BOMBAY

BOMBAY. The account of Bombay in the Encyclopædia, contains several interesting particulars relative to its soil, climate, and the manners of its inhabitants, and we propose, in the present article, to add such further information as we have collected from the works of recent observers.

The Island of Bombay, which is the seat of Government for the western part of India, is situated in lat. $18^\{\backslash circ\}\; 56\text{'}\; N.$ and lon. $72^\{\backslash circ\}\; 56\text{'}\; E.$ Its length, from north to south, is $6\backslash frac\{1\}\{2\}$ miles, and its breadth, near the fort, is about a mile. It is separated from the mainland by an arm of the sea, and it forms, in conjunction with the adjacent islands of Colabah, Salsette, Butcher's Island, Elephanta, and Caranjah, a large, commodious, and well sheltered harbour. The north side of the harbour is partly formed by the Island of Colabah, which is separated from Bombay by a small creek, fordable at low water, and is about $2\backslash frac\{1\}\{2\}$ miles long. Near its southern extremity stands the light-house,—a building of a circular form, rising from the sea to the height of 150 feet, and shewing its light at the distance of 21 miles. The Island of Salsette, which is about 20 miles long and 15 broad, is separated from Bombay by a narrow arm of the sea. Over this strait a causeway was constructed in 1805, which, by improving the communication with the mainland, is of infinite service to the surrounding country, with the produce of which Bombay is supplied; but it is said to have had a prejudicial effect on the harbour. Butcher's Island is nearly opposite to Bombay Castle, at the distance of three miles; and about two miles from this, and still fronting the fort, is the inconsiderable, but celebrated, Island of Elephanta. The two small Islands of Henery and Kenery, lie at the entrance of the harbour.

The town of Bombay is nearly a mile in length, from the Apollo Gate to that of the Bazar, and about a quarter of a mile broad in the widest part, from the Custom-house across the green to Church Gate, which is nearly in the centre, between the Apollo and the Bazar Gates. There are likewise two gates towards the sea, having commodious

VOL. II. PART II.

wharfs, and cranes built out from each, with a landing-place for passengers. Between these gates is Bombay Castle,—a regular quadrangle, built of hard and durable stone, and having the advantage, in one of the bastions, of a large reservoir of water. The fortifications are numerous, and they have been improved in proportion as the place has risen into greater importance from its increasing trade. They have lately received a considerable accession of strength from Dunganee Hill, which commanded the town, having been included within the fort; and towards the sea they are extremely strong, the harbour being completely commanded by ranges of batteries placed one above another. But on the land side, its means of resistance are not so formidable; nor is this of much moment, as an enemy once landed, would find no difficulty in possessing himself of the place. A bombardment would, in a few hours, lay the town in ashes; and were the houses, which are lofty and made of combustible materials, once on fire, the troops could no longer preserve their station on the ramparts. Indeed, it is probable, that the destruction of the magazines would be the consequence of the conflagration of the adjacent buildings.

In the centre of the town is a large open space, called the Green, around which are many large and well-built handsome houses. Here is also the church, which has an extremely neat and light appearance; and, on the left of the church-gate is the Government-house, which is a showy edifice, but liable to the inconvenience of having the largest apartments in both floors a passage-room to the others. On the right of the church-gate is the Bazar, which is crowded and populous. Here the native merchants reside, and at the entrance to the street stands the Theatre, which is a handsome building. In the year 1803, this part of the town was greatly injured by a destructive fire, which destroyed nearly three-fourths of the Bazar, together with the barracks, custom-house, and many other public buildings, besides property of immense value belonging to native merchants. The flames spread with such rapidity, that the magazine was endangered; and, in order to preserve the town from total destruction, many houses in the neighbourhood of the castle were battered down with artillery. Since this period, the town has been rebuilt on an improved plan, at the expence of the Company.

Bombay is the only principal settlement in India Docks and where the rise of the tides is sufficient to admit the ship-building. construction of docks on a great scale. The highest spring tides rise to the height of 17 feet, and the height of the ordinary tides is 14 feet. In consequence of these natural advantages, the dry-dock of Bombay has scarce its equal for size and convenience; having three divisions, with a pair of strong gates to each, so that it is capable of receiving three ships of the line at the same time. Near this dock is a convenient place to heave down several ships at once, and this operation is well executed, and with great expedition, by the Persees, who are generally accounted excellent ship-carpenters. Here is an excellent rope-walk, equal to any in England, with the exception of the King's yard at Portsmouth,

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Bombay. where cables and all sorts of lesser cordage are manufactured. It has also a covering, to protect the workmen from the heat or inclemency of the weather. The dock-yard is large and well contrived, having ample supplies of naval stores deposited in the warehouses, together with large quantities of timber, for repairing and building ships, and forges for all kinds of smith's work. With all these advantages, Bombay claims a distinguished rank as a naval arsenal, and within these few years many merchant ships of from 600 to 1300 tons, partly for the country trade and partly for the service of the Company, have been built in its docks, which, in beauty of construction, good workmanship, and durability, are superior to any other class of merchant ships in the world. Bombay is the only port in any of the British possessions out of Europe at which a ship of the line was ever built; and it deserves to be recorded that the Minden, a 74 gun-ship, was launched from its dock-yards in 1810. It has also added several frigates to the British navy. All these vessels are built of Malabar teak, which is esteemed superior to any in India. The Teak forests, from which supplies of wood are derived, lie along the western side of the Ghaut mountains, and other contiguous ridges on the north and east of Basseen; the numerous streams which descend from them affording water-carriage for the timber. The docks belong to the Company, and the King's ships pay a monthly rent for repairs. They are entirely occupied by Persees, who are esteemed remarkably skilful and assiduous. Bombay, thus possessing, in the skill of its workmen, the excellence of its timber, and the superiority of its docks, all that is necessary for a naval arsenal, may be considered as a station of the first importance to the British power in India.

Commerce. From its position, Bombay commands an extensive commerce with the countries situate in the Persian and Arabian gulfs, and with the western coast of India. It carries on, also, a valuable trade with the eastern parts of India, the Islands in the eastern ocean, and with China. Of the trade with China, the staple commodity is cotton-wool. The other articles consist of sandal-wood and pepper, the produce of Malabar and other adjacent countries; gums, drugs, and pearls, from Arabia, Abyssinia, and Persia; elephants' teeth, cornelians, and other produce of Cambay; sharks' fins, birds' nests, and other articles from the Maldive and Lackadive Islands. The ships generally arrive at Canton in June or July, and lie there until December or January. In 1808, the quantity of cotton brought to Bombay for re-exportation amounted to 85,000 bales, of 375 pounds each, which is partly procured from the country on the Nerbuddah, and from Gujrat and Cutch. The quantity, however, is not usually so large; and in this trade, Bombay has been lately rivalled by the competition of the merchants of

Bengal and Madras, who, having adopted a different method of cleaning their cotton, have sold it to greater advantage in the market of Canton than the merchants of Bombay; and unless the latter adopt the same method of preparing their commodity, it is probable that this lucrative branch of trade will decline. It is about thirty-five or forty years since the cotton-trade from Bombay to China was first established. At that period, a great scarcity of provisions having occurred in China, the cultivation of cotton was restricted by an edict of the government, and grain was ordered to be raised in its stead. Hence a great demand arose in the Chinese market for cotton, which has continued ever since to increase. But the general inattention of the Bombay merchants to the quality of the commodity, and the many frauds which have been practised upon the Chinese, have induced them to resume the cultivation of cotton, for the purpose of having within themselves the necessary supply of this useful article. On this account the demand from China may be rather considered as precarious. In stowing and packing the cotton, great dexterity is displayed. It is pressed down by means of a screw, worked by a capstan, to each bar of which there are 30 men, amounting on the whole to 240 to each screw. Hemp is packed in the same manner, but it requires to be carefully laid in the press; its fibres being liable to be broken if they are bent.

Bombay carries on a considerable trade with Europe, and with different parts of America. The imports from Europe are principally articles for the use of the natives and Europeans; consisting mostly of the finer articles of European manufacture; the produce of other countries for re-exportation, piece goods, and treasure. The value of goods imported from London, from May 1811 to April 1812, was 20,58,942 rupees, equal to L.231,630. The value of the following exports to London, during the same period, was 15,37,800 rupees, equal to L. 173,000, viz.

The following is a TABLE of the estimated Value in Rupees of the Exports and Imports to and from other places.

In pounds Sterling, these imports amount to L.2,356,603

In pounds Sterling, these exports amount to L.2,003,411

Inhabitants. Bombay is estimated to contain 220,000 inhabitants, of whom nearly three-fourths are Hindoos. The other fourth is composed of persons from almost every Asiatic nation. The number of Persees is estimated at 8000, there is nearly the same number of Mahometans, and there are 4000 Jews. The Portuguese are also to be found in considerable numbers. The Persees rank next to the Europeans, and carry on, many of them, extensive commercial transactions. They are the brokers and factors of Europeans, and have a concern in most of the foreign speculations of European mercantile houses. They are a rich, industrious, and active body of men, and contribute greatly to the prosperity of the settlement, and are treated by the government with great favour and indulgence. For the protection which they enjoy, they are exceedingly grateful, and openly express their conviction that they could not

obtain the same advantages in any other part of the East. They are the descendants of the ancient Persians, who fled from the persecution of Shah Abbas in the sixteenth century, when he expelled the worshippers of fire from his dominions, and compelled them to seek an asylum in other countries. The Persees at Bombay appear to be quite domesticated in their new residence, in which they have purchased valuable properties. Besides the Persees, many considerable Portuguese, American, and Hindoo merchants reside at Bombay, who have acquired valuable property, and have the reputation of great integrity. There are likewise some Bonah merchants, or Mahometan Jews, who carry on a great trade with Gujzerat, and other places to the northward. All those different classes of inhabitants live happily together, and enjoy great prosperity under the mild and equitable rule of the British government.