'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR 1902-1903' [‎11r] (15/106)

1902-1903.]
SUMMARY.
ix
42. The area under forest conservancy increased in the Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. proper Forests,
but decreased in Sind, the net result being an increase of about 1 } 000 acres. The
gain by erosion from the action of the river in Sind during the year more than
counterbalanced the previous year’s loss. Working plans were introduced in
Thana and the Jerruck Division of Sind and also in the Ahmednagar babul
reserves and Poona teak forests, while fuel areas were organized in Kanara and
Belgaum. The area traversed by fire was generally less in the Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent.
proper than in the preceding year, but rose in Sind from 1,298 to 9,558 acres,
incendiarism being strongly suspected in many cases. Except in Surat and at
the central nursery at Manjri, artificial reproduction met with little success,
the effects of the previous year’s drought being still visible. The free-grazing
concession in the Central Circle was withdrawn during the year, but free grants
of timber continued to he made in each of the four Circles. The number of
cattle impounded fell considerably, except in the Northern Circle, while there
was a large increase in the cases of illicit grazing in Sind owing chiefly to more
stringent measures being taken against cattle trespass. The financial results of
the year showed a slight falling off as compared with the previous year, the net
surplus decreasing in all Circles.
43. With the disappearance of famine there was a marked improvement in Manufactures
^ cLiicI, Industries
the various manufactures and industries of the Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. . This was specially
noticeable in the cotton spinning and weaving industries, while the ginning
factories were more fully employed than in the preceding year. Hand-weaving,
however, only slightly improved, the condition of the weavers in Bijapur being
still deplorable.
44. The total value of the sea-borne trade of the Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. showed an
advance of more than one crore Equivalent to ten million, or one hundred lakhs. Used especially in connection with money (rupees). of rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. upon the previous year’s figures, in
spite of a decrease of 240 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees in the value of the coasting trade. This decrease,
taken in conjunction with a similar heavy decline in the previous year, brought
the figures under this head near the level of average years and indicated the dis
appearance of the adverse seasonal conditions, which are invariably accompanied
by increased movements of grain along the coast. The figures for foreign trade
on the other hand were the largest for the past ten years. The imports of grain
and pulse showed a further reduction of 13 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , but increases in the imports
of metals'and machinery, oil and some manufactured articles pointed to an en
larged activity of local industries. The chief decrease under the head of imports
was in yarn and textile fabrics, for which the unusually heavy shipments of the
previous year were partly responsible. The phenomenal increase of the preceding
year in exports of Indian produce was followed by a further advance of 79 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees ,
mainly due to increased exports of seeds, grain and pulse. The increase
under the latter head brought the exports of grain and pulse to within 10 per
cent, of the average for the decade (excluding the abnormal year 1898-99).
On the other hand there was a considerable drop from the previous year’s abnoemal
figures in raw cotton and cotton twist and yarn, against which however may be
set off an increase in the consumption of cotton by local mills and an expansion
in their production. One-third of the total exports of Indian merchandise was
consigned to China. The steady fall in the export trade of foreign merchandise
to the East Coast of Africa and to Western Asia—due to the establishment of
direct communication with Europe—continued. There was an increase both in
the imports and exports of gold and in the imports of silver generally, but a
small decrease in the exports of coined silver and in the imports of silver for
mint purposes.
Exclusive of Government stores and treasure, the value of the trade of the Karachi,
port of Karachi declined by 17 per cent, from the abnormal figures of 1901-1902,
b 884—3 s