The trial of James Long, the Anglo-Irish priest who was said to have translated Nil Darpan by Deenabandhu Mitra, ended on this day.

Nil Darpan, a play, portrayed the savage treatment of indigo farmers in Bengal by the European planters. Long had copies of the translation printed and distributed among important colonial officials. Following this, indigo planters alleged that the preface of the play slandered the editors of the newspapers The Englishman and The Bengal Hurkaru, which were in favour of the planters, and that the play maligned the planters.

Judge M.L. Wells, who presided over the trial that had begun on July 19 at Calcutta Supreme Court, found Long guilty of libel. Long was fined ₹1,000 and sentenced to one month’s imprisonment.

Kaliprasanna Singha, one of the most important cultural figures of 19th century Bengal, paid the fine on Long's behalf.

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