‘REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1919-20’ [‎285v] (118/192)

Chapter IV.
production
AND
DISTRIBUTION.
94
BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT.
position of metals and ores, and with more freight available and
ment in the port facilities for bulk petroleum, oils have risen to fifn! niI>ro,e '
the list. Exchange has reduced the rather unreliable total of articl • eil1
by parcel post, and the Bombay market ha iS declined to contribute t Th
profits of the Yorkshire woollen manufacturers whose exports to th' ^ C °^
shrunk materially. On the other hand imports of silk manufactu 8 ^^
silk from the Far East have almost doubled without any marked
With the removal of the import prohibition the trade in motor cars 6 ^ ^
cycles displayed an unprecedented activity, while the chemicals ren^?^
India’s growing industries experienced a somewhat unexpected set-bk ^
unusual feature of the year was the import of 92,247 tons of Australia / 11
on behalf of the Government of India to supplement the deficient foods! \
the country. Some of the more important features of the import fid
discussed in more detail below. Apparel fell from Es. 1-28 crore Equivalent to ten million, or one hundred lakhs. Used especially in connection with money (rupees). to m-
crore Equivalent to ten million, or one hundred lakhs. Used especially in connection with money (rupees). due mainly to the decline in the value of gold and silver thmcl I
lametta imported from France. In the face of the prosperity evincedT
the silk trade this decline is possibly more apparent than real since J
figures quoted do not include the considerable trade in gold and si/
wire through the post. Articles imported by post fell from Es 3'|Q
crores to Es. 2*53 crores. For the year under report an average rate
of Es. 10 to the pound was assumed instead of Es. 15 as in the previous
year and this was responsible for the apparent decline. Actually 479466
parcels of an estimated value of F 2,861,556 were received as against 367094
valued at £ 2,040,663 in 1918-19. In addition the removal of the prohibition
on the import of diamonds resulted in large collections of duty on articles of the
registered post. Chemicals and Chemical preparations fell from Es. 88 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
to Es. 50 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . The decrease is partly accounted for by the fall in prices and
the rise in exchange and partly by the development of Indian chemical
industries, particularly in Bengal. The imports of foreign coal dropped from
Es. 14'45 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees to Es. 8 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , as freight has not yet fallen low enough to make
imports remunerative. Dyeing and tanning substances have continued to
maintain a steady improvement, the imports during the year having advanced
from Es. 1*29 crore Equivalent to ten million, or one hundred lakhs. Used especially in connection with money (rupees). to Es. 1*53 crore Equivalent to ten million, or one hundred lakhs. Used especially in connection with money (rupees). . Over 90 per cent, of the alizarine
imported valued at Es. 12 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , came from the United Kingdom, while the
United States of America supplied about half the quantity of aniline dye
received. Grain, pulse and flour rose by Es. Ill lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees from Es. 97 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees to
Es. 2 crores, the unusually large increase consisting almost entirely of Australian
wheat imported on Government account. The import of wines fell from
149,249 gallons to 118,916 gallons, i. e., by about 20 per cent, though the value fell
by about 7 per cent. only. Bottled beer and stout declined despite a fall in
prices, the Japanese trade being the principal sufferer. This was probably due
to the arrival of large quantities of beer in barrels from the United Kingdom,
where the export of these containers had been prohibited during the war.
There was an increase in imports of all the principal classes of spirit, coupled
with a fall in prices, particularly in the case of whisky. Machinery and Million
increased by Es. 17 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees from Es. 2*18 crores to Es. 2*35 mores. Mile
machinery and appliances however did not contribute to the increase as tien
prices are still rising, and mills find the greatest difficutly in obtaining execn
tion of their orders. Prime-movers and electrical and miscellaneous mac mU
record the most substantial advances. The figures of mutches for the as
three years were Es. 122-57 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , Es. 70*6 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees and Es. lOl’dh
Imports in 1918-19 were small owing to the heavy stocks carried over
the previous year. In the year under report the trade, of which Japau^
holds a virtual monopoly, resumed normal dimensions. The imports o w
and ores rose from Es. 4*62 crores to Es. 7*03 crores. The most s
feature under this head is the complete collapse of the trade with _ a P ^
iron and steel. The prohibition on import of motor cars and motoi c y c ^
had been in force for about two years, was removed in quo yM
the 4,213 cars imported, only 196 were of English make, 1 , .
American and 2,080 of Canadian origin. Motor cycles numbered ^
277 from the United Kingdom and 239 from America. Imports or ^
from foreign countries rose by Es. 1 # 77 crore Equivalent to ten million, or one hundred lakhs. Used especially in connection with money (rupees). and those of ^
Es. 1‘98 crore Equivalent to ten million, or one hundred lakhs. Used especially in connection with money (rupees). . The value of imports of railway plant and rollings oc