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Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 8, p. 213.

ADMINISTRA TIOYV ara , Prices rose to 8 seers per rupee' for wheat, bdjra, and moth; but the, average was about 1o, and the large imports of grain and the facilities; afforded by the railway prevented the famine from pressing severely on the people. The total expenditure on direct relief, including more than a lakhs of land revenue remitted, was about 3*3 lakhs, and advances to agriculturists and suspensions of land revenue amounted to a further sum of Rs. 53,000. There was severe scarcity over three-fourths of the State in 1896-7 ; the relief works consisted chiefly of the Ghaggar canals and the railway. More than 3,56o,ooo units were relieved, either on works or gratuitously, at a cost exceeding 3•5 lakhs, and sus- pensions of land revenue and advances to agriculturists were granted. The prices of grain averaged from 7 to 9 seers per rupee, while grass was very scarce, and the mortality among the cattle was heavy. The last famine was that of x899-19oo. The average rainfall for the whole State in 1899 was 312 inches, and the harvest naturally failed ; but owing to the liberal expenditure of the Darbar and the well-considered measures of relief, personally supervised by the Mahārājā, the people suffered less than might have been expected. Relief works and famine camps were started in August, 1899, and maintained till October; 1900. Over 9,348,000 units were relieved on works and over r,84o,000 gratuitously, and the largest number relieved on any one day was nearly 48,ooo. About as per cent. of the population emigrated, and 75 per cent. of the cattle are said to have died. Thanks to the railway, the price of grain was never as high as 8 seers per rupee. The total expenditure on direct relief was 8-5 lakhs, of which nearly half was sub- scribed by the leading Seths or bankers, who have a high reputation for benevolerice; land revenue suspensions amounted to 4-7 lakhs, and Rs. 85,300 was granted as loans to agriculturists. For administrative purposes the State is divided into four districts or nizdmats, each under an officer called a nāzim ; and these are again subdivided into eleven tahsils under tahsildirs, and seven smaller units, each under a naib-tahsilddr, to Administration. which the name sub-tahsil as been given. An officer is in charge of each important department, and at the head of affairs is the Mahąrgja, who has exercised full powers since 1898. His Highness is assisted by five secretaries, to each of whom are allotted certain departments; and there is a council of five members, which is primarily a judicial body, but is consulted in matters of importance. The State has its own Codes and Acts for the guidance of its judiciary, based largely, if not entirely, on the similar enactments of British India; for example, the Indian Penal and Criminal Procedure Codes were introduced in their entirety in 1897. The lowest court is that of the naib-tahsilddr, who is a third- class magistrate, and can try civil suits not exceeding Rs. 300 in value. Next come the tahsilddrs, who are second-class magistrates and decide