The pay
of the troops and establishments, on duty with the revenue
collectors, is deducted by them, and the surplus only is sent to the
Treasury at Lucknow. In his accounts he receives credit for all sums
paid to the troops and establishments on duty under him. Though the
artillery-bullocks get none of the grain, for which he pays and
charges Government, a greater portion of the whole of what he pays
and charges in his accounts reaches its legitimate destination,
perhaps, than of the whole of what is paid from the Treasury at the
capital. On an average, however, I do not think that more than two-
thirds of what is paid and charged to Government reaches that
destination.
I may instance the two regiments, under Thakur Sing, Tirbaydee; which
are always on duty at the palace. It is known that the officers and
sipahees of those regiments do not get more than one-half of the pay
which is issued for them every month from the Treasury; the other
half is absorbed by the commandant and his patrons at Court. On
everything sold in the palace, the vender is obliged to add one-third
to the price, to be paid to the person through whom it is passed in.
Without this, nothing can be sold in the palace by European or
native. Not a single animal in the King's establishments gets one-
third of the food allowed for it, and charged for; not a building is
erected or repaired at less than three times the actual outlay, two-
thirds at least of the money charged going to the superintendent and
his patrons.
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