A History of Agriculture in India v2.c62.s9.1

v2.c62.s9.1

Firoz Shah thus established two cities by land and by water—the city of Fath-abad, and the city of Hisar Firozah. Numerous water-courses were brought into these places, and an extent of from eighty to ninety kos in these districts was brought (under cultivation), in which there were many towns and villages, as the kasbas of Janid and Dahatarath, and the town of Hansi and its dependecies. In every town and village great advantage was derived from the supply of water. The king therefore convened a general assembly of judges, lawyers, and doctors, and demanded of them an opinion upon this question: "If a man with great labour and expenditure of money conducts water into certain districts, so that the inhabitants thereof realize a large profit, ought he or not to receive any return for his trouble and outlay?" They were unanimously of opinion that the benefactor was entitled to the right of sharb, that is to say, ten per cent. The Sultan accordingly realized his sharb, and included it in his rent-roll.