teaching them himself,) others may be placed under them, and thus in a single season, by a little judicious management, a very fair beginning may be made. If each district Surveyor obtained the services of even one experienced Nucksha Nuvees, the method would soon be introduced, and made perfectly intelligible to the understandings of Ameens of the commonest calibre. The adoption of the system on all the surveys in Bengal, it is believed, is now insisted on by the authorities.

Regarding the advantages of this system of Khusrah, no reasonable doubt can be entertained, combining as it does, every property of the old zemindary method, with the addition of a little English science, by which a nearer approach to accuracy is attainable, and deception and fraud detected. The rudest people of a district can easily understand the Ameen's proceedings and accompany him, for the purpose of taking a copy of the measurement of the fields, even if the addition of the bearing be unintelligible. In Jynteah and Cachar, where it was first introduced, the inhabitants were alike unused to British rule or customs, but in no instance was the progress of the Ameens, interrupted by violence, or pretended dislike to the operations.

These advantages may be summed up in the following

manner :

1st. The admirable check and comparison afforded and consequent superior accuracy of the work.

2nd. The ability of any second or third party ignorant of the locality, and without connivance with the measuring Ameen, or help of any sketch or map, to produce a fair protraction from the misl or file.

3rd. The thorough insight thereby given to the voluminous Khusrah misl, and immediate detection of all errors clerical or venal.

4th. The great benefit to the Surveyor or Superintending Officer who thus obtains the utmost confidence in his work, and is saved infinite trouble, annoyance and doubt.

5th. The value to the Government in possessing a really useful and permanent record combining the qualities of the Professional map, with the addition of the minutest detailed specifications of property in the village, fit for every purpose both fiscal and judicial.

6th. Its comparative inexpensive cost when viewed with the lasting value of its results.

The great desideratum of a superior method of Khusrah than what is at present carried on in most districts, cannot be too strongly impressed on the notice of Surveyors. The benefit to the State, as well as the great comfort to himself in having a fair and intelligible measurement record, which can be rendered useful hereafter and amenable to scrutiny and check at the time, must be obvious to any person who has had experience in such matters. In Bengal, especially where it is almost an impossibility to show the different estates on the maps of the Professional Survey, it is absolutely essential to produce Khusrah maps on such an extended scale, as we have above described, which will delineate every estate on the rent roll, however intermixed or confused. The system that we are advocating, is the only one applicable for such purposes, it is at once efficient and economical, and is eminently calculated to effect every object, if properly conducted. It also affords the readiest means of carrying out the provisions of Act No. IX. of 1847, " regarding the Assessment of Lands gained from the Sea or from Rivers by alluvion or dereliction within the Provinces of Bengal, Behar and Orissa.*

* Clause 3. “And it is hereby enacted, that within the said Provinces it shall be lawful for the Government of Bengal in all districts or parts of districts of which a Revenue Survey may have been or may hereafter be completed and approved by Government, to direct from time to time, whenever ten years from the approval of any such survey shall have expired, a new survey of lands on the Banks of Rivers and on the shores of the Sea, in order to ascertain the changes that may have taken place since the date of the last previous survey, and to cause new maps to be made according to such new survey."

It may be remarked, that if this system is so superior and trustworthy, the fact of its wider diffusion not having extended to other districts, is a matter of surprise. This must undoubtedly be acknowledged, and it is to be regretted that improvements in the Khusrah have not been long ere this introduced into every survey. The principle here spoken of has been made no secret on the part of those engaged in its practical application. In some Revenue Surveys the Khusrah is too apt to be regarded as a secondary and unimportant branch, and all improvements and innovations require great energy and perseverance, as well as other persuasive and conciliatory qualities on the part of the Surveyor, whose time and attention is well occupied by the scientific portion of his duties. It should, however, be remembered that the Khusrah forms the basis of all the revenue proceedings, and which alone the local authorities bring into practical use, and that the result is satisfactory and creditable to the parties employed, in proportion as the people of a district enter into their agreements, and pay up regularly the jumma assessed. A good settlement, made without much complaint and opposition on the part of landowners, assuredly reflects great credit on a Surveyor, who will thus obtain his reward for any trouble or pains the Khusrah may have cost him.

CHAPTER V.

ON THE LOCAL LAND MEASURES, AND MODE OF REDUCING LINEAR INTO SQUARE MEASURE.

THE calculation of the true land or square measure of the District, should be made with the greatest care, and too much precaution cannot be observed, in personally comparing the standard cubit or hath, usually given by the Collector of a District. On the relative value of the beegah, with the British Acre, depends the subsequent confirmation or rejection of all the Native measurements, therefore unless accurate Tables are formed at the commencement of operations, the utmost confusion in carrying on the office duties is likely to arise. It will then be the first duty of the Surveyor to apply for the standard cubit, guz, luggee, hath, jurreeb, russee, rod, chain, or whatever may be the name of the linear measuring implement in use, and ascertain what number of such lengths constitute the side of a beegah. The local standard, if such a thing exists, after being very carefully measured several times over, its value in British feet and inches must be recorded; with these two data the number of square yards in a beegah is deduced, and from thence the number of acres, roods, poles, &c. This having once been established, two Tables should immediately be drawn out, one of beegahs converted into acres, and the other of acres into beegahs. These will save an infinity of trouble, and indeed are absolutely indispensable for the ready understanding of both Europeans and Natives in a Survey Office, and to prevent error in frequently comparing the areas of the two operations.

Supposing the length of a rod furnished by the Collector of a District to be 25 feet, 1.92 inches, as ascertained by repeated trials, and the beegah to be a rectangle whose sides are 28 and 12 of these rods respectively, we shall then have 28 × 12 = 336 square rods in a beegah, and 25 feet, 1.92 inches × 12 = 301 92, which squared, gives 91155 7864 square inches in one rod. This multiplied by 336, the number of square rods in a beegah, gives 30628344-2304, the number of square inches in a beegah, which divided by 1296, the number of square inches in a square yard, gives 23632-9816 square yards or 4.8828 acres equal to 4 acres, 3 roods, 21 poles, 8 yards. Again, if the russee is found to be 80 yards exactly, and the beegah side is one russee, then the beegah will be 80 × 80 sq. yds. acre. sq. yds. acres. equals 6400 square yards, and if 4840: 1 :: 6400: 1.322314

acres.

acre. R. P.

the value of the beegah is therefore 1.322314 or 1 1 11 sq. yds.

27.60.

In the North-Western Provinces, the beegah does not vary much, the Agra beegah of 2756 square yards, the beegah side of 52 yards, 1 foot, 6 inches, is common to many other districts such as Muttra, Allyghur, Mynpooree, Etawah, Furruckabad, &c. The Delhi Province beegah contains 3025 square yards, or five eighths of an acre (3 roods 5 Perches) of the standard Ilahy guz assumed at 33 inches, the beegah side being 60 guz or 165 feet or 55 yards, and this is also common to the Umballa, Khytul, Loodhianah and Ferozepore Districts, the Jullundur Dooab, as well as to the greater part of Behar. The best information extant on this subject from Prinsep's Useful Tables, is given in the Notes,* but

*The Ilahy guz of AKBER was intended to supersede the multiplicity of measures in use in the 16th century, and in a great degree it still maintains its position as the standard of the Upper Provinces. In general, however, different measures are employed in each trade, and the cloth merchant in particular has a distinct guz of his own. Thus the cloth guz has assimilated in many places to two haths, or one yard; and the frequent employment of English tape-measure, as well as carpenter's two-feet rules, will erelong confirm the adoption of the British standard to the exclusion of the native system, for the linear measure of articles in the bazar.