Ixxviii 



were still paid in grain, and that these grain wages had not risen 

 materially during late years. As to other classes of laborers who 

 were paid in coin, they observed that their wages had risen consider- 

 ably, and that the increase had then kept full pace with the enhanced 

 price of food. Compared with former rates, the wages were stated 

 to be, in some cases, doable of what they formerly were, but the 

 general proportion of increase was 50 per cent,, and only in a few 

 cases had the increase been as small as 25 per cent. These conclu- 

 sions are borne out by the increase which has taken place, during the 

 last 15 years, in the pay of all domestic servants in the families of 

 Europeans in India. 



The position of that portion of the population whose wealth is 

 derived from mercantile operations has improved, at any rate, in an 

 equal ratio with that of the agriculturist, if we may judge by the 

 progress which has taken place in the trade of the Presidency. 

 The principal portion of this trade is carried on at the port of Madras, 

 that is, about one-half of; the export trade and two-thirds of the 

 import trade. The greater part of the balance of the export trade is 

 from the ports of Cocanada, Negapatam and Tuticorin, on the Bast 

 Coast, and from Calicut, Cochin, and Mangalore, on the Western 

 Coast. Large exports of cotton take place from Cocanada and Tuti- 

 corin, and of grain from Negapatam, whereas the principal articles of 

 export from the western ports are coffee and oil-seeds. The principal 

 item of import at most of these ports is piece-goods, though grain is 

 also largely imported into the Malabar district. 



On the whole, then, it is impossible to arrive at any other conclu- 

 sion than that the mass of the population of the Madras Presidency 

 have considerably progressed in wealth during the 10 years previous 

 to the famine of 1866. The whole of the agricultural interest, which 

 includes certainly three-fourths and perhaps four-fifths of the popu- 

 lation, were in twice as good a position at the end of this period 

 as they had been at its commencement, and a large number of them 

 had made enormous gains during the cotton famine in England, the 

 ryots of the district of Bellary alone having, it is estimated, obtained 

 an increase to their capital of nearly a million and a-half sterling on 

 this account. The mercantile class, or, at any rate, such portions 

 of them as were interested in the over-sea trade, had doubled their 

 business, and the position of the poorest classes had certainly not 

 deteriorated. Further, while private wealth had increased to this 

 extent, taxation had been augmented by less than 25 per cent., so 

 that, certainly, three -fourths of the increased profits obtained by the 

 population were enjoyed tax free. At the commenceroent of the 

 distress the people were, consequently, in a better position than they 

 had ever occupied in any previous year of famine. 



(F.) — Rcmlh of the enquiries made by the Board of Revenue as to the con- 

 dition of the labouring classes in 1872 {Froceedings of the Board of 

 Revenue, dated llth November 1872, No. 2179). 



Board of Revenue — Labourers. — The general opinion was that the 

 condition of the labouring classes was i*apidly improving. Mr. Brandt 



