'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR 1903-1904' [‎64r] (15/112)

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1903-1904.]
SUMMARY.
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40. The arrival of the monsoon was unusually delayed and the scanty Meteorology,
rainfall in Gujarat in June and the first half of July seemed to threaten a
recrudescence of famine—a fear which was however dispelled by good rain all
over 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. in the latter part of July. The final result of the monsoon
was that the rainfall was slightly below the normal in Gujarat and the Western
Deccan and somewhat in excess in other parts 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. . A sharp
cyclonic storm did considerable damage in Bombay and the neighbourhood
on the 20th May and the three succeeding days.
41. The marked decline in the price of food-grains did not produce any Prices and
general fall in the rates of wages. The demand for labour, both skilled and. Wa g es -
unskilled, was constant, and in some parts the supply of unskilled labour was,
owing to the depopulation caused by plague, at times deficient.
42. During the year under report there was an increase in the area under Forests,
the Porest Department in all Circles 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. and in the Sind Circle.
In the case of the latter Circle, the increase due to additional reservations was
to some extent counterbalanced by the loss of over 5,000 acres through the action
of the river. The protective work of the Department was less successful than
in the previous year in all Circles, except in the Sind Circle, where the area
traversed by fire fell considerably. Considerable progress was made in all
Circles with the work of boundary demarcation. Natural reproduction benefited
by the good rainfall 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. and by the favourable inundation in
Sind. The forest revenue showed an improvement of more than Bs. 3 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees ,
while the expenditure also increased by about one lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees .
43. In response to the good season the condition of manufactures and Manufactures and
industries of all kinds showed an improvement. This wms especially the case Indusfcries -
with the cotton ginning, spinning and weaving mills, which in some parts
were unable to deal with all the material brought to them. The outturn of
these mills increased greatly to meet a larger demand for goods both for local
consumption and for export. The match factory An East India Company trading post. at Ahmedabad and the rum
distillery at Poona are by their very existence an indication that capital is
seeking new outlets in the direction of commercial enterprise. A considerable
improvement was noticed in the condition of the weavers of Bijapur : and all
artisan classes benefited by the improved demand for their wares, as well as
by the cheapness of food. An entirely new field of commercial enterprise was
opened up with the inauguration of the gold mines in the Dharwar District.
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41. A return of prosperity is reflected in the trade returnsv)f the year. Trade:
Both at Bombay and at Karachi the figures are the highest yet recorded,
and while this fact is to some extent due to the increase in value of the
merchandise dealt with, there can he no doubt that there was also a consider
able increase in the volume of trade. Practically all branches of trade share
in the increase. Even the coasting 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. proper, the figures of
which were swelled in recent years by movements of grain along the coast to meet
deficiencies in local supplies, in spite of the disappearance of the raison d’etrj
of this kind of trade, shows an increase of 3 per cent, in value. Another healthy
symptom is that while imports and exports both show increases, by far the
hugest increase is in exports of Indian merchandise, the heavy exports of bajri,
jowari and wheat showing that the country has resumed its proper position as
the Egypt of the East. The chief feature of the year is the marked increase in
wheat and cotton exports in response to the European demand.
To touch briefly on the trade of the three principal ports, the private Bombay,
foreign 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. proper reached the record figure of
inore than 100 crores of rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. in value. The most noticeable features m
b 910—3s
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