all the requisite qualities, both in its diversity of soils and climate, to constitute it the greatest cotton-growing country in the world; already the area under cotton is four times greater than the area under similar cultivation in the Southern States of North America...'. From "Illustrated London News", 1862
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Media ID 38074769
© The Print Collector/Heritage Images
Bale Bales Cargo Ship Cotton Cotton Industry Export Ganges Ganges River Goods Le Matin Manufacturing Morning Raw Materials Rising Sun River Ganges Smyth Sunrise Textile Industry Cargo Ships Hindoostan
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print captures a scene from 1862 in Mirzapore, India, as a fleet of cotton-laden boats sets off down the Ganges River towards Calcutta. The image showcases the unwieldy size of the cotton bales, which have not been compressed, necessitating the use of large and broad boats with outrigger beams attached to accommodate these shapeless masses.
The boats depicted in the photograph appear unnatural and grotesque due to their unique design tailored for navigating the swift currents of the Ganges. With only small sails and stunted poles for steering, each flat-bottomed boat is distinct in tonnage, size, shape, and pattern - reflecting the diversity of vessels used in this trade.
As described in "Illustrated London News" from 1862, India's potential as a leading cotton-growing country is evident through its vast areas under cultivation. The print serves as a visual testament to India's rich agricultural heritage and its significant role in supplying cotton to Europe during this period.
Through this historical snapshot captured by Smyth, viewers are transported back in time to witness firsthand the bustling activity along the Ganges River as these unique boats laden with precious cargo embark on their journey downstream.
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