258 PROSPERITY OF STNDH. 



be more oppressive than their rule. I cer- 

 tainly can declare, without fear of contradic- 

 tion, that they are better clothed, better fed, 

 and better taught than they ever were before. 

 As regards the prosperity of the province, its 

 trade has increased in sixteen years of British 

 rule from £122,100 to upwards of two-and-a- 

 half millions sterling. It is also upon official 

 record that the agriculture of the province 

 was never so extended and flourishing as during 

 the past year. Further, we have established a 

 strong frontier to the north-west, by our friend- 

 ly relations with the Khan of Khelat, whose 

 conduct is reported as marked by features of 

 cordiality and trust in the British Government. 

 His Highness nominally, but nominally only, 

 holds authority over that most powerful tribe 

 the Murrees, and, as far as men are concern- 

 ed, he has plenty for enforcing submission, but 

 has no pecuniary resources of his own to 

 enable him to maintain a force in the field, 

 should that be necessary, though that difficulty 

 would not exist if we supplied money. Within 

 the border, the country is peopled by those 

 once warlike tribes, who have for thirteen 

 years settled down into peaceful cultivators. 



