The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-11-01
BOARDING IN INDIA.
vast Amounts of Money Hidden Away 4
Native Princes.


vast Amounts of Money Hidden Away BV
Native Princes.
In the courts of the native princes
OF India boarding takes place on vast
scale. The Maharajah of Burdwan
died lately and left a large hoard. It
proves that anterior to 1885 there was
much boarding when it is stated that
| the Maharajah had withdrawn from his
store f23O, 600 of silver, which was il
the form of Sikka rupees. none Of
which have been coined since 1926. A
letter was submitted to the royal com.
mission on the subject of the Mahara-
jah's hoard. A description was given
of the several treasure houses in the
estate. their dimensions and their con-
| tents: ''One large room, measuring
about AZ feet in length, IA feet. E
inches in breadth, and Ii feet, 9 inches
In height. where gold and silver Ornar
ments and ornaments set with precious
stones are kept. These articles are in
almirahs and boxes of all descrip.
tons, and also some gold plates and
cups. thalees and katorahs. as we'll as
Westinghouse jugs. ETC." Two other
rooms contain silver domestic utensils.
forks. spoons, etc.. and. strange to
say. English dinner and breakfast sets,
all of silver. Two of these rooms
were under lock and the doors bricked
up There are four other rooms, one
containing ornaments of gold. silver
and precious stones, gold ornaments
and throne; two others containing the
reserve treasury, which included the
estate collections and Government Sc
curities and debentures, while
the other is thus described:
''The fourth room measures about
% feet 6 inches in length, Is feet in
breadth. and IL feet inches in
height, where there are two large
sized vaults prepared for boarding the
current silver coin, and since the year
1867 B. G. some money was from time
| to time put in and taken out by the
Maharajah Mahtab Chund BahadOor
for the expenses of an emergent and
extraordinary nature. such as the late
| Maharajah Aftab Chund Bahadoor's
marriage, Lala Bun Behari Kapur's
marriage. and buying landed proper
ties When he died one lac was left
in one of the vaults" In another de-
partment the ornaments belonging to
different gods of the family were kept,
and silver thalees, sapalas. etc, for
the religious purposes. the room being
locked and sealed. 1t was the custom
of the Burdwan Raj family to confide
the custody of these valuables to the
Maharanee for the time being. but the
vaults were never inspected save in the
presence of the Maharajah. When
sums were. withdrawn only relations
and trustworthy servants were admit
ted into the room and vault. Treasur-
ers and dewans used to be present out
side the room or apartment, where the
sum drawn was sent out female
guards being placed in the passage)
for the purpose of weighing, counting
and bagging it before it was sent to-
the mint.
Other instances of boarding were
| given by an officer of the Indian post
Office in 1886, who stated that native
prince was then boarding gold at the
rate of f4O.OOO to 100000 year, and
on the death of two native princes re-
Gently it was believed that they had
left $4,000, 900 each. One of these
princes took loan of f30O 900 from
the Government of India in 1887, when
he must have been in possession of a
large hoard himself; for it is point of
honor with a family not to break into
hoard. which is treated with the
sacredness of a family picture. When
the prince in question had to make a
payment to the Government of India
for purpose in which he was inter-
ested. and was asked when he could
make the payment-a payment of
f150.0OO-he said: "At any moment. :"
Hoards are only drawn on in extreme
cases, and it is such calamities as war
or the great famine in Madras Or Bonn
bay that will bring them out. During
i these famines bullion or ornaments
were taken out of the boards and sent
to the Bombay mint, to England, or
pledged with the native, banker or
money-lenler. But, unless under
special circumstances, the gold and
| silver of which the boards are COM
| posed are drawn in without any inten-
ton of returning to circulation again.
| Chambers Journal