Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 14.djvu/22

 12 KASHMIR The people of Kashmir are now mostly Mohammedan. Physically of fine form, a large proportion of the town- people are enfeebled by poverty and sedentary occupati &amp;gt;n in close rooms. A few years ago the shawl weavers of Srinagar were reckoned to be about 22 per cent, of the inhabitants. The proportion is now less, owing to the reduced demand for Kashmir shawls, both loom-made and hind-sewn. The maharaja has endeavoured to meet the depression of the shawl trade by extension of silk manu factures ; silk is successfully worked, and well dyed. The chief demand for shawls has generally been from France, and French patterns have somewhat interfered with native art. At Islamabad also many hands are employed in shawl and blanket weaving. A kind of coarse chintz is also made there. Embroidery on fine woollen cloths is the employment of many Kashmiris, both in their own country and in their Indian settlements, Amritsar, Nurpur, and Ludhiana. The manufacture of a variety of articles in papier macho&quot; and ornamental painted wood-work employs a number of people in Srinagar. The silversmiths do a good deal of business in ornamental vases, goblets, flower- holders, &c., silver and silver gilt. Engraved and em bossed copper work employs a smaller number of people ; also the manufacture of ornamental vessels of tinned copper, and some other minor kinds of work. A very good kind of paper is made in Kashmir. A museum of Kashmir products and manufactures was estiblished at Srinagar in 1875. The people of the country, with more healthful occupations and surroundings than those of the towns, especially Srinagar, are robust and of active habits. The Kashmiris, both men and women, wear commonly a kind of Ioos3 gown with sleeves, called pheran (Pers., pairdhan, &quot; a robe &quot;). In cold weather they are in the habit of carrying, under this Ioos3 dress, a small portable brazier with heated charcoal. The country people and boatmen use a more close-fitting costume. The mountaineers, like those of neighbouring hill countries, bandage the legs from the knea to the foot for protection in walking. According to a report prepared by order of the maharaja in 1873, the population of the valley at that time was nearly 492,000. Of these about 04,000 were Hindus and the rest Moslems, about 4 per cent, of the latter being Shiites. The estimated population of Jamu was 801,000, of Flinch 77,500, of Ladak, Iskardo, and Gilgit, 104,500; total about 1,535,000 : Hindus, 507,000 ; Moslems, 919,000; Buddhists, 20,000; and &quot; miscellaneous,&quot; 89,000. Of Srinagar the estimated population was about 132,000, of which number nearly 40,000 were Hindus. A great diminution, caused by deaths and emigration, has followed the famine of 1878. It was said that the towns of Islama bad and Sopiir lost nearly two-thirds of their inhabitants. The rice crop of 1879 was abundant, and the rains of the next year seasonable and plentiful. The shawl-weaving and cirpet-making trades revived in 1880, and numbers of people who had left the country during the famine re turned. The language of Kashmir (which is spoken only in the valley itself, and in the few outlying settlements of Kash miris in the neighbouring hills and in northern India) is of the Aryan family. It is allied to the Hindi, Sindi, and Punjabi, and also to the current Urdu of India (Hindu stani). It uses a form of the Sanskrit character like the Nagarf of the Punjab. It may be said to possess no litera ture, though Kashmir has produced many literary men. The Urdu is now very generally understood in Kashmir, among the better educated people and more intelligent artisans. The chief articles of export from Kashmir are shawls and other woollen fabrics, rice, saffron, fruits. The chief imports are shawl wool, English piece goods, Indian cloths, metals, precious stones, skins, felts, dye-stuffs, tea, ckaras (hemp juice), groceries, and suit. The imports into Kashmir from British India are much below those into Jamu, except tea (of which the Kashmiris are extremely fond), indigo, and earthenware. Kashmir imports annually a very large amount of rock salt from the Punjab. The gross annual value of the imports is about .210,000, and of the exports about 172,000. This latter amount is less than formerly, owing chiefly to the reduced demand fur shawls. The import duties, which used to be very heavy, were modified in 1864 ; the duty on piece goods was limited to 8 per cent, and on other imports to 12 per cent. In April 1870 a commercial treaty was entered into with the British Government for developing trade with eastern Turkestan, in which, among other things, the maharaja agreed to abolish all transit duties. Joint commissioners were appointed, on the part of the two Governments, to reside at Leh. The gross annual revenue of Kashmir is believed to be about 550,000, and of the maharaja s whole territories a little over 800,000. The chief source of income is the land revenue. Of this there is now a cash settlement in place of the annual valuation of crops which was the practice till lately. The Government ordinarily takes one-half the gross produce. Grain is stored in public granaries, and sold at fixed rates to the army and the civil officials. Much grain is also purchased from the zamindars, and stored by Hindu merchants in Srinagar. The maharaja s military force numbers 25,000 infantry (including police), 1400 cavalry, and 1200 artillery, with 78 field guns and 80 other pieces. At Srinagar and elsewhere the maharaja has established dispensaries, with native medical men educated in India ; and he has built at his own cost a large hospital for the medical mission at Srinagar. The current rupee of Kashmir, called cliilki (&quot;glittering ), has varied in value at different times from one-half to five- eighths of the rupee of British India. The latest issued bears the latter value. The admission of British visitors to Kashmir each season is limited. To military officers, up to a fixed number, permission is granted by the commander- in chief or by the Government of India. Others do not require previous permission, but must intimate their intention of going to Kashmir, and obtain a copy of the rules. In like manner, more than eight centuries ago, as we learn from the Arabic- historian Al Biruni, the passes used to be watched, and few outsiders admitted. Connected with this long-cherished ex- clusiveness has been the general badness of the roads. A really improved road has been made by the present maharaja from Kohala to Baramnla, the easiest and best entrance to the valley. The author just referred to men tions the covered litters, in which people in Kashmir used to be carried, raised on men s shoulders. The same con veyances are in use now. To the present day there are no wheeled conveyances in Kashmir. For English visitors four routes are authorized by the Government of India, one by the Pir Panjal Pass and three by Baramuln,- from Punch, from Murree, and from Muzaffarabad. In the government of his own territories the &quot; maharaja of Jummoo and Kashmir&quot; is independent. His relations with other states are subject to tho, supreme authority of the Government of India. The Government of India has no resident at either of the maharaja s capitals, but annually ! sent to Kashmir during the season from March to Novem ber, A native news-writer, employed by the British Govern ment, remains in Kashmir. The annual tribute of the maharaja, presented in token of the supremacy of the British Government, in accordance with Act X. of the
 * an &quot; officer on special duty,&quot; as he is officially termed, is