Letter from Colonel Sir Lewis Pelly, Baroda to His Lordship Lord Northbrook, Viceroy of India [‎2v] (4/10)

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appears further that, simultaneously with this great rise in prices, a ten years'
land revenue settlement was made; while the purse of the State was carelessly
opened to satisfy or increase miscellaneous stipends and other demands, which,
under a normal condition of affairs, would have been refused: no' balance
sheet was prepared in those days.
Presently, the price of cotton suddenly fell ; but the land settlement and
the outlays continued in force. Thus, on the one hand, the cultivators became
gradually unable to meet the Government demand on their land, and, year
by year, fell into arrears of payment. I understand that, down to the close of
the past revenue year, the arrears of land revenue in these territories aggre
gated from seventy to eighty lacs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees ; while the cultivators, w r ho for many years
had been striving to pay au assessment larger than prices could sustain, became,
in some parts, impoverished, and this in spite of the natural richness of the
soil. On the other hand, the Sirdars Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. and other non-industrials, finding their
allowances clipped or resumed, became discontented.
However, and notwithstanding the decrease in revenue, neither His
Highness nor the Minister considers the financial situation hopeless, or even
gravely embarrassing, provided, as they add, the country be not distracted by
causes which, during the past year, have agitated the public mind and
impaired the lluler's authority. The Minister says he expects that, after the
proposed reductions are made, " income will balance outlay within three or four
" years from this date." It is rumoured that the State jewels are worth three
crores nearly, and that His Highness has some seventy or eighty lacs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees in his
private purse; and it is added that, so soon as he feared for his guddee, he sent
these private funds to Bombay, so that they should not be attached, unless
under order of the High Court.
To return to the revenue: A day or two after my arrival here, I found the
Eesidency compound invaded by a body of Patells and their attornies. I spoke
once or twice with them, and finally requested the Minister and the Head of
the Revenue Department to meet the complainants at the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. . This was
done, and everything the farmers had to urge was patiently listened to. The
result was that, in conformity with the petitions of the agriculturalists, the