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Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 23, p. 239.

ADMINISTRATION 239 value of a fixed share of the actual harvest each year according to the nature of the crop grown. The revenue history of the District has largely consisted of variations in the grain standard of the I wet' lands and modifications in the rates of division and commutation price. The ryots had gradually succeeded in reducing their payments con- siderably before the short period of Muhammadan rule (1773-6); but the iron hand of Muhammad Ali succeeded in exacting a larger land revenue than has, as far as we know, ever been obtained before or since. He altered the system by demanding a specified share, not of the estimated produce or grain standard, but of the actual harvest. The restored Maraahhs tried to retain this system, but were com pelled by popular resistance to return to the old grain standard. From 1781 to the cession to the English a new pathak system was introduced by leasing the revenue of one or more villages to farmers (pathakddrs), with the object of encouraging cultivation after the desolating effects of Haidar Ali's invasion. This was for a time successful in its object, but quickly became a source of abuse, and was abolished as soon as the British obtained the country. The latter began by reviving Muham- mad Ali's system (18oo-4), in order to gather information about the real productive power of the land, and then levied money rents imposed in gross on the `wet' lands of the whole village on leases of varying lengths till 1822-3. In that year the productive value of the `wet' lands in each village was elaborately recalculated and a money assess- ment was thereby fixed on each village, which was to vary with con siderable variations in the price of grain. This was called the olungu settlement, and it was extended to nearly the whole of the District, some villages being permitted to pay a grain rent on the old Maratha system and some to pay the value of a share of the actual harvest. It was followed in 1828-3o by the mottamfaisal settlement, which was accompanied by a survey and was intended to resemble the scientific ryotwdri settlements of other Districts. In effect, however, it consisted only in a modification of the olungu assessments, together with a rule that whatever changes there might be in the price of grain the new assessments were not to vary. The assessments were also distributed in a few villages among the actual fields. This settlement was at first applied only to a part of the District, the rest remaining under the olungu ; but it was extended to all but a few villages of exceptional character in 1859. The olungu ryots were at that time at a great disadvantage owing to the high prices, and gladly acquiesced in the change. Pattas (title-deeds) to individual ryots were first given in 1865, and from that date the revenue system of the District hardly differed in principle from that found elsewhere. Meanwhile varying policies had been adopted in the administration of the less important 'dry' lands ; but both 'wet' and `dry' were brought into line with