1 ( 35 )
2 55. The Sindh Authorities have been claiming the same privileges
3 Privileges of Malwa for the Opium of that Province (in which the cul-
4 Cree sheorgr ene Sindh tivation is at present apparently prohibited) and
5 of the Punjab as those which we conceded to the
6 Malwa Opium, which is allowed, after paying duty, to be exported from
7 Bombay to China. On this head, it is however to be remembered that
8 the amount of Opium (as distinct from Poppy-head) produced in the
9 Plain Districts of the Punjab would not be large, though good Opium
10 could be obtained from the Hills.
11 56. It only remains to state the proceeds of the Excise on
12 Revenue from drugs rugs and spirits during the three years under.
13 and spirita, report :—
14 1853-54. 1854-55. 1855-56,
15 Rupees 5,36,795 537,562 —»-6,07,578
16 or £ 58,679 53,756 60,757
17 Part III.—Satr.
18 57. The Salt Revenue of the Punjab has been largely treated of
19 Outline of thePunjab in the two former Reports. It will suffice now
20 system of Salt Revenue, to state that the Punjab Salt is produced from
21 some five mines in the Salt Range of Hills running from the Jhelum
22 to the Indus. Of this Salt the Government has a monopoly. The
23 article is excavated at the Government expense and sold on the spot
24 to the merchants at Rupees 2 or 4 shillings per maund of 80tbs. In
25 _ the Kohat District, beyond the Indus, there are also some four mines,
26 from which the Salt is excavated by Government, but sold at the almost
27 nominal price of from 2 to 4 annas, or from 3 pence to 6 pence per
28 maund of 80ibs, out of consideration to the mountaineers of that region.
29 But in order that this lightly-taxed Salt may not compete with the
30 article from the mines of the Cis-Indus Salt Range, a preventive line
31 is established along the left bank of the Indus. There is no preventive
32 line along the Northern border of the Punjab, as no Salt produced in
33 those Himalayan regions could compete with the Punjab Salt. The
34 Rajpootana Salts of the North-Western Provinces, which pay duty on the