maritime activities economy and social customs of the muslims of ...

They did not clamour for state owned financial or militay assistance. They had no ethnic or
kinship relatlowhip to them among the ruling houses. Even the different ethnic or kinship
relationship with the ruling houses would not have proved to be a hindrance if they had a will
to enter politics. But by native it seems they had no quest or ambition for power. They
adjusted themselves to the changed political situation ,keeping away from confrontatioin.
whenever their rights were denied they accepted it quitely. They had no aptitude to warefare
either in the sea or land to protect their maritime activities. In the absence of a state owned
military support to them they bowed down to the force let loose on them. Thus without
utilising the proper political forum for their development,they tightly remained in the pre-
capitalistic shell in seclution where individual tradition dominates unmoved by the concept of
modern economic institution^^^'.
The Coromandel Muslims did not attain any significant economic development under
the Nawabs of Arcot. The Nawabs themselves were struggling for their political life and were
always in need of large sums of money. The English private merchants were in favour of the
Nawabs since they advanced loan to them, which the Coromandel Muslim traders could not.
Hence they were never close to this Muslim power throughout the period of our study. Still it
is interesting to note that the trade of Carnatic court was in the hands of the Armenian
merchants. These merchants minted in labs by supplying fancy goods and fragrances to the
Nawab~~~~. Thus the hundreds of years Muslim rule also does not bring any special prosperity
to the local Muslim population.
The introduction of railways came as a hurdle to the small traders who were engaged
in interportal and coastal trade. In his famous minute of 1853 Lord Dalhouse, the Governor
General of India advocated construction of railway lines in each presidency connecting the
interior parts with it's chief ports to serve the commercial advantages. Accordingly railway
lines were laid connecting the coastal port towns with interior hinterland villages. It was
advantageous for the hinterland traders to convey the commodities directly to the chief ports
and other far off towns without waiting for the coastal boat servicez33.