waste
lands in the Wynaad or Nilgiris." It is therefore evident that the
orders passed in the notification, cannot have reference to any but
Government waste lands, and that the position of holders of land on puttah tenure has not yet been defined by Government. Your petitioners would urge that inasmuch as the tenure of land held under puttah title
is of a permanent nature as regards the terms for which the land is
held, the Government should, if it is intended to claim any mining
rights, specify distinctly the grounds on which they purposed to do
so. They submit that as the majority of such lands were held by private
individuals prior to the assumption of rights by the British Government
it is necessary that Government should show that these lands were
formerly held by with some reservation of mining rights. Your
petitioners urge that the right to mine or wash for gold, was not
withheld even by Jammies, but a tax was imposed on such operations, and
that mining was carried on many years ago in Nanjanaad and elsewhere.
Your petitioners therefore pray that an order may be passed by
Government speedily, distinctly declaring their policy as regards this
question and your petitioners beg further to refer your Excellency to
a reputed despatch of the Government of India, No. 7, dated 7th
September 1879, to the Secretary of State, which your petitioners have
been led to understand distinctly says " that, acting under the opinion
of legal advisers, it has been determined that the Crown has no
prerogative rights over gold-mines outside the Presidency Town."
fill—is on the subject of land escheated.—Ed.]
IV.—Your
petitioners embrace this opportunity of bringing to the notice of your
Excellency the growing needs of the gold district in Wynaad.
Telegraphic communication is urgently required, and has already been
represented to the Madras Government, but no steps appear to have been
taken to meet this great want. It is difficult to form statistics of
the probable returns, but there is no doubt it would amply repay the
outlay: each company in Devellah (now about sixteen in number) would
probably spend at least Rioo a month and there would be a large amount
of business, apart from the mining enterprise. The odds, your
petitioners would also urge, demand the immediate attention of
Government. In the transport of heavy machinery to the mines, great
difficulty has been experienced, and your petitioners would
respectfully request that the roads may be put in thorough order, and
bridges strengthened between Ootacamund and Neddiwuttum, thence to
Devallah and Beypore via the Car-coor Ghaut.
V.—In
view of the rapid extension of the gold mining industry during the past
year, your petitioners would respectfully request that a Gold
Commissioner be appointed to secure practical and uniform policy as
regards gold mining generally.
On
the gold prospects in Southern India generally, it may be remembered
that Mr. Brough Smyth summarized his views as follows :—
I hope I have expressed with sufficient distinctness the opinion I entertain respecting the gold fields of South-east Wynaad.
The
facts will speak more strongly than words to those acquainted with gold
mines. Gold has been found on the south near Eddacurra and on the north
near Nellacotlah, on the west near Vyteri, and on the east as far as
Boling-broke, that is to say, over an area of more than 500 square
miles.
The
reefs are very numerous and they are more than of the average thickness
of those found in other countries; they are of great longitudinal
extent, some being traceable by their outcrops for several miles; they
are strong and persistent and highly auriferous at an elevation of less
than 500 feet above the sea, and lluy can be traced thence upwards to a
height of nearly 8,000 feet; near them gold can be washed out of almost
every dish of earth that is dug; the proportion of gold in some of the
soils and reefs in the neighbourhood of Devala is large; and, the
country presenting the greatest facilities for prosecuting mining
operations at the smallest cost, it must be apparent to all who have
given attention to this question that, sooner
