Page:Aurangzíb and the Decay of the Mughal Empire.djvu/135

Rh 'Doubtless,' remarks Catrou, 'such prodigious wealth is amazing; but it must be remembered that all these riches only enter the Mughal treasury to go out again, at least in part, every year, and flow again over the land. Half the empire subsists on the bounty of the Emperor or at least is in his keep. Besides the multitude of officers and soldiers who live by their pay, all the rural peasantry, who toil only for the sovereign, are supported at his cost, and almost all the artisans of the towns, who are made to work for the Mughal, are paid out of the royal exchequer.'

When it is remembered that one Mughal Amír, and that an honest one, is recorded to have saved 'nearly 5000 crowns a month,' or more than £13,000 a year, out of his allowance as 'Amír of 5000,' it will be readily understood how enormous were the outgoings of the treasury for the support of the life-peers alone. In spite of his immense revenue, the expenditure of a Mughal Emperor was so prodigious that he was able to save little. Notwithstanding all his hoardings, and his long reign of peace, Sháh-Jahán never amassed six crores of rupees,' apart from jewels and ornaments, whilst Aurangzíb left only thirteen lacs, or less than £150,000 in the treasury when he died, and was frequently hard pressed to find the money for the pay of his army.