In 1612 The English
Factory Of Surat Was Established With The Permission Of The Great Mogul;
This Was Soon Regarded As Their Chief Station On The West Coast Of India.
Their First Factory On The Coast Of Coromandel, Which They Formed A Few
Years Afterwards, Was At Masulipatam:
Their great object in establishing
this was to obtain more readily the cloths of Coromandel, which they found
to be the most advantageous article to exchange for pepper and other
spices.
For at this time their trade with the East seems to have been
almost entirely confined to these latter commodities. In 1613, the first
English ship reached a part of the Japan territories, and a factory was
established, through which trade was carried on with the Japanese, till the
Dutch persuaded the emperor to expel all Europeans but themselves.
The year 1614 forms an important era in the history of our commercial
intercourse with India; for Sir Thomas Roe, whom James sent ambassador to
the Mogul, and who remained several years at his court, obtained from him
important privileges for the East India Company. At this time, the
following European commodities were chiefly in repute in India; knives of
all kinds, toys, especially those of the figures of beasts, rich velvets
and satins, fowling pieces, polished ambers and beads, saddles with rich
furniture, swords with fine hilts inlaid, hats, pictures, Spanish wines,
cloth of gold and silver, French shaggs, fine Norwich stuffs, light armour,
emeralds, and other precious stones set in enamel, fine arras hangings,
large looking glasses, bows and arrows, figures in brass and stone, fine
cabinets, embroidered purses, needlework, French tweezer cases, perfumed
gloves, belts, girdles, bone lace, dogs, plumes of feathers, comb cases
richly set, prints of kings, cases of strong waters, drinking and
perspective glasses, fine basons and ewers, &c. &c. In consequence of the
privileges granted the East India Company by the Mogul, and by the Zamorine
of Calicut, their factories were now numerous, and spread over a large
extent of coast.
If we may trust the controversial pamphlets on the East India Company which
were published in 1615, it appears that up to this year they had employed
only twenty-four ships; four of which had been lost; the largest was 1293
tons, and the smallest 150. Their principal imports were still pepper,
cloves, mace, and nutmegs, of which 615,000 lbs. were consumed in England,
and the value of 218,000_l_. exported: the saving in the home consumption
of these articles was estimated at 70,000_l_. The other imports were
indigo, calicoes, China silks, benzoin, aloes, &c. Porcelain was first
imported this year from Bantam. The exports consisted of bays, kersies, and
broad cloths, dyed and dressed, to the value of 14,000_l_.; lead, iron, and
foreign merchandize, to the value of 10,000_l_.; and coin and bullion, to
the value of 12,000_l_.; the outfit, provisions, &c. of their ships cost
64,000_l_.
The Dutch, who were very jealous of the successful interference of the
English in their eastern trade, attacked them in every part of India; and
though a treaty was concluded between the English and the Dutch East India
Company, yet the treachery and cruelty of the Dutch, especially at Amboyna,
and the civil wars into which England was plunged, so injured the affairs
of the English East India Company, that at the death of Charles I. its
trade was almost annihilated.
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