Page:The Imperial Gazetteer of India - Volume 10 (2nd edition).pdf/256



244 NAUSHAHRO. The Census of 1872 returned it at 219,596, of whom 185,521 were Musalmáns and 34,075 Hindus. That of 1881 returned it at 197,149, namely, 103,397 males and 93,752 females, dwelling in 35,501 houses, scattered in 5 towns and 351 villages. The number of persons per square mile is 62. Muhammadans numbered 162, 264; Hindus, 15,622; Sikhs, 18,666 ; aboriginal tribes, 580; and Christians, 17. The principal Muhammadan tribes represented are the Balúchis, Játs, Sindhs, and Sayyids. The prevailing language, both spoken and written, is Sindhi. Native traders use the Hindi-Sindhi character. The Hindus are confined to the towns, and form the trading community. The chief towns are KANDIARO, NAUSHAHRO, THARU SHAH, BHIRIA, and MORO. There are 7 fairs held in the Sub-division. Agriculture.—The most common form of irrigation is by the charkhi, or Persian wheel. When the rainfall is abundant, a large extent of baráni, or rain land, is brought under tillage. The most fertile soil in Naushahro is found in the Kandiáro táluk. The cultivable land held in jagir covers an area of about 81,016 acres, of which 41,820 acres are in the Moro táluk, and 26,084 in a part of the Sakrand táluk. The rey was completed in 1863; and the settlement was introduced between the years 1864-65 and 1868-69, in some instances for nine, and in others for ten years. A revised settlement was introduced in the Sakrand táluks in 1878-79, and in the three remaining taluks in 1881-82, in every case for ten years. Area assessed to land revenue (1882–83), 219,142 acres. The total area of cultivable Government land in the Sub-division is 955,577 acres, but of these only 174,466 acres were actually under cultivation in 1882-83. Manufactures, — The chief manufactures are cotton cloth, coarse paper, soap, oil, coloured clay rings for women's ornaments, saddles, and salt. The trade of Naushahro is principally in grain and other agricultural produce, and is almost entirely carried by the Indus and the canals connected with that river. The imports comprise wheat and rice, metals and metal goods, sugar, and European piece-goods. Estimated value of exports, £40,300; of imports, £44,000. Naushahro has also a considerable transit traffic in dried fruits, woollen and camel's hair cloths, carpets, silk, and embroidered goods, horses, and asses. The total length of roads in the Sub-division is about 822 miles, of which 92 are postal and trunk lines. The District post from Haidarábád to Kandiáro passes through the town of Naushahro, where there is a sub-post-office. There are 16 ferries, of which 14 are on the Indus. Rezienne.—The imperial revenue in 1881-82 was £48,202 ; the local, £3297 : total, £51,499. The land revenue yielded £39,883; dibkúri or excise, £1267; stamps, £2786; registration, £231; postal, £837; fines, £452 ; forests, £1963 ; licence-tax, £715; interest, £63 ; salt and miscellaneous, £5. The local one anna cess on land yielded