1 SALT REVENUE DEPARTMENT FOR THE OFFICIAL YEAR 1896-97.
2 Tt will be observed that a decrease occurred everywhere. REVIEW BY SECTIONS.
3 This was not the result of any slackness in the saltpetre trade, INTERNAL BRANCH.
4 as demand was very good, and saltpetre refineries worked
5 briskly. It was entirely due to the poorness in saltpetre of
6 the nitrous soil of villages owing to the drought which occur-
7 red over all of the saltpetre producing areas. The failure of
8 the monsoon rains of 1896 was followed by excessive dryness
9 during the latter half of the year, and the result ‘was that the
10 moisture requisite to promote the usual active growth of the
11 nitrifying ferments was absent from the soil. For this reason
12 the nitrous soil of large numbers of villages was so poor in
13 nitrate of potassium that it could not be profitably worked.
14 This was a matter for great regret during a year of distress
15 and scarcity like the past, as the manufacturers of crude salt-
16 petre comprise some of the poorest ciasses of the population. ’
17 Ahori.—This substance is an impure form of sulphate of
18 soda. During the year only 2,688 licenses issued in compari-
19 son with 6,086 during 1895-96, or a decrease of 3,398 licenses.
20 The fcllowing figures give details of issues in different
21 areas -— . :
22 1895-96. | 1896-97.
23 No. No.
24 North Western Provinces and Oudh oi faa =n 402 319
25 Province of Behar - ie ive oe 5,684 2,369
26 Total vee 6,086 2,688
27 e
28 Khari is obtained from brine which is produced by the
29 lixiviation of sulphate of soda efflorescence appearing on the
30 surface of the soil. Inthe North-Western Provinces and Oudh
31 this brine is concentrated, with a view to the precipitation of
32 the sodic sulphate in solution in it, in large masonry evapora-
33 tion pans by solar heat. During the past year factories for
34 the production of khari worked in the Bulandshahr, Etah, ;
35 Mainpuri, Budaun, Farukhabad, Cawnpur, Fatehpur, Jaunpur,
36 Gorakhpur, Ghazipur, Hardoi and Unao districts. In the pro-
37 vince of Behar the manufacture of the substance from the brine
38 is effected by artificial heat, as the climate is damp and lime for
39 - the construction of solar evaporation pans is scarce and expen-
40 sive. The Muzaffarpur district is the centre of manufacture; but
41 it is also carried on largely in the Saran district, and to a less
42 important extent in the districts of Champaran and Darbhanga.
43 Khari is used for curing hides and the quantity manufactured
44 yearly is widely distributed for this purpose over Upper India
45 and Bengal. The decrease in the number of licenses which
46 issued during the year under report is attributable partly to
47 sulphate of soda efflorescence’having been poor in consequence
48 of the excessive drought, and also to numbers of the manufac-
49 turers, who all belong to the poorest classes, having left their
50 homes in search of work owing to the distress which prevailed
51 and being unable to open factories for want of funds.
52 Sajju.—The figures of the past four years show great e
53 fluctuations in the issue of licenses, and those of the past year
54 fall below the issues.of 1895-96 by 224 licenses. Sajji is an
55 impure form of carbonate of soda. It is produced by artificial
56 heat from sodic carbonate efflorescence which appears on the
57 surface of the soil. Manufacture is confined to the North-
58 Western Provinces, Its centre is the Ghazipur district, but it is
59 also carried on in the districts of Benares, Jaunpur, Mirzapur,
60 ( 59 )