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Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 5, p. 265.

ADIVI.NISTRA TION 265 value; these two officers, on their respective sides, also hear appeals against the orders of the courts below them. The District and Sessions Judge hears appeals against the decisions of the Faujddr and the Civil Judge, and tries cases beyond their powers. The highest court is the council, which, when presided over by the Maharaja, can pass sentence of death. The normal revenue and expenditure of the State are at the present time about 32 lakhs a year. The chief sources of revenue are: land, including cesses, nearly 24 lakhs; interest on Government securities, more than i-5 lakhs; payments under the Salt agreement of I879, I.3 lakhs; and forests, about 1-2 lakhs. The main items of expenditure are: army, including Imperial Service troops, 8 lakhs; public works, nearly 5 lakhs; revenue and judicial staff, 4-3 lakhs; stables, including the stud, elephants, camels, bullocks, &c., 2-8 lakhs; and privy purse and palace, about 2 lakhs. The finances are in a flourishing condition, as the State has about 45 lakhs invested in Government securities, besides a large cash balance. Alwar had formerly a silver and copper coinage of its own, and the mint, which was located at Rajgarh, was opened in I772. British copper coins were introduced as legal tender in I873, while in 1877 advantage was taken of the Native Coinage Act of the previous year to enter into an agreement with Government for the supply from the Calcutta mint of rupees bearing the Alwar device. Under this agree- ment Alwar rupees are legal tender in British India, and the State mint is closed to the coinage of silver for thirty years from May io, 1877. The principal land tenures are khalsa, istimrari, jdgir, and mudfi. More than 86 per cent. of the total area is khilsa, or land paying revenue direct to the State. The istinradrddrs are mostly Rajputs; their holdings are permanently assessed, but they pay an additional 3 per cent. for dispensary, school, and road cesses. Jdgr lands may be divided into jdgir proper and jaiddd. Of these two tenures, the latter is considered the more honourable, as no service whatever has to be performed, while jdgir estates are held on a sort of feudal tenure, subject to the obligation of supplying horsemen. Bdrddri grants are somewhat similar to jdgizr, except that they are held by persons of inferior position, who have to supply foot-soldiers instead of horsemen. Persons holding on any of these three tenures are liable to pay a cess called abwlb, but some have been excused; it brings in about Rs. 17,000 yearly. Jiuifi lands are granted to Rajputs for maintenance, to ktinungos and chaukiddrs as remuneration for service, to Brahmans, Charans, &c., in charity, and to temples for their up-keep. Some pay the cess above referred to, but the majority pay nothing. In the khalsa area the tenures are either pure zaminddri (held by a single owner), or joint zaminddri (held jointly by a body of owners), or