Diaries of the Joint Commissioner at Ladakh [‎131v] (16/22)

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The experiment has proved the facility with which down-country mules
may be brought in to assist the Ladak trade; but, in practice, the Government
advance has been perverted to the purposes of private speculation.
Mr. Drew and I have been completing our arrangements for ' upplies on
the Chang-Chenmo route. We have agreed to maintain the following estab
lishment, viz.,
1 Punjabee Jemadar at ID. 3 per mensem (in addition to regular pay from His
Highness the Maharaja.
1 Tibetan writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping.
1 Coolie A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory.
4 Care-takers of serais
4 Assistant ditto
@ Rs.
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5 per mensem.
S
4
3
The jemadar, writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. , and coolie A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory. are to go to Gogra (the furthest supply
depot). The jemadar will remain in charge there, and the writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. will be ready
to proceed with caravans downwards, if necessary, and supply them with pro-
visions from the other depbts.
One care-taker on Es. 4, and an assistant on Es. 3, will be stationed at
each of the four intermediate serais. They wall take charge of the sealed pro-
visions, but without authority to open them, and will also act as dak System of postal communication used in Moghul India and later by the East India Company. -runners
and keep the communication open with the furthest station, Gogra.
We have also agreed to make up the provisions already sent out to the
following amounts, viz.,
At Gogra
At 4 other depots
Barley 120 P. maund
30
Plour 12 maunds.
4 ,,
This will be about sufficient to maintain for four days at Gogra and for one
day at each of the other places, which are about a march apart, a number of
horses and men equal to that which came down last year by this route, viz., 680
horses and 125 men. Our postal arrangement will enable us to hear speedily
of the arrival of the caravans, and to provide for the replacement of provisions
consumed.
With regard to money arrangements, the Joint Commissioner’s account in
the Leh Treasury is to be debited with the cost of the provisions at Tankse,
the last village. The Joint Commissioners will themselves pay for the carriage
of the same from Tankse to the several serais (drawing against the sums placed
to their credit yearly for maintenance of road and serais). The selling price
will be so fixed as to cover as exactly as possible the prime cost and carriage
of the provisions. Thus it is hoped that there will be no absolute loss on this
item, and the payments on that account wdll be mere advances which wall be
recouped at a future time (on sale of the provisions), and will be available for
other expenditure on road and serai account.
The men have been appointed and wall start at once. The provisions
required to make up the aforesaid amounts are being also despatched, but, in
the matter of flour, there is at present more of it in store at Gogra than is
contemplated in the above calculation.
Leh,
The 20th August 1871
E. B. SHAW,
Joint Commissioner,
on special duty, Ladak.