The terms of receiving, or paying, money, in exchange with Europe, China, or other parts, are completely arbitrary; being governed solely by the value of money to any particular firm at the time of negociating: I have known instances of some firms declining to offer more than two shillings and sixpence for a sicca rupee, bills being given payable at six months after sight in Europe, while others, whose stability appeared equally solid, offered two shillings and nine-pence for the same accommodation.
In point of commerce, Calcutta may, perhaps, be properly classed with Bristol; making this allowance, that what the former wants in the number of vessels employed, is made up by their average tonnage being considerable, and the value of their cargoes far superior. The length of the voyage must likewise be taken into consideration: a vessel may, during times of profound peace, make three voyages within twelve months, from Bristol to America, or the West Indies, and back again, and the same either to the Baltic, or to the Levant; whereas, few Indiamen make more than one return to their moorings in the Thames under fifteen months; the majority are out from fifteen to twenty months.
Hence, all our British ports appear more crowded, taking the year round, than Calcutta, which, from July to November, or even to January, often presents a forest of masts; while, on the other hand, during the rest of the year, only such vessels as may be under repair, or that have lost their season, or that beat up the bay against the monsoon, are to be seen in the river.
I have already explained, that, during half the year, that is, from about the middle of March to the middle of September, the wind is southerly, but then gradually changes to the northward, from which quarter it blows regularly for about five months, when it again gradually veers about to the southward. This gives name to the ‘northerly and southerly monsoons;’ which all navigators study to take advantage of: the difference in going with, or against the monsoon, from Calcutta to Madras, or vice versâ, often makes the difference of full five or six weeks, sometimes more: the trip being very commonly made in a week with the monsoon; but, against it, sometimes occupying no less than three months!
Few ships make more than one trip between Malabar and China, within the year, on account of the monsoon; but, between the intermediate ports from Bombay to Calcutta, two trips may be considered the average. During the wars with Hyder, and his son Tippoo, vessels have made four trips within the year, from Bengal to Madras; but such must not be considered a fair standard, three being considered a great exertion.
The town of Calcutta, which is estimated at a population of a hundred thousand souls, whereof not more than one thousand are British, is situated very advantageously for commerce. The Hoogly, which is navigable for ships of a thousand tons, at least thirty-five miles above Calcutta, communicates with the Ganges, by means of the Cossimbazar river, and has communications with the whole of the Sunderbund Passages, either through Tolley’s Canal, the creek called Chingrah Nullah, or the southern passage, through Channel Creek, which is adopted by the greater part of the vessels conveying rice and salt from the Soonderbunds: these are of a very stout construction, suited to those wide expanses of water they have to cross in that very hazardous line of navigation.
The average depth of water, within a stone’s throw of the eastern bank, on which Calcutta ranges for several miles, (including the suburbs up to the Maharrattah Ditch,) may be from six to eight fathoms when the tide is out. At particular places, the water deepens very suddenly, but, in most parts, a shelf, abounding with mud, runs out for sixty or seventy yards, down to low water mark, where the bank falls off, so that ships of any burthen may moor within a very few yards. The great front thus given to the town, affords innumerable facilities to those concerned in the shipping; especially as the custom-house, which is on the quay belonging to the old fort, stands nearly centrical, in respect to the European population.
The donies, which are small craft intended for the coasting trade carried on principally by native merchants, commonly lie higher up, opposite the Chitpore m’hut, or temple; there, in tiers, much the same as the shipping in the Thames, these pariah vessels present a contrast with the superb edifices under British management, and at once characterize not only the ignorance, but the narrow minds of their owners.
Few donies measure more than a hundred and fifty tons, or have more than two masts; sloops are by far most common, and the generality are equipped with coir cordage, as well as with country-made canvas.
The greater portion of these vessels return either in ballast, after delivering their cargoes of rice, at various ports in the Northern Sircars, or perhaps in the Carnatic; or they import with light cargoes, composed chiefly of coir and cowries, from the Sechelles and Maldivies; to which they likewise, now and then, make a bold voyage, at favorable seasons, with small invoices of coarse cottons, fit for the use of those islanders.