1839] 



Permanent Anmial Money Rents. 



65 



for one or two years ; but for a term oould save him from viiin. Yet 

 revenue authorities strictly following out the principles of ryotwar, 

 and not sufficiently bearing in mind the peculiar physical circumstances 

 of the agriculture of the country, and the present condition of the 

 people, denounce all remissions, as incompatible with sound revenue 

 management. Whilst it would appear almost self-evident, that so long 

 as produce, and prices annually fluctuate very largely, and droughts 

 are constantly recurring; so long an unvarying annual money tax 

 on each field, cannot be imposed upon a small proprietor without his 

 utter ruin. And further, that so long as the bulk of the landholders 

 remain, what they now are, proprietors of petty tenements, and without 

 capifal, the principle of a fixed a/mwa^ mone3M-ent, which leads inevi- 

 tably to an extreme pressure on the ryot in adverse seasons, is not 

 a sound and practically wise system. 



Assumhig such to be the case ; and both experience, and theory 

 would seem to confirm it, I would suggest for consideration some 

 modifications of the existing revenue system, which would I believe 

 greatly relieve the agriculture of the country from its present de- 

 pression — and gradually convert the ryots into a body of wealthy 

 landholders — without trenching largely on the Government revenue. 

 To avoid misapprehension, I would here remark, that it is not ry- 

 otwar, as a mode of collection, of which it is the chief feature, that 

 there shall be no middle man, between the Government and the occu - 

 pant of the soil, of which I should propose a modification. For under 

 the present circumstances of South India, and in the general ignorance 

 of all classes of the people, I do not think there is any class, whether 

 zemindar, mootadar, or the heads of the village community, to which the 

 well-being of the ryot can be so safely entrusted, as to the European 

 officers of Government ; and 1 should regret to see this important fea- 

 ture of the Madras revenue administration touched. But looking to 

 ryotwar as a mode of assessment on the land, containing as its leading 

 principle, the imposition of an unalterable money-rent on each field, 

 payable annually, under all circumstances of season and of price, — it is 

 to this, I object, and would raise the question whether it is not highly 

 injurious to the ryot in the long run, whatever may be its temporary ad- 

 vantages. 



In considering the modifications required to adapt the revenue system 

 fully to the country, I take it for granted, that it is not in the power of 

 the Madras Government to relinquish any large portion of the revenue 

 at present raised directly from the land ; and consequently that the 

 Government is not prepared for that great practical measure of relief, 



