'ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1908-1909' [‎81v] (24/132)

xviii
BOMBAY ADMINXSTBATION B.EPOET. C1908. 18o8i
in Cotton Piece-goods. All the other principal groups of imports advanced,
Sugar, which improved on the previous year’s record by 72 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , shows a rise 0 f
101 per cent, in the quinquennium. The expansion is attributable partly t 0
increased consumption and partly to the contraction in sugarcane cultivation ia
the Punjab. Metals and Railway Materials improved by 10 and 119 pe r cent
respectively. There was a further rise of 32 per cent, m imports of Kerosi^
Oil. Coal from the United Kingdom showed a reduction of 42 per cent., which
was more than counterbalanced by imports from New South Wales and Natal,
The land trade with Afghanistan, Baluchistan and Persia resulted in a small
decrease which was confined to imports.
With an improvement of 27§ per cent, over the figures of the pi 0 „
ceding year the trade of Aden readied the highest total of the fiuinquenniuin,
The contrast was accentuated by abnormally large transactions in silver^ which
was exported in great quantities, especially to the Benadir Coast, as a result of
the fall in silver value and of the good harvests in Arabia and Abyssinia,
Apart from Treasure, however, the foreign trade showed an expansion of
8 | per cent, in spite of the fact that direct shipments from Europe and America
to African, Arabian and Red Sea Ports have affected the position of Aden as a
centre of distribution. Indian trade in merchandise maintained its downward
tendency, but the decline was confined to imports. Indian cereals are now
shipped directly to Berbera, Mossawah, Hodaidah and Maculla, and Aden is
losing grasp of this trade. The inland trade between Aden and the mainland
of Arabia once more retrogressed and by a decline of 4| per cent, lost much
of the ground which had been recovered during the previous year.
38. Chapter IV contains a detailed account of the works in progress or
completed during the year. The total expenditure incurred by the Roads and
Buildings Branch of the Public Works Department showed a decrease of
18J lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees and amounted to 86 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . Under the Imperial head Civil Buildings
accounted for nearly 8 J lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . The principal scheme undertaken was that for the
location of the Coast Guard Pleet at Sivri. The construction of the New General
Post uffice, Bombay, and of the Consulate Buildings at Bunder Abbas made a
good advance during the year, the latter being practically completed. Under
the Provincial head Civil Buildings and Communications together absorbed an
expenditure of 57^ lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , about 4 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees less than the figure of the preceding
year. Among buildings those classed as medical claimed the largest outlay of
8 ^ lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . For Educational Colleges and Schools lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees were required, while
64 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees were devoted to Dand Revenue Buildings. The expenditure upon
Police Buildings was nearly 6 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , and 4^ lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees in all were spent under the heads
Law and Justice and Jails. Communications accounted for a total of 23 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees .
Of this sum lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees were spent on original works and 14J lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees on repairs to
existing roads, the latter amount being less by 3 i lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees than the previous year’s
figure. During the year no Famine Relief Works were carried on under tbe
Department.
£>y. A detailed account of the operations and revenue of the Irrigation
Department will be found in Chapters IV and V. The expenditure upon
irrigation works amounted to 65A lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees or 6i Mkhs more than in the previous
year Of this outlay 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 absorbed 30 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees and Sind 35J lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees .
Works, repairs and establishment respectively accounted for 23, 24f and
x 3 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees .. The whole expenditure was distributed among the different classes
of works m the proportion of 18| lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees for Protective Works, 13 * Mkhs for
roduetive Works, 18 Mkhs for Minor Works and Navigation and 15 Mkhs
or Agricultural Works. There was no famine relief outlay upon Irrigation
VV ° rks ‘ ihe aet revenue der ^ed from all classes of works was 48 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees .