1 REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE NGRTHERN INDIA
2 REVIEW BY SECTIONS. Imports were larger during the past year than in 1894-95,
3 INTERNAL BRANCH ut compared with 1895-96 and 1896-97 a decrease appears of
4 maunds 1,44,560 and maunds 2,12,253 respectively.
5 The exports exceed the figures of 1894-95 and 1895-96, but
6 they were below those of 1896-97 by 1,57,099 maunds, a
7 decline of 21 percent. The figures of exports by sea show
8 the extent to which the trade declined under a slackened de-
9 mand from foreign markets.
10 The next statement shows the territorial areas from which
11 the saltpetre imported into Calcutta was obtained :—
12 1894-95. | 1895-96. | 1896-97. | 1897-98.
13 . Mds. Mas. Mds. Mas.
14 From North-Western Provinces and Ondh .. | 1,835,119 | 2,54.465 1 2,56,009 | 1,74,978
15 » Panjab = be | 50,995 | 63,635] 76,356 | 58,998
16 » R&jpnténa and Central India on 1,535 1,390 1,363 oes
17 » Provinee of Behar ase oe | 8,76,254{ 4,16,674 - 4,70,880 | 3,57,928
18 » Bengal we a ise 164 ees 62 13
19 » Bombay wee ow ove ne 313 bee ise
20 » Madras aie as ane 1,740 ies “ea ies
21 » Foreign Ports wu. a we 1 aoe Fe
22 Total tes 565,808 | "7,86,477- 8,04,270 5 91,917
23 As usual, the greater part of the supply was received from
24 the Province of Behar, the North-Western Provinces and Oudh
25 come nextin importance, and the Panjéb stands third. The
26 position of each of these three areas indicates the degree in
27 which climatic conditions are favourable to the growth of the
28 nitrous ferments. It will be noticed that the figures of the
29 past year show a general decline in the trade.
30 The saltpetre industry is such an important one, and gives
31 employment to so many thousands ofthe poorest classes in
32 Behar and Northern India, that its depressed condition during
33 the year is greatly to be regretted. ..
34 datemics) pale onelaed Gnd 64. The next statement shows the quantities of saltpetre
35 Sitta and ealt destroyed salt excised, and of saltand Sitta (impure salt) destroyed, in
36 saltpetre refineries in the Internal Branch during the past four
37 years :—
38 Sitta and salt destroyed.
39 Year. Salt Salt iv
40 excised. bond.
41 Sitta. Salt.
42 Mds. Mds, Mads, Mds.
43 1804-95 iss wa ie 55,133 62,990 12,991 28,104
44 1895-96 ase we sve 72,025 75,966 16,919 57,779
45 1896-97 ose oe ee 72,662 98,241 65,903 69,794
46 1897-08 eae ra bee: 71,521 64,934 67,522 39,688
47 Maunds 2,03,977 of purified and impure salt were dealt
48 with during the past year, compared with maunds 2,36,796 in
49 1896-97, or a decrease of maunds 32,819.
50 ( 64 )}