SURAT, or, as the natives pronounce it, Soorut (' beauty '), a large city on the western 'roast of Hindustan, in the presidency of Bombay and province of Gujerat, stands on the left bank of the Tapty, in 21° 12' N. lat., 72' 50' E. long.: the river falls into the Gulf of Cam bay, 20 miles W. from the city. Surat is about 177 miles by road N. from Bombay : it is situated in a fertile country, with woody hills, long sheltered lanes, and patches of dense jungle. The neighbourhood is a favourite hunting district, wild bogs and other game being abundant.
The city of Surat is in the form of a semicircle ; the Tapty is the chord, near the centre of which is a citadel or small fortified castle, garrisoned by a few sepoya and European artillerymen. The city is surrounded by a wall about six miles in circuit, in good repair, with semicircular bastions, and with battlements. The streets are narrow, winding, and unpaved. The houses are generally high, and are mostly constructed of a framework of timber filled up with bricks or sun-dried mud : those occupied by some of the principal merchants are of atone, and are large and well built. There are several hand some mosques; a neat English church, which was consecrated by Bishop Heber in l825; an English school and numerous Hindon schools; the customhouse; and the mini The residence of the naweh is modern. The hospital for aged and diseased animals is an establishment founded and richly endowed by the Jains. A large and picturesque burial-ground outside the city contains numerous tombs of former servants of the East India Company.
The population of Surat was estimated, in 1796, when its prosperity had confessedly declined, at not less than 600,000. It is now very much reduced, the commerce of the city having been transferred to Bombay, and probably does not reads 150,000. It consists of Hin doom, who are mostly Jains ; of Mohammedans, many of whom are Boras ; of Parseea; and of Armenians, Jews, and various other races, besides Europeans. There are also great nnmbers of religious mendi cants in the city and neighbourhood. Surat is the station of a British military force; it is also the neat of the supremo court of justice for the whole presidency of Bombay, of a circuit court, and of a board of customs with a collector. Tho English society is numerous, and of
the best kind.
The Tapty at Surat is a wide river, but the navigation, owing to shifting sandbanks, is unsafe even for boats, and at the mouth of the river is a dangerous bar. The boats which navigate the river are generally of 30 and 40 tons, half-decked, carrying two masts and two largo latteen sail& The river opposite the city is brackish : water for domestic purposes is raised by oxen from wells, and there are also large tanks to collect the rain.
The imports to Surat are chiefly from Arabia, Bombay, and Brazil, and consist of grain and other articles of food, piece-goods, raw mate rials to be worked up into manufactures, and bullion. The exports are mostly manufactures of Surat and the neighbouring districts, raw cotton, which is shipped in large quantities to Bombay, and a few other articles of native produce. The old manufactures of Surat are mostly superseded by those of Great Britain. The vessels aro chiefly English, 'Arabian, and Portuguese.
Surat is mentioned in the ancient Sanacrit poem, The RAmtlyana: After the conquest of Hindustan by the Mohammedans, it was the chief port at which they embarked on their pilgrimage to Mecca. The Portuguese, after establishing themselves at Calicut, Goa, and Hamann, began to trade with Sand about 1561. In 1603 Mr. Mildenhall, a London merchant, reached Agra, and in 1606 obtained an ample grant of commercial privileges by a firmaun from the emperor Jellanghir. In 1612 a factory was established at Surat by treaty with the governor of Ahmedabad, and confirmed by imperial firmaun in 1613. In 1615 Surat became the chief station of the East Tedia Company on the west coast of India.
The chief seat of government under the East India Company was at Surat till 1686, when it was removed to Bombay. In 1800 the nawttb was compelled by the English to sign a treaty, by which be resigned tho entire government to the East India Company, who, on their part, agreed to pay him and his heirs one lac of rupees annually, together with ono-fifth of the surplus annual revenue, after deducting all charges. The forms of state authority are retained.