ABSTRACT
Merchants who extended advance money to the weavers and other collateral service providers often faced charges of exploiting them. Weavers and artisans generally migrated in the wake of natural calamities like famines, and fabricated disasters like wars. After acquiring Bombay Island, the English Governor, George Oxinden (President of Surat and Governor of Bombay) was instructed to invite some weavers and other artisans to settle there. Weavers could themselves dye and paint (print with blocks) the cloth involving their family’s labour. Traders and merchants would put professional packers into service to pack goods properly to avoid any damage. Relay service was also in vogue when guards would take up the responsibility of escorting a passenger up to the next destination or halting place, and then hand over the person to others in the same profession to conduct the traveller further. A courier could oblige others while in the (regular) service of someone else.
