‘REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1887-88’ [‎60v] (125/531)

BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT.
[1887-88
Chap. I-
POLITICAL.
Tributary States.
Khairpur and
Aden.
Military and Marine.
Revenue and
Expenditure.
Public Works and
Irrigation.
Vital Statistics and
Medical Relief.
Education.
Political Relations.
Police.
Criminal Justice.
Prisons.
Civil Justice.
Registration.
48
year as against 44 in the previous year, and all were disposed of. 1 here were 5 appeals to
His Highness the Mir against 8 in the previous year, and all were disposed of.
The Military and Marine charges amounted to Rs. 1,87,506, including the balance of
Rs. 7,741 unpaid at the close of the year 1886-87. Of this Rs. 1,69,838 were paid during
the year, leaving a balance of Rs. 17,673 to he defrayed from the next year’s revenue.
As before, the revenue and expenditure were said to have been exactly equal. The
receipts for the year were Rs. 6,94,168 against Rs. 7,13,708 in the previous year, and the
expenditure was also Rs. 6,94,168 against Rs. 7,lo,/08. the debts of the State are said not
to exceed 4 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. . The expenditure exceeds the. revenue annually, and little
reliance can be placed on the figures given. ..The revenue is capable of being doubled or
even trebled, but no change is possible during the lifetime of the present ruler.
Ho new public works were constructed during the year. Ordinary annual repairs of
public works were executed at an outlay of Rs. 447. Ordinary clearance of canals and
repairs to bunds were effected at a cost of Rs. 25,676. The Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. had some diffi
culty in ensuring the clearance of the main canal.
There were 5 native physicians in the State, one of whom resided at Khairpur and
4 were in constant attendance on His Highness. The annual expenditure on this account
was Rs. 7,863 against Rs. 7,815 in the previous year. 3 vaccinators were employed in
the State during the year under the supervision of the Deputy Sanitary Commissioner,
Sind District, there were 2,915 primary vaccinations, of which 2,875 were successful.
There were 24 re-vaccinations, of which 21 were successful.
There were 7 schools with a total of 170 scholars on the rolls against 167 in the
previous year. The total cost of education was the same as in the previous year, viz.,
Rs. 2,560. Education in the State was in a very backward state.
ADEN.
Area, *70 square miles ; Population (1881), 34,860; Gross Revenue, Rs. 1,74,534 (Rs. 42,287 Imperial).
Nothing occurred during the year under review to disturb the friendly feelings subsisting
between 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. and the tribes in the vicinity of Aden. The relations between some
of the tribes were, however, somewhat .strained, and in one or two cases hostilities occurred
until the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. intervened and restored peace. The Subaihi tribe committed
several acts of plunder on the roads. The Kotaibis again assumed an attitude of independ-
ance towards the Amir of Zhali, and the efforts of the Resident to induce them to return
to their allegiance to the Amir were ineffectual. Some of the Chiefs enhanced the transit
dues on the kafila A train of travellers; a caravan; or any large party of travellers. (caravan) routes. There was one death among Chiefs, that of Sultan
Abdalla bin Awadth of the Upper Aulaki, who was succeeded by his son Nasir.
The Aden police force is de^lt with in Chapter III.
Exclusive of the cantonment, there were 536 criminal offences involving 851 persons
against 696 cases involving 1,054 offenders in the previous year. There was thus a marked
decrease in crime, principally ’ in offences against the human body and property under the
Indian Penal Code, and in offences against other laws. Of the 851 persons tried, 707 were
convicted and 144 acquitted or discharged. Thus the percentage of convictions was 83
against 86 in the previous year. There were 4 appeals to the Court of the Resident, in all
of which the decisions of the lower Courts were upheld. The Resident held 5 enquiries
under Act V of 1883. The masters were absolved from blame in 3 cases; -in one case the
certificate of the master was suspended for two years; and in the remaining case the
master’s certificate was not dealt with, and the vessel was towed oft* and removed to Perim
for repairs. The Cantonment Magistrate disposed of 126 cases and 210 offenders, against
253 cases, and 529 offenders in the previous year, the decrease being due to the fact that
many nuisance cases under Act III of 1867 were during the six months for which the same
officer acted as Assistant Resident and Cantonment Magistrate tried by him in the former
capacity. In Perim there was again a satisfactory decrease of crime : 12 cases involving 17
offenders were tried during the year, against 18 cases involving 23 offenders in the previous
year.
During the year, the total number of prisoners confined in the Aden Jail was 252 against
319 in the previous year, and the daily average number of prisoners 60 against 64. The
total cost of the jail amounted to Rs. 10,083 against Rs. 10,784, showing a decrease of
Rs. 701. The factory An East India Company trading post. and printing receipts amounted to Rs. 3,118. There were no casual
ties or escapes.
1,488 suits of the aggregate value of Rs. 75,241 were filed against 1,326 suits of the
value of Rs. 73,6/3 in the previous year. It is satisfactory to note that only 9 suits
remained to be disposed of at the close of the year, only 4 appeals were preferred, in 3 of
winch the decisions of the lower Courts were confirmed and in one reversed. During the
year the Court receipts amounted to Rs. 11,061 and the expenditure to Rs. 10 , 624 , showing a
surplus of Rs. 437.
129 documents were registered against 136 in the previous year. The value of property
affected by the documents amounted to Rs. 1,56,822 against Rs. 3,58,085.
Exclusive of Perim, the area of which is 5 square miles*