‘REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1919-20’ [‎231r] (9/192)

ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF BOMBAY, 1919-20.
PART I.
GENERAL SUMMARY.
1. War and Peace. — {a) The dominant event recorded last year was the
signing of the Armistice. The outstanding event of the year 1919-20 was the
signing of the definitive Treaty of Peace at Versailles. The acceptance of the
terms of peace by Germany and the publication of their full context brought
home to the people, as had never been done before, the magnitude of defeat
sustained by her. Meetings were held at the headquarters of Government, at
which His Excellency presided, and at the headquarters of all districts’ at
which the terms of peace were read out and in other ways the greatest possible
publicity was given to them. The event was celebrated throughout the British
Empire on the 19th July in various ways. Similarly peace celebrations were
observed in India on an extensive scale on the 13th, 14fch and 16th December
which were declared to be public holidays. The celebrations were organized on
a large scale and proved a distinct success, the various forms adopted
on the occasion of the signing of the armistice being repeated by all classes
of the people.
(b) The Indian Chiefs who had co-operated whole-heartedly with the
British Government in the great struggle celebrated the conclusion of peace
with equal enthusiasm.
(c) The outbreak of war with Afghanistan caused little or no excitement.
All shades of opinion united in condemning the Amir’s action. Mahomedans
in particular regretted that tbe last independent Mahomedan State had thereby
been placed in jeopardy. Offers were received of personal service and assist
ance from all Indian States 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. , His Highness the Maharaja of
Bhaynagar placing his Imperial Service Lancers and His Highness the Mir of
Khairpur his Camel Corps at the disposal of the Government of India. Both
offers were gratefully accepted and the contingents received the warm
appreciation of His Excellency the Viceroy and His Excellency the Governor
of Bombay for the excellent services they rendered. When the terms of peace
were announced, it was universally felt that Afghanistan had been treated very
magnanimously and Mahomedan circles were greatly relieved and gratified.
2. General conditions. —(a) The monsoon commenced favourably
everywhere 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, but the long break in the middle of the
season was trying in the eastern parts of the Deccan and Karnatak. Later
rams relieved the situation somewhat but they were excessive in places and
more or less damaged the standing kharif crops as well as those lying in the
fields, particularly in Gujarat and East Deccan. Rabi crops were generally
benefited by these late rains, but cloudy weather, rain and cold and frost in
subsequent months reduced their outturn in parts of Gujarat, Deccan and
harnatak. The full normal yield or somewhat above it was secured for kharif
crops in the Konkan and parts of Gujarat, Khandesh and West Deccan generally,
but elsewhere it was about 10 to 25 per cent, or more under it. Babi crops
were about normal in Khandesh but 10 to 25 per cent, below it elsewhere. In
bind the yield of both kharif and rabi varied from one-half to three-fourths of
the normal. Compared with the figures of 1917-18 (the latest year approaching
normal conditions, 1918-19 being an abnormal famine year), the area under
mod-grain crops in Gujarat, Deccan and Konkan showed an aggregate deficit
ot 400 thousand acres which was more than covered by their extended cultiva
tion in the Karnatak (600 thousand acres), giving a net increase of 1*25 per
cent. The reported outturn however was higher in every case except a small
cncit in the Deccan and the net gain amounted to 10*7 per cent, over the yield
returned in 1917-18. Sind shows a deficit of 5*4 per cent, in area but an increase
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