land duties did not amount to 375 per cent., according (as it is faid) to a statement of the Committee of Circuit; and he truly obferves, that it would be of infinite benefit to abolish inland duties equitably to the renter, but it does not follow that the national objects which Mr. Grant connects with this fupply of timber fhould become private or public monopoly: their combined remarks prove that Government cannot longer avoid a direct and minute attention to the circumftances of the country and of its inhabitants *.

Under different circumftances of Government, in Bengal, in the Circars, and in the Carnatic, different arts of management and fubferviency have opened to Mahomedan and Hindoo officers a participation in the rents of the country, but the Reyuts, or Pottah holders, on all fides appear configned to oppreffion. In the Carnatic every religious and focial counteraction of the natives having proved inadequate to afford the Reyut protection, no matter whether

* Memoir on Watering the Circars, p. 30.

from British neglect, ignorance, or avarice, or from Zemindary extortion and oppreffion. Mooda Kiftna informs us, "that in many villages of the Carnatic the inhabitants have made agreements of reftriction between themselves to fave the wreck of their property, and not fell their lands to any, even in time of their extremity, but to cultivate fuch part of their respective share as their ability may afford, and to let the remaining part ftand ftill, and be ufed by the Reyuts and other inhabitants, until the owner of that share can find means to cultivate it. The villages under the above restriction are called Pashungare, by which is understood, that no lands of inheritance can be fold there by an individual inheritor; whereas inot her villages, which are called Ardeycara, fhares of land may be fold and bought according to the ufual courfe*."

From Mr. Dalrymple I first learnt that the Jageer territory had been accurately furveyed by Mr. Barnard; and the perusal

*Postscript to Mr. Dalrymple's Account, 1785, p. 7.

of one page, in which he states the minute accuracy of the furvey*, and of a table to arrange the detail of the information con

ted with the furvey, which, if they had

me to England, would be a sufficient anfwer to the financial theorifts for Bengal, who reckon accurate measurement and equal affeffment impracticable. I shall therefore only add one farther obfervation of praise, which is ever due to Mr. Dalrymple's punctilious adherence to correct information. Having obferved the Gentoos work together, and submit their accounts to the village accomptant, &c. he had concluded the community jointly cultivated and shared the produce, which opinion Mr. Dalrymple published in 1783+: he received other information in 1785, which he immediately published t. Moodo Kiftna, the Company's Dubash at Madras, wrote, "that every Reyut cultivated his distinct fhare of land, and received the due fhare of the produce;" and, he adds, " Mr. Bar

• Postscript to Mr. Dalrymple's Account, p. 6. + A fhort Account of the Gentoo Mode of Collecting Revenues on the Coast of Coromandel, 1783.

+ Postscript to Mr. Dalrymple's Account, &c. 1785.

nard's account of the survey must certainly give a full explanation of all the particulars regarding the nature of the inheritance, &c. in the country, which may found in the Company's office." collect the produce in kind is the best mode that can be thought of, but it must be attended with fome pains and trouble; it requires patience on the part of Government to convert or to receive them all in money, whereas, if the country is let to Renters, an immediate payment in cash may be expected from them; but this will of course produce an oppreffive management of the Renters over the Reyuts, who will thereby be impoverished in the highest degree; in the prefent* fituation of the Company's affairs, they can neither have patience to wait to receive the produce in its kind, or to be converted afterwards into money; nor can they place confidence in thofe managers who may be employed in the room of the renters to do fo; fo

* August 10, 1784, is the date of Moodo Kifina's letter from Madras.

that the country muft fubmit to the present inconveniences."

Such also must be the fituation of British India, until a general fyftem fhall be defined by a fixed code; property ascertained by actual measurement and registry; and contribution of a fixed proportion of actual produce, afcertained by annual valuation, or by the average medium of feveral years valuation on a ten years fettlement: then both Government and fubjects, by bare infpection of the records, may fee and diftinguish the rights of individuals and of

the ftate.

CHAP. XII.

On the political Neceffity of a Plan for British

India.

IT had been often faid, when fhall we affix bounds to the conquests in India? If we had exceeded the geographical limits of