338
MIDNAPORE DISTRICT
of 6 lakhs. The right bank of the Hooghly from the Rasûlpur to the
Rûpnarayan river is protected by an embankment, which is extended
along the west bank of the Rûpnarayan as far north as Ghatal. Both
hanks of the tidal rivers Haldi and Rasûlpur and of several tidal khàls
are also similarly embanked. The Kasai river is hemmed in on both
banks for a distance of i2o miles to prevent its waters from over-
flowing, and so is the Silai river for a distance of 25 miles; the
Kaliaghai river is also embanked. Most of the embankments which
are now maintained at public expense were in existence before the
country came under British administration; they were originally in
charge of the zaninddrs, but they were greatly neglected, and it was
found necessary for Government to undertake their repair in order to
ensure the punctual collection of the revenue. Various measures have
been adopted to improve the drainage in the waterlogged areas in the
east and south of the District by cutting channels, deepening rivers
and khdls, and providing sluices in embankments; but there is much
scope for further work in this direction.
There is a lighthouse at Geonkhali on the right bank of the
Hooghly, opposite the northern point of Sagar island.
The District contains 26 thdnas, ro outposts, and 4 road-posts. In
addition to the District Superintendent and his Assistant, the force
includes 7 inspectors, 68 sub-inspectors, 68 head constables, 649 con-
stables, and io9 town chauhiddrs; there is also a village police of
494 dafaddls and 5,863 chauhzddrs. The regular force is small for
this large area, as there is only one policeman to 8.6 square miles and
to 4,832 persons. The majority of the village chaukiddrs are now
under Act VI (B.C.) of 1870, but many of them in the west of
the District are still remunerated by service lands. The latter are the
successors of the packs, or foot-soldiers, who were retained by the
zam7nddys of former times as a defence against the incursions of
Marathas and hill-robbers; their service lands are being gradually
resumed, and they are being enlisted on regular pay under the Bengal
Chaukidari Act. A Central jail at Midnapore town has accommoda-
tion for 1,340 prisoners, and sub-jails in the outlying subdivisions
for 48.
At the Census of 1901 the proportion of literate persons was
1o-6 per cent. (20-5 males and o-7 females), a larger proportion than
in any other part of Bengal except Calcutta and Howrah. The total
number of pupils shown in the returns of the Educational department
increased from 81,ooo in 188.3 to 107,000 in 1892--3, and 118,ooo in
igoo-1. There was a slight fall in 1903-4, when 102,ooo boys and
12,000 girls were at school, being respectively 48.8 and 5•7 per cent.
of the children of school-going age; both proportions compare favour-
ably with the ratios for the whole of Bengal. The number of educa-
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