360. To this subject the attention of the surveyors ought to be directed.

361. The several collectors, also, will naturally, in considering what improvements may be made in the Native modes of measurement, advert particularly to the system of survey and assessment followed under Lieut.-Colonel Munro, a full description of which is contained in the volume of revenue papers recently transmitted by the Honourable Court.

362. With reference to the embarrassment arising from the variety of local beegahs, especially when general results are to be traced, and those exhibited in different quarters brought into comparison, it appears to be very desirable, unless the practical objections shall be very serious, that all measurements should be made with a pole or chain of the same length, care of course being taken accurately to make the requisite adjustment between the beegah so assumed and the local beegah according to which the village rates may have been heretofore settled.

363. The public accounts, at least, should be reduced to one standard beegah, so that in writing of that measure there may be no doubt of the quantity of land meant; and, on the whole, His Lordship in Council is not aware that any better standard can be taken than the ordinary beegah of 1,600 square yards, whether with reference to the Native measurements or in view to a ready comparison with English measures.

364. On this question, however, His Lordship in Council desires to have a report of the sentiments of the Boards, on whose suggestion the necessary measures will be taken for securing uniformity and accuracy in the measures used.

365. As a temporary and experimental measure, His Lordship in Council has been pleased to authorize Lieutenant Grant to entertain the establishment noted below *. A short time will determine

1

whether the advantage will compensate the expense, and whether Lieutenant Grant's duties shall be confined strictly to the survey, . and to such general notices in regard to the country and the people as surveyors are ordinarily expected to submit, without having any special establishment to assist in statistical inquiries.

366. With respect to the spot at which the survey should commence, His Lordship in Council is of opinion that, on the whole, the preference is due to the quarter selected by Lieutenant Grant. It is something in its favour that the surveyor is acquainted with that part of the district. It is also a favourable circumstance that in that quarter an immediate addition to the revenue is not looked for, Government being desirous that the survey should not be connected with resumptions or large enhancement of demand.

367. Indeed, His Lordship in Council is disposed to concur in the opinion stated by the late Junior Member (Mr. Martin), in whose minute Amorha was proposed for earliest settlement, that in order to prevent deterioration in the state of cultivation it is desirable that those mehals from which no increase of revenue is expected should be first settled.

368. The main object is not an increase of revenue and if there be reason to think that the assessment of Amorah is in some cases excessive, that is itself, His Lordship in Council conceives, a reason for an early revision.

369. Where the assets are abundant, and the profits consequently large, there must be little danger of the zemindar throwing back the cultivation of his estate, especially if the moderation to be observed in the future settlement, and the determination of Government to punish those who may commit waste, be generally known; for, in such a case, any diminution of the produce would operate rather to curtail the surplus to be left to the zemindar and ryots than to diminish the Government demand.

370. On the other hand, the object of resuming the dues of Government, where they may have been wantonly squandered or fraudulently embezzled, must have its full weight, and His Lordship would desire to leave it to the Boards to determine the quarter in which the settlement shall commence.

371. It will, apparently, be desirable that one officer should be employed in making the settlement of the estates surveyed by Lieutenant Grant, while another or others may be similarly engaged elsewhere.

372. It will matter little whether the minute measurements by the Native officers precede or follow the survey; but, on the whole His Lordship in Council is disposed to think that the former course will be best, since, where it may be pursued, the Native officers will act under the dread of a future inquiry, the extent and nature of which they will not be able to anticipate; and in all cases of measurement by Native officers, they should be distinctly warned that their statements will be eventually subjected to the test of a regular survey.

373. While every proper check is maintained, the GovernorGeneral in Council will be fully prepared to receive favourably the recommendations of the Board in favour of those officers who may zealously and efficiently exert themselves to fulfil the wishes of Government. His Lordship in Council has derived much satisfaction from the evidence afforded on other occasions that the Native revenue officers have a lively sense of the distinction of honorary rewards. That feeling it is most important to cherish, and it can never be the wish of Government to practice, in regard to any class of public functionaries, the fallacious economy which would leave to officers invested with extensive trust the alternative of poverty or dishonour.

374. The general observations above recorded, though many of them are stated with immediate reference to the particular cases submitted, will serve generally to apprise the Boards and the Commissioner in Cuttack of the views of Government, as far as they are yet settled.

375. On various matters touched upon in the preceding Resolution, further orders may probably be found necessary, it being obviously impossible to anticipate the various circumstances of individual mehals, and it being the particular desire of the GovernorGeneral in Conncil that all orders passed and observations communicated by Government should be considered open to future

revision, until His Lordship in Council shall have before him the fullest possible exhibition of the facts touching individual estates, with a distinct expression from the Board of their own sentiments and views, as well as those of the several collectors, on every point that Government may be required finally to determine.

376. His Lordship in Council will, therefore, expect the Boards to submit, besides the reports and statements to be submitted to the authorities at home, a complete transcript and translation of the proceedings held by each collector or other executive officer in the settlement of two or more mehals in each pergunnah, with a transcript and translation, likewise, of the preliminary reports furnished by the Native officers.

377. It will likewise be proper that copies of all such proceedings and reports should be carefully made, to be deposited with the record committee, who, in common with the judicial and revenue officers, will, of course, deliberately consider how future changes which they may desire to record can best be brought on the public records.

378. Such matters contained in the papers above recorded as have not been noticed in this minute will form the subject of separate communications to the authorities concerned.

No. II.

EXTRACTS FROM A MEMORANDUM, DATED 19TH OCTOBER, 1826, BY HOLT MACKENZIE, ESQ., SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, EXPLANATORY OF THE SETTLEMENTS EFFECTED UNDER REGULATION VII., 1822, AND OF THE MEASURES NECESSARY TO GIVE BETTER EFFECT TO ITS PROVISIONS.

1. The progress which has been made in the formation of settlements under Regulation VII. of 1822, though but inconsiderable, may yet enable Government to come to a decision upon some points.

2. It is to be regretted, indeed, that specimens have not been received from any of the most experienced officers in the Ceded Provinces, a comparison with which would have been highly useful in examining the results exhibited in the reports that have been received. But, partly from the delay in the publication of the Persian

revision of the Regulation (it reached the Territorial Department in April, 1824; the English copy having been distributed in 1822, in November), and partly from the considerable number of estates for which engagements had to be taken summarily, and which an unlucky order of the Board's had thrown into khas management, the collectors in those provinces seem only to have begun the regular revision in the past year. The consequence is, that the specimens which have been officially received are confined to the districts noted below. To these I may add two sets of Persian proceedings which I have received from Mr. Boulderson, with a private letter, containing several very important remarks.

3. I proceed briefly to notice the chief points that have occurred to me in the examination of the different settlement reports. On several probably Government will not immediately decide, because the Western Board have generally transmitted the papers without any communication of their sentiments, owing probably to the pressure of other business. But still it may be useful to state them in a distinct shape.

4. The most numerous and the most detailed proceedings have been received from Mr. Cavendish: they contain much curious information, strangely thrown together, and present certainly a much fuller view of the condition of things in the part of the country which was the seat of his labours (the Moozuffernuggur Division of Saharunpore), than any other documents on record. His course of service in the Delhi territory appears to have given him great familiarity with agricultural concerns.

4,462
3,874

5. The first village, Burleh, Pergunnah Noornuggur, contains about 4,462 begahs,† of 2,916 yards‡ (7,155 Bengal beegahs, of 1,600 square yards) of which 3,874 are cultivated or prepared for culture, and 18 fallow. It is stated to be possessed by 215§ cultiva

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Saharunpore, Meerut, Allygurh, Etawah, Goruckpore, Azimgurh, Ghazeepore. † The regular pergunnah beegah appears to be 3,600 square yards, the measure being properly 20 guntehs of three yards each; but in practice two guntehs appear to be curtailed (being thrown round the waist of the measurer), so that the jureeb is reduced to 18 guntehs, or 54 yards.

Yard equal 2 ft. 10 in. English.

§ Of these about 140 appear actually to occupy and cultivate the land. The rest are absent or minors.