Page:The Imperial Durbar Album of the Indian princes, chiefs and zamindars.djvu/93

Rh of justice, and is in every way a ruler who takes interest in the well-being of his subjects. He was created a G. C. I. E. in 1890 A.D. by the Paramount Power to mark its appreciation of his rule.

The administration is ordinarily carried on by the Nawab assisted by a Council; but, recently, the British Government has directed that the Political Agent, subject to the control of the Governor-General's Agent in Rajputana, is to supervise and guide the management, a course that has been adopted to extricate the State from indebtedness.

The total, area of the State is about 2,553 square miles, of which a little less than half is in Rajputana, and the remaining in Central India. The number of towns and villages in the State has been computed to be nearly 1,300 and the population which was 3,38,000 in the year 1881 A.D has gone down to 2,73,000 in the year 1901 A.D., a feature ascribed to the famine of 1899-1900 A.D. and the virulent type of fever that followed it.

The normal annual revenue of the State is about eleven lacs of rupees of which nearly three-fourth is derived from land. The State is now in debt to the extent of about fourteen lacs of rupees.

The State of Tonk having been carved out by a soldier of fortune, its military force was naturally very large; but it has been considerably reduced and now numbers 1,732 of all ranks, comprising 1,046 infantry, 443 cavalry, 243 artillery-men, and 82 guns of which 74 are believed to be serviceable.

His Highness Amin-ud-daula Vazir-ul-mulk Sir Mahammad Ibrahim Ali Khan Bahadur Daulat Jung G. C. S. I. the present ruler has full powers, civil and criminal, as in other states of similar status, and enjoys a salute of 17 guns.