The most probable opinion, as we have before stated, is, that the zemindars were only the collectors of the reve nue ; but in process of time, taking advantage of the weak and unsettled state of the Hindoo governments, they claimed and exercised all the rights of absolute property over time land. In this character, the British government have deemed it prudent, and a matter of policy, to recog nise them.
One of the principal and favourite objects with the Em peror Acbar was, to make a survey of the whole lands of his empire. After this was done, he fixed the land rent at a fourth part of the valued produce, which they deem ed equal to a half of the produce, if taken in kind. Only one-fourth was taken from garden produce. For the pur pose of carrying this plan of revenue into effect, an offi cer was appointed to reside in every village, whose duty it was to inquire into the receipts and disbursements of the Ryot, and another officer who was bound to protect the Ryot against the injustice of the zemindars or collec tors. In order to understand the reason of the appoint ment of the first tfficer, it is proper to remark, that, in the time of Acbar, as well as at present, in most parts of Hin dostan, a system similar to that of the metayer system of France prevailed. The Emperor also caused regular rent-rolls to be made out and kept by the officer whose duty it was to protect the interests of the Ryot. In short, he revived the L.r.cient system of the Hindoos with re gard to landed property. It deserves to be noticed, that the term zemintiar occurs only twice in the institutes of Acbar.
Having thus given a general account of the nature of the tenure of landed property as it existed during the most early periods of Hindoo history, and as it was reviv ed by the Emperor Acbar, it may be proper to describe it as it exists at present in different parts of Hindostan. In Bengal a large portion of the landed property is held by the zemindars, and the zemindaries are very extensive. The zemindary of Barduan comprises nearly 3230 miles, being about 73 miles long, and 45 broad. This, however, is in fact the property of government, as the Rajah who holds it pays a very high rent for it. The zemindary of Raugeshy comprehends 12,909 square miles. In Bahar the zemindaries are comparatively small, there being but three principal zemindars. The most ancient zemindary in this part of Hindostan is that of Bissuitpoor, in the Burdwan district of Bengal. It appears from good au thority to have been in possession of the present proprie tor's family for upwards of 1100 years, the present ze mindar having a list of 56 successive Rajahs who held it in regular succession. Its area comprises 1256 square
When the Northern Circars were acquired by the Bri tish, they consisted of zemindary lands and havellie lands. The former were situated in the hill country, and in the plains between the hills and the sea. The zemindars who possessed them were surrounded by military tenants, who held their lands on the feudal tenure of personal service. The latter, not being so well secured by the nature of the country, seem to have been more quiet, and more disposed to encourage agriculture ; accordingly they farmed their lands to the Ryots, on annual or longer leases, for rent paid either in kind or money ; one or more villages or districts, and sometimes entire zemindaries, were thus leased out. The havellie lands consisted of the demesne lands of the Circar or government ; they constituted a large portion of the northern Circars. After the usual deductions were made from the crops of these lands for the Pagodas, &ie. the government possessed the right to certain proportions of the remainder. But in order to ob tain this proportion with the least trouble, a whole Circar was rented to one individual; the more ancient custom, however, was to let the land in smaller portions.
In the Jaghire, there were lands held as inheritance from father to son, called meerass lands, and lands held by the pyacarries, or subtenants. For some time, it was matter of doubt whether the meerassadars had a proprie tary right in the soil or not ; but this question was set to rest by Mr. Place in the year 1799, who proved that they possessed this right, originally derived from the sovereign, to whom they paid a certain proportion of the produce, as the tenure on which they held their land ; that they could sell, mortgage, and bequeath their land ; and that, till the period of the Mahomedan conquest, they were described, in the Malabar language, by the term Caniatchy, com pounded of cani, laud, and atchy, heritage. The pyacar ries, who were called strangers by the meerassadars, un der whom they held their lands, seem to have had a life property in them, receiving, however, only about 45 per cent. of the produce. Such were the resident pyacarries; but there were other pyacarries, who seem to have had meerass lands in one village, and to have taken lands on lifz rent, or sometimes only from year to year, in an other. These pyacarries were allowed 50 per cent. of the produce.