A History of the Mahrattas v1.c30.133

v1.c30.133

From the vast acquisitions of Ballajee Rao, his lavish expenditure, and the numerous Jagheers and Enam lands which he conferred, it is a common opinion in the Mahratta country that he had a greater revenue than any other Peishwa; but he never had time to collect the revenues in many parts of India temporarily subjugated by his armies. The average collections, in any equal number of years, were greater in the time of Mahdoo Rao than in that of his father; although in the season 1751-52, Ballajee Rao realized thirty-six and a half millions of rupees, which exceeded the highest collection ever made by Mahdoo Rao, by upwards of two millions. The state was much in debt at Mahdoo Rao’s accession; and although at his death, by reckoning the outstanding balances, and by bringing to account the value of stores and other property, there was a nominal sum in its favour of sixty-five millions of rupees; yet the treasury was exhausted, no part of this amount being available. On a complete examination ² of the accounts, the government of the Peishwas seems always to have been in debt, or embarrassed from want of funds, till after the period of Bajee Rao’s connection with the English.