Page:The Imperial Gazetteer of India - Volume 2 (2nd edition).pdf/209

 ;

BASSE IN DISTRICT.

199

—

munication, 387 miles. The postal communications are (i) a monthlyservice by the British India Steam Navigation Company between Chitta-

gong and Penang, the steamers

calling at

Akyab, Kyauk-pyu, Sandoway,

week by the steamers of the Irawadi Flotilla Company between Rangoon and Bassein (3) a service, maintained out of the District dak portion of the Five-per-cent. Cess Fund, There three times a month between Bassein and Ngathaing-Khyaung. is one newspaper published in the District, at the Bassein town press. Bassein, etc.

(2) a service twice a





Revenue,

etc.

— The

revenue

actual

of the

in

by

the various offices, Bassein,

as

it

it

District

From

annexation cannot be accurately ascertained.

prior

local records

to its

found

appears that the annual revenue furnished

existed

in

Burmese

times,

family tax (Burmese and Kareng), ;^i2,2 73



(2)

—

was (i) house and yoke of oxen, or rice

^3598; (3) fisheries, ^9203; (4) salt, ^1338; (5) transit ^1838 total, ^28,250. Adding two-thirds for the share of

land tax, dues,



amount paid by the inhabitants was at least ^47,080. In 1855-56, the first year in which the revenue returns can be depended upon, the amount realized was ^(^61,791. This was derived from taxes on land, fisheries, salt, forest produce, port dues, excise, capitation fees, etc. In 1855-56, the area under cultivation (exclusive of tauiigya, or hill clearings) was 134,520 acres, the land revenue being ;;,^2i,222, and the rate of taxation 3s. i^d. In 1875-76, the number of acres under tillage rose to per acre. 264,320, the income from land to ;z(^43,732, and the average rent per acre to 3s. 3d. By 1880-81, the total land revenue had increased to _;^77,86 i, and the cultivated area to 393,400 acres ; average incidence, Under the Burmese, the total demand for the capi3s. I id. per acre. tation tax was ordered annually by the governor of the District, the assessment per circle being left to the Akhwon-wun, and the assessment the local officers, the

per house to the discretion of the Thu-gyi.

married

man

pays

10s.,

(except priests, cripples,

^19,465;

in

1876-77, the

1876-77,

amount

1881-82, ;^i7,2 2o.

Under English

rule each

and each bachelor between eighteen and

sixty

In 1855-56, the yield of this tax was In 3 o> 53 °; and in 1881-82, ;^(34,887.

etc.), 5s.

^

realized

by the

The proceeds

fishery tax

was _;^io,898, and

in

of the salt tax are decreasing yearly

owing to the importation of cheaper foreign salt. In 1855, the price maund of 80 lbs. was 13 annas, or 2s. 3d. per cwt in 1881-82 it was 10^ annas, or is. lod. per cwt. The excise revenue yielded in 1855-56, /'5539 j in 1876-77, 2,789 ; and in 1881-82, ;,(3 1,2 24. The gross Imperial and Provincial revenue in 1881-82 was ^261,719, as compared with ^166,646 in 1876-77, and ;^io-j,i 8 g in 1867-68. The expenditure in 1881-82 was ^39,214, as compared with^i9,673 The Local revenue raised in in 1876-77, and ^13,926 in 1867-68. per

.

the District in 1876-77 over and above the Imperial

and Provincial