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Under the positive orders of the Company, the salt trade appears to have
continued open from 1768 to 1772. The act, indeed, contained an
exception in favor of the Company, and left them a liberty of dealing in
salt upon their own account. But still this policy remained unchanged,
and their orders unrevoked. But in the year 1772, without any
instruction from the Court of Directors indicating a change of opinion
or system, the whole produce was again monopolized, professedly for the
use of the Company, by Mr. Hastings. Speaking of this plan, he says
(letter to the Directors, 22d February, 1775): "No new hardship has been
imposed upon the salt manufacturers by taking the management of that
article into the hands of government; the only difference is, that the
profit which was before reaped by English gentlemen and by banians is
now acquired by the Company." In May, 1766, the Directors had condemned
the monopoly _on any conditions whatsoever_. "At that time they thought
it neither consistent with their honor nor their dignity to promote such
an exclusive trade.


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