218 ON ORISSA PROPER 



The excess of regular receipts under the head of land revenue alone, may 

 be stated at from one to two lacs per annum in favor of the British go- 

 vernment, which increase may be fairly ascribed to the improved and more 

 enlightened system of management now pursued. The country has un- 



questionably in the main prospered under our administration, though much 

 suffering was long experienced in particular quarters from injudicious mea- 

 sures, the errors of which have been perceived and remedied : cultivation 

 has greatly increased in every part : and if the ryot or husbandman has 

 not benefited by the change of government, in proportion to the superior 

 importance of that class of the community to which he belongs, and to the 

 benevolent intentions of the legislature, his condition must certainly be 

 considered on the whole better than it was under the native system, whilst 

 the higher classes connected with the soil (now acknowledged as Proprie- 

 tors) have undoubtedly attained to a state of comfort, independence, and 

 comparative opulence, quite unknown at any former period of the history 

 of the country. 



The Revenue derived from the salt monopoly, exceeds the total amount 

 of the land rents paid to the State, and is entirely the creation of the Bri- 

 tish government. The salt sold within the province yields a net return of 

 about 3,00,000, and the quantity annually exported to Calcutta for public sale 

 at the salt office, produces little short of from Rupees 15,00,000 to 16,00,000. 

 Under the heads of customs, tax on spirituous liquors, and tax on pilgrims, 

 a further net revenue of about one lac per annum. is obtained by the pre- 

 sent government. The value of Cuttack to the Company therefore, after 

 deducting expenses of management, may be fairly assumed at upwards of 

 thirty lacs of Rupees per annum. 



LandTe- In surveying attentively the ancient Political Institutions of Orissa as 



nures, find. j • 1 1 



institutions, connected with the tenure of land, it is impossible not to be struck with 

 the marked resemblance which many of their features exhibit to the sys- 

 tem of European policy called the feudal* at certain stages of its progress. 

 I am strongly inclined to think that the comparison might be extended to 



