The National Archives Learning Curve | British Empire | Living in the British Empire | India | Source 2

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	Trade that the British East India Company was involved in, 1814-35 (Figures from Parliamentary papers for 1840)



2a		2b		2c

Year	Exports of Indian calico and muslin to Britain	Exports of Indian dyed cotton to Britain	Exports of plain British cotton to India	Exports of dyed British cotton to India	Total cloths sent to Britain from India	Total cloths sent to India from Britain
1814	967,652	298,596	213,408	604,800	1,266,608	818,200
1821	275,352	259,143	9,423,352	9,715,374	534,495	19,138,726
1828	203,848	218,656	30,411,857	12,410,220	422,504	42,822,077
1835			39,459,172	12,318,105	306,086	51,777,277


	Study this source carefully.

	1 What impression does this information give of life in the British empire in terms of the following issues: the benefits of economic development in the empire? the economic benefits of the empire to Britain? 2 Explain whether you think this information gives a positive or negative view of the empire.


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