212 KFIAIRPUR STATE
In 1832 the individuality of the Khairpur State, as separate from the
other Talpur Mirs in Sind, was recognized by the British Government
in a treaty, under which the use of the river Indus and the roads of
Sind were secured to the British. When the first Kabul expedition
was decided on, the Sind Mirs were required to assist the passage of
the British through their territories, and allow of the occupation of
Shikarpur. Most of the princes showed great disinclination to comply
with these demands. But in Khairpur, Ali Murad, who gradually
succeeded in establishing his hold on the raisat, or chiefship, cordially
supported the British policy; and the result was that, after the battles
of Miani and Daba had put the whole of Sind at the disposal of
the British Government, Khairpur was the only State that was allowed
to retain its political existence under the protection of the paramount
power. In 1866 a sanad was granted to the Mir, under which the
British Government promised to recognize any succession to the chief-
ship that might be in accordance with Muhammadan law. Mir Ali
Murad died in 1894, and was succeeded by his son Mir Faiz
Muhammad Khan, who is entitled to a personal salute of 17 guns..
The ordinary salute is 15 guns.
The State contains one town and 153 villages. The population
was: (1872) 126,962, (1881) 125,919, (189x) 128,611, and (1901)
Population 199,313. The density is 33 persons per square
, mile. Distributed by religion, there are 36,ooo
Hindus and 163,000 Muhammadans. The Hindus are almost entirely
Lohanas (33,000), traders and clerks. Among the Muhammadans
of foreign extraction, Arabs number i2,ooo; Baluchis, chiefly of the
Rind, Burdi, Chandia, Dombki, Jatoi, and Marri tribes, 24,000 ;
Jats, 4,000 ; and the fishermen or Mohanos, 5,700. Sindis include
12,000 Sfimras, 58,000 Sammas, and 41,ooo returned as Sindis un
specified. Agriculture supports 69 per cent. of the total population.
About 95 per cent. of the Muhammadan males and about one-fourth
of the Hindus follow agricultural pursuits. The rest are engaged in
trade and other callings. Sindi, Persian, Siraiki, and Baluchi are
the languages chiefly spoken.
The soil of Khairpur, especially in the strip adjoining the Indus,
is very productive. The tract lying between the Mir Wah Canal
and the Indus is the richest part of the State; but
Agriculture. cultivation even there is by no means so extensive
as it might be, though of late years the area under tillage has
greatly increased. The area of cultivable land in 1903-4 was 1,550
square miles, and fallow lands covered 1,226 square miles. The
principal crops are jozedr, biajra, wheat, gram, various pulses, and
cotton. Indigo is also cultivated, but the area is decreasing. The
fruit trees are the mango, mulberry, apple, pomegranate, date, &c.
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