Rebellion of Mohammad Yaqub Khan [‎175v] (40/174)

82
INTERNAL ADMINISTRATION.
1 1869.
* Diary ending l7tli May.
f Diary ending 20tli May.
309 He forbade the troops and inhabitants to wear* arms in the city an i
to leavef their homes between 10 p. ^
d A. M. By the Ameer’s orders' th
Kotwal made arrangements for appointing chowkeedars (watchmen) and
mohulladars (headmen of wards), one of whose duties it would be to report the
arrival and departure of strangers from the ci y.
393 The task, of hearing petitions from inhabitants of Cabul w as
committed to Mahomed Hoossein * th
* Diary ending 20th May. frOVOmor.
394. Postal communication was on the 7th June established between
Jellalabad and Herat. The posts were to be seven to apart, and at each three
sowars were to be stationed.
In March of the following year the
* Diary ending 21st March. Ameer resolved*
“to establish, a dak System of postal communication used in Moghul India and later by the East India Company. between Cabul and Peshawur^ and to receive one ‘Abased
(3 annas 6 pie) from the traders of Peshawar
*N,B. There is no coin of this name, one-third of and Cabul for each letter as postage, aud to run
a Cabul rupee in copper pieces is so called. twice a week."”
The following entries in the diaries of 28th and 31st March, 25tk April
and 5th December, shewed how this scheme was carried out:
“ Mirza Mahomed Hussun Khan,* Meer Moonshee and Superintendent of Daks, having
w . appointed postal chowkees throughout the road
Diaiy en mg t arc . from Cabul to Peshawur, has entertained some dak System of postal communication used in Moghul India and later by the East India Company. -
runners, and has sent them to the above posts. Hajee Ikhlas Khan having been appointed
a Dak System of postal communication used in Moghul India and later by the East India Company. Moonshee, is deputed to Peshawur. A postage of three f Sbailees' (d (? 3) annas
3 pie) has been proposed for each letter from Cabul to Peshawur, and vice versa. Twenty-one
cdiowkees have been fixed for the whole road at a distance of four or six hos each, and two
dak System of postal communication used in Moghul India and later by the East India Company. -runners are appointed in each chowkee. In waste and uninhabited localities ten f Khasa-
dars' have been detached for each locality in order to guard the dak System of postal communication used in Moghul India and later by the East India Company. -runners and to prevent
delay or loss of dak System of postal communication used in Moghul India and later by the East India Company. .
“ The* Cabul authorities have fixed Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday for the despatch of
* tv . a- 014 . m . i Ibe dak System of postal communication used in Moghul India and later by the East India Company. , that is, thrice a week, and have publicly
directed that, if any person sends his letters by
any means other than this dak System of postal communication used in Moghul India and later by the East India Company. , he will be fined Rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. 50. The merchants in Cabul consider
this order wholly detrimental to them, as heretofore they have been accustomed to forward
their important letters by hand of their messengers as soon as they were received from Bokhara,
The* Cabul authorities have issued an
* Diary ending 25tli April.
order for the preparation of a die for postage stamps
of two descriptions, i. e., half ‘ shaliee' and one
e shahee’ (one ‘ shahee' = one anna one pie).
1 One “ miskal” — 4 mnshas 4-|- ruttees = therefore -553
of a tola (for 8 ruttees = 1 masha, and 12 mashas
= 1 tola) —'227 of an ounce avoirdupois. In the
diary of 28th March 1871 a miskal is said to he
= 4 mashas 3| ruttees.
“Letters weighing half a f miskaff will bear
postage stamps of half a c shahee' each, and
those weighing one f miskaP of one 'shahee
each. It is hoped that this project will soon be
started.
“ Many* traders of Cabul have in concert petitioned the Ameer to the effect that, not-
•Diary ending 5th December. withstanding that they pay postage beforetai,
their letters do not reach the addressees owing to
the negligence of the postal officials, and if any letters do reach them (addressees), they reach
very late, and, consequently, they sustain a great loss, the object of the letter being lost by the
delay.
“The traders further stated that His Highness was at liberty to fine them, but they
should be permitted to send their letters by hand of their own messengers, as was fornim y
done.^ The Ameer was much displeased with Mirza Mahomed Hussun Khan, Superintenden
of Daks, and directed that the postage of the missing letters should be recovered from hint
and that he should be careful in future." 395
395. He set himself to substitute cash salaries for the practice of pdJ in J
employes by rent-free holdings and assignments of the revenue, a change vhkj
caused so much discontent that many people were, on the 6th September, sai
to he intending to quit Cabnl for British territory in disgust.