![Letter and memorandum by George Henry Maxwell Batten, Commissioner of Inland Customs,concerning the abolition of the customs line between Rajputana [Rājasthān] and the Central Indian States. [‎6v] (12/16)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001524.0x00033d/Mss Eur F126_74_0012.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "Letter and memorandum by George Henry Maxwell Batten, Commissioner of Inland Customs,concerning the abolition of the customs line between Rajputana [Rājasthān] and the Central Indian States. [‎6v] (12/16)")
Letter and memorandum by George Henry Maxwell Batten, Commissioner of Inland Customs,concerning the abolition of the customs line between Rajputana [Rājasthān] and the Central Indian States. [6v] (12/16)
The record is made up of 1 file (8 folios). It was created in 30 Sep 1873-09 Jan 1874. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
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( 8 )
llajputana State Railway is continued
from Ajmir to Disa, an impetus will be
given to the manufacture of salt in this
locality. The considerations which led to
the assumption of the Sambhar Lake by
the British Government in view of the
Railway communication with the Lake,
point to the advisability of our adopting
a similar measure for the Pachbhadra salt
works. With a Railway from Disa to Ajmir,
and from Ajmir in one direction to Agra
and Dehli and in another via Nimach to
Indor and Khandwa, the Pachbhadra salt
might prove a formidable rival, from its
excellent quality, to Sambhar salt, when
the two were thus brought into compe
tition.
Mr. Hume ascertained that the
average price of Pachbhadra salt on the
spot was 5 annas per maund, of which
only 3| annas go to the manufacturer
and 1 j anna to the Jodhpur State. The
salt can therefore be manufactured at a
cost of less than 3| annas per maund.
This furnishes another argument for our
keeping down the price of Sambhar salt,
which can only be done by increasing
the quantity manufactured.
To recapitulate,—the measures which
I venture to suggest are :—
1^.—That careful inquiries be made
as to the situation and capa
bilities of the different salt
sources in the Native States
outside our Customs Line,
both those which now produce
salt and those which are not
now worked.
2nd. —That the amount of revenue
derived by the Native States
from their salt works be ascer
tained.
3rd. —That as much information as
possible should be collected
as to the nature, rate, &c., of
About this item
- Content
Letter from George Henry Maxwell Batten, Commissioner of Inland Customs, regarding Lewis Pelly's desire to abolish the customs line between Rajputana [Rājasthān] and the British Territory.
The letter encloses a confidential memo which Batten wrote at Lord Northbrook's request on the feasibility of such a proposal and goes on to detail the only way in which the customs line could be abolished. Batten's proposal is to levy excise duties on salt at their place of production however this subsequently raises the practical difficulties of how to ensure salt is only manufactured for trade at those places the excise duty is being levied.
The enclosed memo, dated 30 September 1873 is titled "Note on the feasibility of abolishing that part of the Inland Customs Line which is on the frontier of Rajputana (including Bhawalpur) and the Native States of Central India".
It outlines details of the customs line including costs, manpower requirements, its purpose and the amount of taxation produced by it and the difficulties that would be encountered in abolishing it. Batten goes on to outline the only way he can see to abolish the line by levying excise duties on salt production and gives considerable detail on the way in which he believes such a proposal could be implemented.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (8 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The file has been foliated in the front top right corner of each folio with a pencil number enclosed in a circle.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Letter and memorandum by George Henry Maxwell Batten, Commissioner of Inland Customs,concerning the abolition of the customs line between Rajputana [Rājasthān] and the Central Indian States. [6v] (12/16), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F126/74, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023252834.0x00000d> [accessed 25 August 2026]
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- Reference
- Mss Eur F126/74
- Title
- Letter and memorandum by George Henry Maxwell Batten, Commissioner of Inland Customs,concerning the abolition of the customs line between Rajputana [Rājasthān] and the Central Indian States.
- Pages
- 1r:8v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence