Question

In which century, production of hand-made paper declined with the emergence of paper mills?

• A. 16th century
• B. 17th century
• C. 18th century
• D. 19th century

Hint:

Mills made cheap machine paper on a large scale late.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understand the question.
The question asks when hand-made paper production fell because machine paper mills arrived in India. Hand paper was strong for centuries and fell only after factories started.

Step 2: Check option 1, 16th century.
In the sixteenth century, hand-made paper was thriving in Kashmir, Sialkot and other centres. There were no paper mills yet. So this option is wrong.

Step 3: Check option 2, 17th century.
In the seventeenth century hand-made paper was still widely made and used in Mughal courts and offices. So this option is wrong.

Step 4: Check option 3, 18th century.
The first paper mills in India were set up in the late eighteenth century on a small scale, but hand-made paper still dominated. The big decline had not started. So this option is wrong.

Step 5: Check option 4, 19th century.
In the nineteenth century, mills such as the Serampore mill and later mills at Calcutta and Lucknow made cheap machine paper. Imports also grew. Hand-made paper then declined sharply. So this option is correct.

Step 6: Pick the answer.
The decline came with mass produced mill paper in the nineteenth century.

Final Answer:
Hand-made paper declined in the 19th century when mills spread. \[ \boxed{\text{Option 4}} \]