426 



Oft the Sladsiics of JDuxhtm, 



[ArriU. 



liuuilivillh part of tlio chiinis sot up ; ho must Iravc this l;i1)our to his 

 servants, and it can siaiccly be believed they will not avail themselves 

 of the opportunity to turn the discretion givrn to llieni to private pro- 

 fit : in fact, I Know sui h to bo the case. 



In an examination of the papers of ihe villages of Muhrkorolj, Poona 

 collecloraie, I found tliat many of the cultivators had paid instalments 

 of their assessments (for IS27 '-^8) previously to remissions being grant- 

 ed, w hich exceeded the aniount they were required to pay after the de- 

 duction of the remissions ; the poverty of some of the cultivators, con- 

 sequently, must have been misrepresented. I asccrlained also that part 

 of the remissions of 1827-28 had boon intercepted. Remissions arc un- 

 avoidable in all calamitous visitations of Providence, w hich are not of 

 confined or local operation, and which affect the returns of the earth; 

 but to insure the benefit of the remissions to the cultivator, they should 

 be made in a dotinite per ( cntage on his total assessment, and the 

 amount should be proclaimed more than once, and by diirereni persons, 

 in the public plice of every village. 



A few words in conclusion will suffice with respect to the great 

 branches of the revenue. It is seen that 82*^0 decls. per cent, of the 

 whole is derived from the land : already the supply of agricultural pro- 

 duce exceeds the demand, and the farmer has a difficulty in finding a 

 mart. In the present state of agriculture therefore, this branch of re- 

 venue is at its maximum, and will probably decline until snjjpl} and 

 demand be adjusted. 



The prospects of improvement in the Suhycr branch are not more fa- 

 vourable than in the land revenue. 



The trades pay to the full extent of their means at present, and manu- 

 factures cannot increase when the European importers of cottons can 

 afford to undtrsell the native manufacturers. Indeed I believe little 

 more than coarse Sarhees^ for women, and common tent cloth, are now 

 manufactured in the British provinces in Dukhun. 



The improvements in customs should usually depend upon increased 

 wealth and commercial industry in the people. The extent of imports 

 will only be commensurate with the means of purchase. If therefore 

 the opinions I have advanced on the land revenue and Saliyer be Well 

 founded, with respect to the limited means of persons paying taxes un- 

 der those Leads, the cusloms will be influenced by causes affecting 

 them. 



a Dresses, 



