XVI INTRODUCTION. 



of Bombay salt was as follows, except in the Chittoor district, where it has always been sold at the 



Madras Government rates : — 



E. A. P. 

 1030 to 1033 Malabar Era price per maund or 821 lbs. . 9 2 



1034 „ „ „ • 10 3 



1035 „ „ „ . 13 9 

 1036 to 1039 „ „ „ ■ 12 7 



Thus in the ten years ending 1039 M.E. or A.D. 1863-64, the average price has been slightly 

 more than eleven annas per maund, or nearly one-half the average cost of the same article in 

 British territory, as the selling price of salt is now raised to the British rate, it is equivalent to 

 an increase of about 100 per cent. : whether this will affect the salt-fish trade either as to quantity 

 or quality must be soon apparent. 



The above return from the Cochin Native State has no reference to home made salt, which 

 for the ten years ending 1863-64, was sold at the rate of 5 Parrahs and 9^Edungalies a rupee. 



In the State of Travancore, the price of black salt is 77 rupees a garce, or about ten annas a 

 maund. 



Unless in the case of large fish, or any very particularly and carefully salted, only the Native 

 manufactured salt is usually employed in the Native States and the salt-earth in British territory, 

 the consequence is, that in the latter the article produced is of an inferior description. It may 

 perhaps be a fact that in the British territory, where salt-earth can be obtained duty free, the 

 " Salt monopoly" does not directly affect the salt-fish trade — or rather its price irrespective of its 

 quality — because under no circumstances could English or Bombay salt be sold so cheaply as salt- 

 earth. But it is open to question as to the quantity of saline matter which would be contained 

 in a given quantity of the two kinds of salt, and whether, if the manufacturer could procure the 

 better commodity at a cheaper rate than at present, he would not cure his fish in a superior 

 manner ; in such a case they would keep better, be more wholesome for the consumer, and could 

 be conveyed to much greater distances inland. The opening up of the country by means of rail- 

 roads is widening the field for the sale of salt-fish, whilst the coffee plantations along the hill 

 ranges have given an impetus to the trade, and a better article would certainly be a great boon. 

 It may be objected to this, that the consumer is satisfied with what he at present obtains ; but that 

 is not the question, which is, could not a more wholesome commodity be procured as cheaply, and 

 with an enormous gain in the saving of quantities of fish at present wasted ? It can hardly be 

 denied that taxes upon salt are directly or indirectly taxes on the longevity of the dwellers in what- 

 ever country such taxes obtain. 



There are no duties between British-Indian ports, which are only collected upon exports and 

 imports over-sea from and to Great Britain, the Colonies, or foreign parts : consequently no 

 statistics are available of " the inland trade, but there is no doubt it has vastly increased of late 

 " years, and in greater proportion than the sea exports." 



