GO Noies on Ryotivar, or [Jan. 



winch might render every other meas^ure unnecessary, of reducing the 

 rate of tax on all hmd occupied, and not irrigated by Government works, 

 to the ordinary poonjah or dry grain rate, and thus yielding to the ryot 

 for ever the entire benefit of all improvements on his land. The plan 

 proposed, proceeds therefore upon the supposition of giving up as little 

 as practicable of the present amount of land revenue ; and of leaving 

 waste, and other sources of future income from the land open. 



I would suggest first, as better suited to the circumstances of the 

 country a permanent assessment on each field in grain, commutable into 

 variable money payments, in lieu of the permanent tax in money now 

 assessed. The commutation to be made periodically with ample allow- 

 ance for unfavourable years. 



The basis of the system, would therefore be a fixed corn or produce 

 rent, as a maximum rent, commutable into a money payment, regulated 

 by, and varying periodically with the actual state of prices. 



An assessment varying from time to time with prices, in lieu of the 

 permanent money tax of ryotwar, appears to be required ; not only be- 

 cause prices are found by experience to be subject to very great alterna- 

 tions, but because money itself alters in value, and the land-tax of a 

 fixed amount of money, which may at one time be light and equitable, 

 may become by changes in the value of the currency oppressive, and 

 intolerable. But it is chiefly necessary, because the amount of the tax 

 on the land is so large, and the capital of the ryot so limited, that a 

 very trifling alteration in price, is of vast moment to him ; and because, 

 the excess in this country both of agricultural population and capital, 

 over non -agricultural (which from the influence of caste must continue) 

 is such, as of itself to induce a constant tendency to an m^erstocked 

 grain-market, and consequently to depreciation of price. Any perma- 

 nent money tax, founded on an average of prices drawn from the state of 

 the markets during previous years, will therefore, in the long run, prove 

 injurious to the landholders. And it will be found, I believe, essential 

 to the prosperity of the ryot of South India, when his rent is received in 

 specie, that the money tax on each field unless extraordinarily low, should 

 not be pennanently fixed, but that a review of the state of prices should 

 take place at short intervals, and the Government demand be adjusted 

 accordingly. 



A fixed moderate average corn or produce assessment, which shall be 

 the maximum of the Government demand, would also hold out to the 

 proprietor, or occupant, the strongest inducement to improve his land, 

 as it will effectually secure to him, the ^vhole increase arising from bet- 

 ter cultivation, or from capital sunk in improvements. This can never 



