1 MANDI MINES.
2 (4.
3 SULTANPUR
4 SALT WORKS.
5 Appendix I.
6 Distributicn of trade,
7 Appendix VI.
8 Manufacture of salt,
9 Appendix V.
10 c
11 REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE NORTHERN INDIA
12 €
13 43,946 against maunds 57,683 in 1900-01) and Native States
14 -{maunds 67,284 against maunds 53,591). There wasan in-
15 crease in the bookings to the Kangra district of maunds 10,285
16 (maunds 48,886 against maunds 38,601) and of maunds 4.315
17 to the Kulu valley (maunds 21,910 against maunds 17,595), but
18 exports to the Simla district fell off by maunds 337 (maunds
19 1,150 against maunds 1,487). This last fluctuation is explain-
20 ed by the improvement in the trade from the czs-Indus Mines
21 to Kalka at the foot of the Simla hills, maunds 36,900 of rock
22 salt having been booked to Kalkafrom the Mayo Mine as
23 compared “with ~maunds 28,500 in 1900-oI—~an increase of
24 maunds 8,400. Bookings to Kangra and Kulu during 1899-
25 1900 amounted to maunds 52,017 and maunds 18,486, respec-
26 tively, so that the trade with these districts may be saia to
27 have resumed its normal dimensions during the past year.
28 The Mandi State took maunds 11,284 more salt than
29 in 1900-01, Suket maunds 1,808, Chamba maunds 56, Bilas+
30 pur maunds 483, and Rampur Bashahr maunds 62.
31 I am not satisfied with the registration of the salt cleared
32 from these quarries. Instances came to my notice shortly
33 after I assumed charge of the Department, which went to
34 show that the destination of the salt issued from them is not
35 always accurately disclosed. Cases too oceyrred in which
36 it appeared that the State officials were endeavouring to
37 force the export of salt into British territory, and to depress
38 the traffic with Native States. The Commissioner of Jalan-
39 dhar was addressed on this subject. The result of enquiries,
40 which .I caused to be made, showed that the consumption
41 of Mandi salt has increased in the Kangra valley and the
42 Chamba State, and that rock salt has been driven back to some
43 extent. Rock salt may recover itself when the effects of the
44 plague upon the salt trade between the plains and the Kangra
45 valley have disappeared, but it will be advisable to prevent the
46 officials of the State in charge of the quarries from forcing
47 the trade in Mandi salt along particular channels.
48 48. Sales at the Sultanper salt works amounted to maunds
49 64,989 as compared with maunds 64,552 In 1900-01, or a
50 trifling increase of maunds 437 only. The works just held
51 their own, and there appears to be no elasticity in the trade.
52 issues amounted to maunds 65,520 against maunds 64,543 in
53 1900-01, or an increase of maunds 977.
54 49. There was a decrease of maunds 4,232 (maunds 9,171
55 against maunds 13,403 in the previous year) in the quantity
56 of salt which issued from the works for consumption in the
57 eastern districts of the Punjab. There was an increase in the
58 exports to Gurgaon, Bhewani, Hissar and Sirsa, while in
59 Rohtak and Delhi the consignments showed a falling off.
60 Exports to the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh were,
61 on the other hand, larger by maunds 5,209 (maunds 56,349
62 against maunds 51,140). A good deal of this salt is consumed
63 in the foot hilis of the Himalayas, where its sharp taste, owing
64 to the presence of inferior salts, appears to be liked by the hill
65 people. Consignments to Dehra Dun and Pilibhit, two of the
66 principal marts ‘for this hill trade, amounted to maunds 18,535
67 as compared with maunds 13,131 in 19C0-o1.
68 50. The number of working factories increased from .
69 thirty-six to thirty-seven during the year, and maunds
70 64,105 of salt were produced as compared with maunds
71 54,206 manufactured in 1gco-o1. Manufacturing conditions
72 were favourable, the salt was of fair average quality, and
73 neatly the whole of it was sold at remunerative prices, namely,
74 ( 18 )}