the nature of most of these countries, of which on account of their connection with us, the liability to lapse to the Paramount Power, and likelihood of becoming the scenes of Military movements, we require to have a good general survey. For topographical work, in filling in triangulation with the Plane Table, one man ought to be able to survey 16 square miles per diem, viz., 4 miles by 4 miles -on the inch or 4 miles to 1 inch-scale, or per season of 6 months' duration about 2,500 square miles. For the inch or 2 miles 1 inch scale, only 4 square miles per diem can be executed, or about 600 square miles per season, and so on inversely as the squares of the scales.

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Of the area abovementioned, the countries lately lapsed to the British, and which may now be seen within the red color on the published maps, have been included. The Jullundhur Dooab with the Kohistan, is about 16,400 square miles, and the Protected Seikh and Hill States 15,187 square miles, the Punjaub proper may be said to be 78,000 square miles more, and these provinces are now gradually coming under the Revenue operations. Indeed 20,000 square miles of the Cis and TransSutledge States have actually been completed. The province of the king of Oude may likewise lapse some of these days— its area is 23,738 square miles. The Gwalior territory comprises 33,119 square miles, and the Saugor and Nerbudda 33,775 square miles.

As a sample of the progress now made by the combined efforts of the Officers employed on this Average Cost. side of India, and the cost at which the work is performed, the following analysis of the general average rates per square mile, with the total area completed, is given for the North-Western Provinces from the year 1833, and for Bengal from the year 1838, the first commencement of operations down to the present time. The average for the NorthWestern Provinces in the 12 seasons' work, amounts to Rs. 16-8-8 per square mile, and for Bengal it is in a similar

period Rs. 20-14-10 per square mile, whilst the general average on the whole area executed, is only Rs. 18-6-8 per square mile. In the two seasons of 1847-48 and 1848-49, upwards of 16,000 square miles of country appear to have been surveyed by the united exertions of eight different parties in the two provinces.

It appears, that as the surveys advance, it tends to diminish the cost per mile in each succeeding year, caused by the facility acquired by the well trained establishments, and the very efficient mode of working them exercised by the Superintending Officers. The expense of a Revenue Survey, however, is much influenced by local peculiarities, and even allowing for the difference amongst Surveyors, some being more skilful, active, and capable than others under precisely the same circumstances of doing more work, it often happens that the utmost endeavours of the most energetic Officers will not produce so low a mileage cost, as others who have more favored ground to go over. In the circuit system work of the Revenue Surveys, the size of the villages is the grand secret, if

the average size is large, above a square mile, as in the NorthWestern Provinces, a good outturn may be expected, and consequently a reduced cost, but in Bengal where the villages do not average above half a square mile, it is impossible to compete with the extraordinary cheapness, which some of the old Surveyors attained, neither indeed is such a thing desirable with reference to the accuracy demanded in the present day. If 3,000 square miles and upwards is given in by a single Surveyor, the results must partake of that haste with which the country is got over and eventually prove of an inferior order.

A survey establishment is always proportionally more expensive, the less complete it is; the chief expense being the salary of the Surveyor and the European Assistants. It should therefore be kept up in as effective a state as possible with a view of turning it to the best account, and by a proper division of labor, as economical a survey may be obtained as local circumstances will permit. At the average rate of progress already made in the Bengal Provinces, it may fairly be anticipated, that what remains to be done will not occupy a longer period than ten years more, when in addition to a good Topographical Survey we shall have a complete and detail record of every estate paying revenue to Government, and at the present average rates the cost may be calculated at about 11 lacs of Rupees, which added to 15 lacs already expended, will make 27 lacs as the entire expense for Bengal, Behar, and Orissa.

Part IV.

ON THE KHUSRAH,

OR NATIVE FIELD MEASUREMENT.

Preliminary Remarks.

CHAPTER I.

THE chief object of the Revenue Survey in India, is either the formation of a new settlement with the Zemindars and other petty landowners and tenants, or, where the provinces are perpetually settled under Lord Cornwallis' Act of 1790 as in Bengal and Behar, the definement of every estate on the Collector's Rent Roll, and to determine the relation of land to jumma, by the ascertainment of the areas and boundaries of estates and mehals.

In very many instances, these estates are so small or so scattered and intermixed, that the Professional or Scientific Survey is unable, on account of the enormous expenditure it would involve, to define such minute parcels of land. For the general purposes also of the current revenue business of the district, a record in the vernacular language is essential, and without which the people would be kept in ignorance of the result of the investigations pursued.

For this purpose, therefore, it is necessary for the Surveyor, in addition to his own scientific operations, to carry on a Khusrah or statement of measurement of land, according to the native system, known and appreciated by the inhabitants of the district, and performed by natives, who are well acquainted with the nature of the tenures, the general capabilities of the soil, and the current dialect language.

Such a measurement of the North-Western Provinces has been entirely completed, and a settlement of the land tax concluded, but in the Lower Provinces, the records in the Revenue Collectors' Offices, and upon which the whole fiscal and judicial business is conducted, actually shew nothing more than the mere name of the estate and the amount of land-tax (jumma) paid by the proprietor, and even this is frequently obscure and undefined, whilst the villages and portions of villages of which it consists, scattered perhaps in different parts of a Pergunnah are known only to the proprietor, or his agent. The chances, therefore, of an auction purchaser obtaining uncontested possession of an estate are very remote, and in many cases where Government have become purchasers, the authorities have been unable to trace the lands composing the estate; or else, what they have been successful in finding, has been insufficient to meet the jumma assessed. The absence of all authentic data regarding their districts, having long been severely felt by the local civil authorities, the Revenue Survey has been ordered to extend its operations over the whole of the Regulation Districts of Bengal, and we propose to treat of the method of conducting an efficient Khusrah measurement and to explain the difference necessary to be observed in Unsettled Districts where the assessment follows in the train of the survey, and in the perpetually Settled Provinces, where no settlement is intended, but for which a faithful record of estates paying revenue to Government is so much needed.

It must first be understood that the " Khusrah" is a distinct operation altogether from the Professional Survey; the latter is performed on scientific principles, with first-rate instruments and by experienced Europeans and East Indians, aided also by natives trained and educated for the purpose; the former, on the contrary, appears to be conducted by the rudest methods, and by an inferior, though intelligent class of natives, the only instrument used being a rope, rod or chain according to