152 MOHAMMAD TAGHLAK AND FIKOZ SHAH staff of skilled workmen, all duly paid from the treas- ury after the plans had been approved and the necessary grants assigned. One result especially of these new foundations was of incalculable benefit to the country. To supply his new city of Hisar Firoza the Sultan constructed (1355) a double system of canals, from the Jumna and the Sut- laj, one of which, " the old Jumna canal," to this day supplies the district with irrigation along two hundred miles of its ancient course, and now brings the water to Delhi. A later historian, Firishta, credits Firoz with no less than 845 public works, canals, dams, reservoirs, bridges, baths, forts, mosques, colleges, monasteries, and inns for pilgrims and travellers, to say nothing of re- pairing former buildings, such as the Kutb Minar and many of the tombs of the kings of Delhi. Curiously, not a single road is mentioned, though that was the greatest want of India. Of all these, the canals were the chief blessing to the people. By the improved irri- gation, they were able to get in two harvests instead of one. The superintendence of the canals was en- trusted to skilled engineers, who examined the banks during the rainy season and floods and reported on their condition. In return for this benefit the Sultan levied a water-rate of ten per cent, on the outlay. An- other wise step was the reclaiming of waste lands by the government, the proceeds of which were devoted to the support of religion and learning. Firoz annually granted more than a third of a million pounds (thirty- six lacs) to learned men and pious endowments, and
