insurance and dividends earned on investments ab-
road as also the savings of Britishers serving abroad.
In the pre-British period, India derived income
from all these invisible sources. Britain has seen
to it that all these sources are eliminated for all
practical purposes.
INDIA'S SHIPPING ELIMINATED
Indian shipping was a great factor in the world
till the British came and destroyed it.
In 1420, Nicole Conti described with admiration the
Indian skill in ship-building. "The natives of India
build some ships larger than ours, capable of contain-
ing 2000 butts. Some ships are so built in compart-
ments that should one part be shattered, the other
portion remaining, the same may accomplish the
voyage."
A letter dated 16th December, 1670 from the fac-
tory at Balsore to the Court of Directors in London
runs: "Many English merchants and others have their
ships and vessels yearly built----Very expert master-
builders there are several here. They build very well
and launch with as much discretion as I have seen
in any part of the world." Their skill was an example
for others to emulate. Even as late as in 1802, ships
and warships were built for England in India. England
borrowed plans and designs from Indian builders.
The vessel from Gogha, the Reheni, captured by
the Portuguese had a tonnage of 1,500 tons. In 1612,
Sir H. Middleton saw at Surat a ship that was 153 ft.
long, 42 feet broad, 31 feet deep and carried a burden
of 1,500 tons. And even so late as the beginning of
19th century 300-400 tons was considered the standard
for a fair-sized sea-going ship in England.
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