i62 AGRICULTURAL CAPITAL 



which led to such widespread cessation of agricultural 

 work throughout the greater part of the provinces, 

 the cultivators in the canal-irrigated tracts not only 

 secured their crops, but, owing to the high prices pre- 

 vailing, they were exceptionally prosperous. As soon 

 as their spring crops were assured, they were able to 

 export grain, and thus out of their plenty to contribute 

 to the wants of less fortunate tracts. The value of 

 the crops in that year raised by the works was esti- 

 mated at 13 crores of rupees (£S,666,ooo) a sum which 

 exceeded by 50 per cent, their total capital cost, while 

 1,500,000 tons of edible produce were rendered avail- 

 able as food for the people. The best testimony to 

 the protective value of the canals is afforded by the 

 following extract from the Lieutenant - Governor's 

 review of the Chief Engineer's report for the year. 

 Referring to the financial results of the year's opera- 

 tions. Sir Antony MacDonnell wrote : 



' These very satisfactory figures show the results of 

 the 3^ear's operations as gauged by the departmental 

 system of accounts, but taken alone they fail to repre- 

 sent the true value of the canals in a year of drought. 

 In a year such as that through which we have just 

 passed it is in the effective protection against famine 

 and scarcity afforded to almost the whole of the canal- 

 irrigated tract, in the suitable employment provided 

 for some millions of the people, in the exceptional 

 prosperity of large numbers of the cultivating classes, 

 and in the land revenue secured to the Government, 

 that the most important and the most beneficial results 

 of the canals are to be found. In these respects the 

 benefits derived from the canal works during the past 

 year of drought can hardly be exaggerated.'* 



The value to the people engaged in agriculture of 

 capital expenditure upon irrigation becomes apparent 

 when we remember that the Upper and Lower Ganges 



* ' Report of the Indian Irrigation Commission, igoi-03/ part ii., 

 p. 184. 



