The manufacture of cotton is increasing rapidly.  There are now eighty-four mills in Bombay alone, with a capital of more than $25,000,000, and all of them have been established since 1870, including some of the most modern, up-to-date plants in existence.  The people of Bombay have about $36,000,000 invested in mills, most of it being owned by Parsees.  There are mills scattered all over the country.  The industry dates from 1851, and during the last twenty years the number of looms has increased 100 per cent and spindles 172 per cent.  January 1, 1891, there were 127 mills, with 117,922 operatives, representing an investment of L7,844,000.  On the 31st of March, 1904, according to the official records, there were 201 cotton mills in India, containing 43,676,000 looms and 5,164,360 spindles, with a combined capital of L12,175,000.  This return, however, does not include thirteen mills which were not heard from, and they will probably increase the number of looms and spindles considerably and the total capital to more than $60,000,000.

The wages paid operatives in the cotton mills of India are almost incredibly low.  I have before me an official statement from a mill at Cawnpore, which is said to give a fair average for the entire country.  The mills of Bombay, Madras and Calcutta and other large cities pay about one-half more.  At smaller places farther in the north the rates are much less.  The wages are given in rupees and decimals of a rupee, which in round numbers is worth 33 cents in our money.

Monthly wages in A cotton mill at Cawnpore for the
years named (in rupees and decimals of A rupee).

                           1885. 1890. 1900. 1903. 
  Cardroom—­
    Head mistry 17.00 24.80 34.90 33.00
    Card cleaner 5.00 5.25 8.70 8.84
    Spare hands 5.00 5.25 5.90 6.58
  Muleroom—­
    Head mistry 8.50 19.60 34.00 36.42
    Minder 5.00 6.37 6.20 7.12
    Spare hands 5.00 5.00 6.00 6.50
  Weaving department—­
    Mistry 13.50 18.00 18.80 17.81
    Healder 5.00 5.50 7.60 7.09
    Weaver 6.00 10.50 8.62 9.14
  Finishing department—­
    Washers and bleachers 6.00 18.00 18.70 21.25
    Dyer 5.00 5.50 5.50 6.08
    Finishing man 5.00 5.50 6.00 6.53
  Engineering shop—­
    Boiler mistry 6.00 9.00 9.30 10.16
    Engine man 8.00 11.00 10.80 14.62
    Oil man 6.00 6.00 6.20 6.64
    Boiler man 6.00 6.00 6.90 7.31
    Carpenter 10.00 10.00 11.10 11.67
    Blacksmith 11.50 13.50 13.80 15.84
    Fitter 10.00 11.00 13.98