From the beginning of this immortal reign, persons of intelligence and void of rapacity, together with zealous men of experience, have been annually engaged in noting the current prices and reporting them to His Majesty, and taking the gross produce and estimating its value, they determined the rates of collection, but this mode was attended with considerable inconvenience. When Khwajah Abdul Majíd A´saf Khan* was raised to the dignity of Prime Minister, the total revenue was taken at an estimation,* and the assignments were increased as the caprice of the moment suggested. And because at that time the extent of the empire was small, and there was a constant increase of dignities among the servants of the State, the variations were contingent on the extent of corruption and self-interest. When this great office devolved on Muzaffar Khán* and Rajah Todar Mull, in the 15th year of the reign, a re-distribution of the imperial assessment was made through the kanungos, and estimating the produce of the lands, they made a fresh settlement. Ten kanungos were appointed who collected the accounts from the provincial kanungos and lodged them in the imperial exchequer. Although this settlement was somewhat less than the preceding one, nevertheless there had been formerly a wide discrepancy between the estimate and the receipts.
When through the prudent management of the Sovereign the empire was enlarged in extent, it became difficult to ascertain each year the prices current and much inconvenience was caused by the delay. On the one hand the husbandman complained of extensive exactions, and on the other the holder of assigned lands was aggrieved on account of the revenue balances. His Majesty devised a remedy for these evils and in the discernment of his world-adorning mind fixed a settlement for ten years: the people were thus made contented and their gratitude was abundantly manifested. From the beginning of the 15th year of the Divine era to the 24th, an aggregate of the rates of collection was formed and a tenth of the total was fixed as the annual assessment; but from the 20th to the 24th year the collections were accurately determined and the five former ones accepted on the authority of persons of probity. The best crops were taken into account in each year and the year of the most abundant harvest accepted, as the table shows.
The Súbah of Allahabad comprises nine sarkárs (districts) and possesses fifteen separate revenue codes.*
1. The Sarkár of Allahabad includes fifteen mahals and has three revenue codes.
The suburban district of Allahabad comprises three mahals, viz., the suburbs of Allahabad, Kantat, and a tract on the extreme limits of the súbah of Agra,* and possesses one revenue code.
Jalálábád has three mahals and a revenue code.
Bhadói, seven mahals, viz., Bhadói, Sikandarpúr, Saráoṅn, Sangror, Mah, Kowái, Hádiábás* —and a revenue code.
2. The Sarkár of Benáres has eight mahals and a revenue code. The detail is as follows—the suburban district of Benares, the township of Benares, Pandarhá, Kaswár, Harhawá, Byálisi.*
3. The Sarkár of Jaunpur has 41 mahals and two codes.
The suburban district of Jaunpúr, 39 mahals, one code, viz.:—
Aldemao, Angali, Bheteri, Bhadáoṅn, Belheti,* Jaunpur, Suburban Jaunpur, Chandipúr Baḍhar, Chándah, Chiriyá Kót, Chakésar, Kharíd, Kháspúr Ṭánḍah, Khánpúr, Deogáoṅn, Rári, Sanjhóli, Sikandarpúr, Sagḍi, Sarharpúr, Shádi-ábád, Zafarábád, Karyát Maṭtu, Karyát Dostpúr, Karyát-Menḍhah, Karyát Swetah, Kólah, Ghéswah, Ghósi, Kóḍiya, Gopálpúr, Kirákat, Mandiáho, Muḥammad-ábád, Majhórá, Mau, Nizámábád, Naigún, Nathúpúr.*
4. The Sarkár of Chanádah, 14 mahals and one revenue code, viz. the suburban district of Chanádah, Ahérwárah, Bhóli, Baḍhól, Ṭánḍah, Dhós, Rághúpúr* —the villages on the western bank of the river, Majhwárah, Maháech, Mahwári, Mahói, Silpúr, Naran.
5. The Sarkár of Gházípúr, 18 mahals, one code, viz., the suburban district of Gházípúr, Baliá, Pachótar, Balhábás, Bhariábád, Bhaláej, Chausá Dehbá, Sayyidpúr Namdí, Zahúrábád, Karyát Pali, Kópá Chhét, Ganḍhá, Karandah, Lakhner, Madan Benáras, Muḥammadábád, Parhárbári.
6. The Sarkár of Karrah, 12 mahals, one code, viz., the township of Karrah, its suburban district, Aichhi, Atharban, Ayásá, Rári, Karári, Kótla, Kauṇra commonly called Kósóṇ, Fateḥpúr Haṅnswah, Haṭgáoṅn, Haṇswah.
7. The Sarkár of Korarah, 8 mahals, 3 codes, viz., thus detailed. The suburban district of Korarah has one code and 2 mahals, viz., itself and Ghátampúr; Kótiá, 3 mahals, Kótiá, Gonér, Keranpúr Kinár,* and one code; Jájmau, 3 mahals, viz. Jájmau, Muḥsinpúr, Majháon, and one code.
8. The Sarkár of Kálinjar, 10 mahals, one code, viz., Kálinjar with its suburbs, Aguási, Ajígaṛh, Senḍha, Samóni, Shádipúr, Rasan, Kharélah, Mahóbá, Módhá.
9. The Sarkár of Mánikpúr, 14 mahals, 2 codes. The suburbs of Mánikpúr have 10 mahals and one code, viz., Mánikpúr together with its suburban district, Arwal* Bhalól, Salón, Jalálpúr Balkhar,* Karyát Karárah, Karyát Paegáh, Khaṭót, Naṣírábád.
Ráe Bareli, etc. 4 mahals, one code, viz. Ráe Bareli, Talhanḍi, Jáes, Dalmau.