

SALT 

 ODIUM CHLORIDE 



To coi 



;llld the _' 



figures and to show t hf\ quantity QOMtuned Conatunp- 

 B realised, the following table ina - tlon - 



1875-6 



I88O-I 



1895-6 



1900-1 

 1904-5 

 1905-6 



Quai 



Coiuumtd. 



24.2S7.7SO 



31. ( 



KM 



., S, ..-, ,|M 



6.76.64.7W 



Ki 



730 



6,05,56.000 



These tables show tic.- share of the salt of India that is drawn from 

 foreign countries approximately a little OV.T one-third the annual 

 v,i]>]lv -the c|u;intity passed into consumption, and the duty realised 

 therefrom. In 1875-6 the consumption !j million maunds, in 



I'.HU it !iu 1 expanded to 39$ million maunds, and in 1905-6 to 40| 

 million maumLs. The i -on.Mimption steadily progressed and was little, 

 if at all, affected by the fluctuations in the rate of duty charged. 

 But during the years 1904-6, while the duty dec-lined materially the 

 consumption made a record expansion. And it may be added that 

 more recent forecasts would seem to show that the increase may soon 

 compensate for the reduction in rate of revenue. The demand for aalt 

 would doubtless decrease in the affected areas, and yet a study of the 

 figures of salt consumption by themselves for the whole of India during 

 the past thirty-five to forty years give no sort of indication of the yean 

 of famine included within that period. The progression has kept pace 

 with the increase in population, and has been little if at all affected either 

 by famine or taxation. If surrendered to private enterprise the price all 

 over India would rise and become unequal, thus leading to numerous 

 difficulties and hardships. Thus it may be said salt is administered on a 

 commercial basis and the profit secured returns in lessened taxation. 



The returns of the salt trade manifest a continuous expansion with 

 periods of sudden development rather than of shrinkage. Thus, for 

 example, in 1878-9 the consumption was 25^ million maunds and in the 

 next year it became close on 28 million. So again, in 1883-4, the con- 

 sumption was a little over 30 million maunds, and in 1884-5 it became 

 33 million maunds. In only two years are material shrinkages manifested, 

 viz. 1885-6 and 1888-9, yet in these the effect was only temporary ami did 

 not in any way disturb the steady advancement. It is well known that 

 seasons of deficient supply occur from climatic conditions retarding 

 production, and the years 1885-6 and 1888-9 are likely to have been of 

 that nature. At the present time salt sells on an average at one halfpenny 

 a pound throughout the greater part of India, and still produces a net 

 revenue of 5 to 6 million pounds sterling. The incidence of the tax prior 

 to 1903 was 4-9 annas per head of population, and by recent enactments 

 it became only 4 annas (4 pence a head), the sole contribution of a Urge 

 percentage of the people to the administration. 



Uses. It is needless to enumerate the numerous purposes served by 

 salt. It is used as an article of food, as a manure, in fish-curing (see 

 p. 546), vinegar purification (see p. 1111), etc., etc. 



Duty 



.. 



: . 



IoctM*d w. 

 ropuUUoo. 



.'. . . .- . . 

 - . . . 



D*<Mot 



--:: 



Tax. 



