GENERAL PRE.FACE vii
regarded only as a composite production based largely upon
their contributions, and their names are then recorded else-
where. Thts course has been found necessary in order to
maintain the character of official authority that attaches to
the work.
The articles that make up the body of the Gazetteer have
likewise been rewritten, for the most part by officials who had
already acquired local experience as Census Superintendents
of their Provinces or States in I9OI. A list of their names
will be found prefixed to the first volume of the Gazetteer
proper. As in the previous editions, the articles are based on
materials collected by District officers and officials of Native
States, supplemented by special contributions from experts.
More detailed acknowledgements will be found in the prefaces
to the volumes of the Provizncial Gazetteers. It may here be
mentioned that, since the last edition was compiled, Upper
Burma and Baluchist5n have both been included within the
Empire, and two new Provinces have been constituted, while
much more accurate information is now available for the
Native States generally.
To come to details. Comparative statistics are usually
given for the three Census years, I881, I89I, and I9oI; but
in most cases later figures for I903-4 have been added. The
most recent administrative changes have been incorporated or
referred to in footnotes, so far as possible. No novelties have
been introduced in the way of spelling, the usage now
generally adopted in India having been followed, even where
this usage cannot be considered satisfactory or consistent.
The only important change is the substitution of the mark of
length (-) for the accent (') over long vowels. Some hints for
guidance in pronunciation are given in an Introductory Note,
prefixed to each volume. Another Introductory Note supplies
a brief explanation of the monetary system and the weights
and measures used in India, for it has not been found practic-
able to convert these uniformly into their English equivalents.
In the present volume, being the Descriptive volume of
'The Indian Empire,' chapters i, ii, iv, v, vii, viii, ix, and x
|
![[Digital South Asia Library]](/graphics/thirdlevel.gif)
