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Observations on Mr. Belsham's Memoirs of the reign of George the Third
Observations on Mr Belsham's Memoirs of the reign of George the Third Author:John) Scott Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: proved, which at leaft implies that they were fomewhat improved, confequently the paradox is ftill unexplained. Nt leafss were refumed. If Mr. Belfham had rea... more »d the Reports of the Committee of Secrecy, or had enquired of any man who had not a malignant plcaftire in mifleading him, he would have known, that Mahomed Reza Cawn had the fole management of the revenues under Lord Give, Mr. Ve- relft, and Mr. Carrier; that he acted as all his Mahomedan predeceffors had done. He granted no kafes, but let the lands to the higheft bidder, at an annual ceremony, called the Puneah, where the lands were let either to Zemindars or farmers, as Mahomed Reza Cawn thought proper, and moft for the public interefl: always to Zemindars: I believe, where the terms were equal; " the Zemindars " being confidercd as having a fort of hereditary " right, or at leaft a right of preference to leafe the " revenues. " This fubject was taken up with great attention by the Committee in J773, who reported to the Houfe of Commons, " that all the lands of the " provinces are confidered as belonging to the " Crown or Sovereign of the country, who claims " a right to collect rents or revenues from all the " faid lands, except luch as are apropriated to " charitable or religious purpofes." Fourth Report, Committee of Secrefy, pagesT, 2, and 3. Not an idea was entertained, until Mr. Francis firft invented it, that the Sovereign was not to fix the amount of the revenue. The Zemindar's proportion is reckoned at one-tenth of the rents; fo that Government gets eighteen fhillings in the pound, and the Zemindar two fhillings. The Zemindar is alfb obliged to keep a regular account of every rupee he collects from the Ryots, and that account is open at all times to the 5nfpe6Hon of government. In truth, the whole fyf...« less