VIZAGAPATAM.
Even this small proportion was still further whittled down in the greater part of the district. The Committee says —
'The zamindars have introduced other changes which have curtailed the labourer's real share to barely one-fifth, of the harvest, We find that since the decline of the Musalman government the zamindars, experiencing a greater liberty than before, have indulged themselves in indolence, and, entrusting their parganas to renters, have delegated the full extent of their own authority to them. And, although they cannot but be sensible of the impositions to which they are exposed and of the hardships and sufferings of the labourers, they still allow them to continue their collections in specie without requiring the estimated accounts of produce which, if taken, would clearly ascertain all abuses and oppressions.'
In the havili (literally, 'neighbouring') land (an area producing a revenue of 3¾ lakhs and consisting of the old demesne or household property of the sovereign, or tracts near towns specially appropriated by the Musalmans to the payment of their troops and establishments) the land revenue had always been under the immediate management of the local Fanjdars. There, says the Committee —
'It has been customary to receive Government's share of the produce in specie, but the proportions have always been ascertained by a yearly valuation of the crop, one-third being allowed the fixed inhabitants, two-fifths to strangers, and one-half to Telingis and those who cultivate dry grain. Previous, however, to dividing the shares, one rupee per garee upon the whole was collected by the Circar. The repair of tanks and water-courses fell to the share of Government.'
Besides the assessments on land, the government obtained a revenue from the sale of monopolies of such articles as salt, arrack and betel-leaf, from customs on imports and exports by sea and land (sayar), and by taxes on trades (moturpha). The land-customs became so excessive (Rs. 167 for every 100 bullock-loads between Kálahandi and the coast) that the Brinjáris ceased to visit the low country; and the taxes on trades had grown so high that, says the Committee —
'Numbers have adopted a new mode of life or been compelled to forsake their ancient habitations, on their property being seized to discharge those unusual taxes; and we can add from our own observation that the evident appearance of extreme indigence extending almost universally over the circar strongly indicates the long continuance of a series of hardships and exaction.'
Though the establishment of the British settlement at Vizagapatam dates from the seventeenth century, it was not, as has been seen (p. 34), until 1765 that the Company acquired the territory
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