1 ( 37 )
2 obtains 20 lakhs; and this too without any appreciable increase to
3 the burdens of the people. Formerly the average price of Salt at
4 Lahore used to be 1 Rupee (2s.) for 36 or 40Ibs. It is now much
5 the same, viz. 1 Rupee for 32, 34 and 36Ibs, or Rupees 2-4 or 4a.
6 6d. per maund of 80tbs, the 4 annas (6d.) being the merchant's reim-
7 bursement and profit over the Government price of Rupees 2. It
8 is clear then that the excess of our Revenue over that of our pre-
9 decessors is owing, not to increased taxation, but to increased con-
10 sumption. That the present price is light, and can be readily paid,
11 by the consumer, is clear, when it is considered, that a poor person
12 would consume perhaps half a seer or lib. of Salt at the utmost
13 in a month, which might be worth about half an anna in Indian
14 money and 3 farthings in English money. The «poorest man earns
15 Rupees 3, or 6 shillings per meusem (many day-laborers receive much
16 more), and having very few wants, which are most cheaply supplied,
17 he can certainly afford to give 2 or 3 pence in the month to
18 Adaptation of the price Purchase for himself and family an article which
19 to the poorest class, is at once a necessity and a luxury. The best
20 proof however is in the eating } there never was so much Salt eaten
21 in the Punjab as there is now. In fine it may be said that the Punjab
22 Salt is largely consumed, that it is productive to the Revenue, that
23 it is not perceptibly dearer now than in former days, and that its
24 present price is so a as not to be seriously felt by even the poorest
25 consumer.
26 60. Much has jek done for the improvement of the mines. The
27 Improvement of the Cavernous chambers have been ventilated, have
28 Salt Mines, been rendered comparatively safe from accidents,
29 and comparatively easy of access by means of galleries and passages,
30 The health and condition of the miners have been much ameliorated.
31 Supplies of fresh water (a great desideratum in that saline region)
32 have been secured by means of tanks and aqueducts. The roads near
33 the mines have been levelled and a bridge of boats over the neigh-
34 boring River Jhelum has been constructed for the convenience of
35 the merchants. There is a resident Civil Engineer on the spot to
36 promote improvements. The Government has expended notgess than
37 Rupees 50,000 or £5,000 in the improvement of a locality wiih well
38 deserves.an outlay of capital. -