SEIZUEE OF THE JAGHEEES. 225 



ool Oomrali in 1801, the Government of Ma- 

 dras seized upon tlie jagheers, or freeholds of 

 the Nawab's relations, amounting in value to 

 2,13,911 star pagodas, or about £74,868 ster- 

 ling, and in lieu of such freehold estates as- 

 signed pensions, in most instances of far inferior 

 value to their estates, whereby the Government 

 at once profited to the amount of 13,857 star 

 pagodas, or about £-1:850 sterling per annum. 

 The amount of stipends originally fixed was 

 duly paid to the persons entitled to them as 

 long as they lived, and their offspring suc- 

 ceeded to such stipends without question, and as 

 a matter of right. The Madras Government 

 then commenced reducing them, and has con- 

 tinued doing so with each generation, until 

 in 1850 their aggregate annual amount was 

 only 85,714 star pagodas, or about £30,000 

 sterling. Whilst the amount of pensions has 

 been too thus diminished, the number of re- 

 cipients has largely augmented. Thus all are 

 embarrassed in circumstances, and some in ac- 

 tual destitution, for it is a notorious fact that 

 several descendants of the last Carnatic sove- 

 reigns arc starving on one rupee, or two shil- 

 lings, per mensem. By the 9th article of the 



VOL. II. 15 



