34 THE OWNERSHIP OF LAND 



vation was Rs. 3/6/5 per acre; in 1840, though the 

 revenue was increased, it only fell at Rs. 2/3/1 per 

 cultivated acre. It would therefore appear that while 

 the most wretched accounts of the district were being 

 written, and there can be no doubt that the collectors 

 faithfully gave their impressions at the time, land was 

 being brought under the plough at a rate increasing 

 at least 100 per cent, in thirty years.' 



There are two infallible tests by which we can 

 judge whether an old assessment was in practice ex- 

 cessively severe or not. The assessment was certainly 

 excessive (i) if the Government was unable to realize 

 the demand, and (2) if estates were constantly changing 

 hands. Judged by the first of these tests, the early 

 settlements were excessively severe. Inability to 

 realize the full revenue was a common character- 

 istic of all the Governments in India in those days, 

 English as well as Muhammadan. Attempts are some- 

 times made to give them credit for it by describing 

 their system as one in which there was great elasticity 

 of collection. * Elasticity of collection ' must always 

 be characteristic of a revenue demand which it is 

 physically impossible for the people to pay. If the 

 people cannot pay, the demand must be remitted. 

 The British Government of the early years of the 

 nineteenth century are entitled to whatever credit 

 may be thought to attach to such ' elasticity of collec- 

 tion.' The revenue demands of the first Triennial 

 Settlements were rarely collected in full. In Aligarh 

 Rs. 2,457,253 were demanded for the last year of 

 settlement, 1807-08, of which Rs. 1,934,385 were col- 

 lected ; and in most districts ' balances,' as arrears 

 were then called, accumulated. The proof that the 

 Collectors were right in anticipating that the country 

 would recover under a settled government is to be 

 found in the fact that it was possible to collect the 

 revenue under the Second Triennial Settlements at 

 all, although they were not more lenient than the first. 



