what led to rise of Bombay and Calcutta ports in 19th century
Answers
✔The rise of the ports of Bombay and Calcutta in British India indicated that India was getting increasingly integrated with the global economy that was being established under the British empire. Bombay became the centre of cotton textile industry in India and Calcutta became the centre of jute industry.Feb
Answer:
1. Bombay
The city of Bombay, the capital of the Maharashtra state and the principal sea and airport of Western India, is one of a group of islands lying off the coast of the northern Konkan. Since it is located on a peninsula with water on three sides, the geographical boundaries of Bombay are un expandable. Though there has been much controversy as to the source from which the island derived its name, the opinions seem to converge on the view that the Goddess Mumba Ai is likely to be the source of the Marathi name of Bombay, whereas 'Bombay' was derived from the Portuguese name BOMBAIM, meaning a good bay.
Captain Cook took charge of the island of Bombay in 1664 from the Portuguese and decided to build a town for the trading class. However, because of some initial problems of land dispute, the building work was delayed till 1674 when the initiative,of Governor Aungiers sorted out the land disputes. The early growth reflected the policy of the then government for attracting colonies of traders from the rest of the country. Several other concessions in the form of land tenure, a veiled policy of taxation, and the granting of free passage encouraged settlement in Bombay.
Although Bombay traces its origin the 17th century, it grew very little in its first decades. Even by the late eighteenth century, it was primarily a marine supply point, which, unlike Calcutta and Madras, had few links to the hinterland. Some industries were in existence for serving the handicraft needs like potteries, manufacturing of copper and brass vessels, goldsmiths and hand weaving of both silk and cotton. During the early nineteenth century, Bombay's growth resulted from military and economic factors including the development of foreign shipping services. The first textile mill was established in Bombay in 1851. It was followed by several other cotton textile mills. The onwards growth of Bombay from the second half~ of the nineteenth century was linked to trade.
Towards the early part of the twentieth century, with the inception of Indian Railways, several mechanical workshops foundries and other engineering firms were established. Similarly, construction of docks at the Bombay port helped establish several workshops, foundries and other engineering firms. From 1940, the manufacturing sector became more diversified, with an expansion into basic metals and engineering dating from the Second World War. The Second World War introduced a number of incentive schemes for industrial expansion. As a result, several chemical industries came into existence. Also, several oil, petrochemical, paper, printing, flour mills and food manufacturing industries sprang up. Despite the continued dominance of textiles and engineering, Bombay's industrial base is currently quite diversified.
2. Calcutta
The existing Calcutta grew out of three villages of Sutanuti, Kalikata and Gobindapur where the British first settled in the late 17th century. The site offered several advantages, which were instrumental in forming the nucleus of what would be in the 19th century one of the greatest commercial centers of the east. These included vital factors such as, a good anchorage, the foreign market of Betor and a trading settlement with a permanent 'Haat' (market) operated two days week. It also lay close to the village of Kalighat, with its temple of the Goddess Kali, a reputed place of worship attracting pilgrims throughout the year. Throughout the 18th century the port grew gradually, and more villages on both sides of the Hooghly River were added to the city.
With the consolidation of British Rule in India in the nineteenth century, Calcutta emerged as a great imperial city. The rise of Calcutta has been phenomenal since 1850. Between 1857 and 1900, Calcutta was connected to all important places in India through railways. During this time, coal mines north-west of Calcutta began production, the first modern wet dock went into action, the first iron and steel factory in West Bengal started producing iron, and the Jute industry recorded a phenomenal growth. A rail and road bridge to connecting the two banks of the river was constructed in the second half of the nineteenth century.
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