The Dynasties of the Kanarese Districts of the Bombay Presidency from the Earliest Historical Times to the Musalman Conquest c7.s10.33

c7.s10.33

The first Collector of the North Konkan, Mr. Marriott, lost no time in recommending the abolition of a great number of the taxes, and within a year or two a rough survey was made of the whole collectorate.⁷ But even in 1833 Sir John Malcolm wrote of "the hitherto unproductive island of Sálsette," and only looked forward to its improvement by "respectable and opulent natives of Bombay" settling in it.⁸ Yet for several years after he had left India our Government levied duties at the rate of twenty-five per cent on all goods imported from the east into Sálsette and the other parts of the district which had belonged to the Portuguese. This was a Marátha impost, and our rulers apparently thought it so harmless as to retain it when many other taxes were abolished.¹ The ruggedness of both Konkans and the intersection of the country by large tidal rivers prevented the improvement of the greater part of it by road-making, so that it is only within the remembrance of the present generation that anything has been done to open out the inland parts of the district. But before the end of 1830 a great military road had been constructed from Panwel to Poona, and the Borghát opened for wheeled vehicles, which the Poona Government had on political grounds refused to let our Government repair as long as it was in their power.² This new road was said by Sir John Malcolm "to break down the wall between the Konkan and the Deccan." About the same time the road from Thána to Násik (afterwards part of the Ágra road) was made, and the opening of the Talghát, though it was not available for wheeled vehicles, had the greatest effect on trade, for up to that time Berár cotton used to reach Bombay by the circuitous route of Surat. The Kumbhárli Ghát was also made at this time, although not then passable for carts, and the road across Mahábaleshvar from Sátára to Mahád was completed at the joint expense of the Rája of Sátára and our Government.³