‘REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR 1882-83.’ [‎16v] (41/498)

[1882-83.
XX
BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT.
aDDear to keep within their income, while a few have accumulated large balances
of water-works asat
markets as in Poona. The most important works earned out
to the markets in Ahmadabad, and this municipality has borrowed ajarg^
for the construction of main roads ; the water-works at 1 an
Dieted, and at Satara they are in progress.
The expedition to Egypt mentioned in the military section C ^ S ®
iture of over 33 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . A small body of troops with two guns
the Bhils in Ali Rajpur, but the rising was quieted without t .
The strength of the army was reduced by the disbandment of one n f ^
and four infantry regiments in accordance with the scheme of red u P _ V
decided upon. The schools in British regiments were not well attended, but 70
per cent, of the men have certificates, and as the older soldiers retire on the
short-service system and take their children with them, the number of children
at school has also decreased. The native troops take kindly to instruction, and
only about 8,500 men are unable to read or write.
The work of the Marine Department in connection with the expedition to
Egypt was performed very creditably, difficulties were overcome by energy and
tact, and the transports were despatched with promptitude. The steamers which
regularly frequent the port of Bombay are being gradually manned by lascars A term used by the British officials to describe non-European sailors employed on East India Company ships. , and
Hindu seamen are now found ready to ship to England as. well as Muhammadans,
who had hitherto a monopoly in this employment. In all, 4,842 European and
39,111 native seamen were shipped and discharged through the Shipping Office,
which has worked at a profit of Bs. 24,500. The Shipping Office also voluntarily
receives and takes charge of deposits made by or on behalf of seamen, and is thus
a great help to sailors who might otherwise squander their money.
The rains fell early, and although the heavy and continued fall caused
destructive floods in certain parts of Dharwar and Kanara, in Khandesh, Nasik
and Broach, the season on the whole was favourable, particularly for crops which
require a large and seasonable quantity of moisture, such as rice and cotton.
Another misfortune was the plague of locusts, which first appeared in Khandesh
during the rains and gradually spread over Nasik, the Deccan and Konkan, doing
the greatest damage in the northern parts of Nasik, where the effects of floods
and locusts combined made it necessary for Government to open a relief work.
The later rains, however, were seasonable, and the sufferers who had come on the
work rapidly dispersed to their homes. The devastation committed by locusts
was not so marked as it became subsequently after the close of the year when
special measures had to be taken for the destruction of these pests. The floods in
Sind were never known to be so high, and the canal banks being over-topped and
breached, the effect was disastrous in parts of Karachi and Shikarpur ; but the ad
mirable protective embankments at Kashmor and Begari have enabled Upper Sind
and the district of Thar and Parkar to resist the floods and to reap bountiful
harvests. The damages caused by floods and locusts were confined to compara
tively small areas; and the good harvests, which appear to have been general,
compensated for the local losses, and sufficed to maintain prices at very much the
same level as in the past year. The rate of money wages also has not changed,
except perhaps very slightly, even in those parts of Dharwar, Kaladgi and Sholapur
where the railways are in progress. The demand for labour has been promptly
met by a large influx of labourers from other districts, which has kept the rate
from rising. In Karachi, however, the demand for labour is great, and the wages
are very high,—ordinary labour being paid at Re. 1 to Rs. 1£ per day, and carts
at Rs. 6 and Rs. 7 a day.
As already remarked, the wet season proved of great service to the rice crop
which was very productive, but the feature of the year has been the great dis-

‘REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR 1882-83.’ [‎16v] (41/498)

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‘REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR 1882-83.’ [‎16v] (41/498)

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