The Sun.
London, England, 1824-02-10 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE INDIA GAZETTE.

DEAR MR. EDITOR—As it. way be interestiaz
to those concerned in the flue line, to know the fate of the
poor planters in this district, I shall feel obliged by your giv-
ing room in a corner of your paper to the following distressing
facts, which will confer an obligation on,
Dear Mr. Editor, your most obedient servant,
AN INUNDATED PLANTER.
Purneah, July 17, 1823.

The season throughout has been attended with a series of
misfortunes, to all those who have had any thing to do in the
cultivation of indigo hereabouts ; for the long continued
drought in the earlier part kept back the sowings of the low
lands till a late period, excepting a few biggahs that were sown
in the D'hars, or low marshy lands, after which we wert:.
blessed with a few showers of rain about the 7th May, which
enabled us to complete nearly the whole of such lands as are
subject to an early inundation, together with a good deal of the
high lands, so that the dark cloud that had hung so long over
us, began to vanish, and every thing wore a favourable respect
until-the beginning of last month, when the weather took a
different turn, and brought down torrents of rain, which, se-
Iriously injured all that had been sown, by overflowing the
D'hars and Nullahs, which inundated a considerable part of
our low land plant, and otherwise prevented the growth of
whatever remained standing on the high lands. The weather
continued nearly the same until the 23th ult. when the principal
rivers began to overflow their banks, and threatened immediate
destruction, sweeping away whatever came in their way, so that
many of the planters, to make sure of what 'remained, were
forced to begin manufacturing unripe plant, some of it stand-,
ing 2 and 3 feet in water, which consequently yielded little or
no produce, barely sufficient to defray one-half the expence of
manufacture ; others that were somewhat better treated, by the
rivers, commenced working on the Ist inst., myself amongst
the rest; but the incessant heavy rains which we have had fur
the last month past, has drenched the plant so much that it is
downright ruination to manufacture it, as it is does not yield
above half the produce of last year (which at its lowest ebb
produced 3 maunds per 1,000 bundles) and one of my inundated
neighbours from 11 vats, containing about as many hundred
bundles, got only 1 box of indigo, equal to about 11 seers !
The weather this month has been equally as bad as the la it,
which has brought down the rivers in all directions, so tent
every thing now around us puts me in mind of the catastrophe
which happened last year at Burrisaul, for the country is tine
sheet of water, which has caused many of the factories to stop
working for the season ; consequently all hopes ef making evert
half the quantity of indigo that was made in this district lug t
season is now at an end. A. I. P.

TO TILE EDITOR OF TIIE INDIA GAZETTE.
DEAR SlR—While you are busy there, editorising works
for publication, we are no less busy here in cutting plant from
under four feet of water.
Purneah has been overwhelmed with rain. Every shower
that descends brings forth a deluge, and ever since the 27th of
May last. (but before that period we had not a drop of rain for
nearly two months, and such was the scarcity of it, that in con_
sequence we sustained considerable loss in our high land crop),
there has been one continual fall of rain, which, together with
the inundation, has nearly set the whole country afloat, much
less indigo plants, which, am sorry to say, has been wholly
s:vent away.
The plant we are now manufacturing produces on as average
of 100 bundles, only 10 to 15 cakes, (any longer continuance
at this rate will tend to inevitable ruin), so if the rains do.not
immediately cease, which, to our great vexation, yet continues
and keeps washing ()Tall the colouring-matter from the plant,
we shall, I fear, make nothing, and a total failure will, I ap-
prehend, be the termination of the season in this district.
I have been here upwards of ten years, and have never known
to have experienced such a season as this is likely to be. The
past year had likewise been a very wet one, notwithstanding I
made indigo sufficient to liquidate all my expences ; bUt. that
bears no comparison to the present, which, I have reason to
fear, will be a most ruinous one,—and as for my part, if I can
but clear one fourth of my expellees, I shall indeed consider
myself as very fortunate.—So much for our labour and good
luck, Mr. Editor, which, if you think worthy your notice,
your giving it insertion in some corner of your entertaining
Paper, will much oblige your obedient humble servant,
AN UNFORTUNATE PLANTER.
District of Parneah, July RI, 11323.

TO THE EDITOR ot"ritE INDIA GAZETTE.
DEAR SIR—By inserting the following extract of a letter from
one of my neighbours, in u corner of your Paper, you will
much oblige, Dear Sir, your most obedient servant,
A PLANTER'S FRIEND.
Purneah, July 22, 1823.

Extract of a letter dated I'arneah,lsth July, 1823.
" My DEAR Six—The rivers are down upon us in all direr-
dons, and consequently all indigo prospects are now at an end.
Manufacturing is going on, but the produce in general very
inadequate. The Ganges has risen,—the planters therefore
below may expect inundation and wretched produce, so that
the season in general is likely to turn out disastrously."