Samka
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Samka
(Burmese, Saga). State in the central division of the Southern Shan States, Burma, lying between 19 56' and 20 25' N. and 96 48' and 97 io / E., with an area (including the small depen- dency of Pongmu on the north) of 357 square miles. It is bounded on the north by Yawnghwe; on the east by Hsahtung; on the south by Namtok and Sakoi ; and on the west by Loilong. Samka consists of a strip of the Pilu valley, 30 miles long, shut in by high ranges on either side, the higher slopes of which belong to the adjoining States.
Rice is grown both in the valleys and in taungyas on the hills, and garden crops and ground-nuts are extensively cultivated. The popula- tion in 1901 was 17,643, distributed in 241 villages. Classified accord- ing to language, 7,698 of the inhabitants were Shans, 5,187 Taungthus, and 4,385 Inthas. All but 350 persons were returned as Buddhists. The head-quarters of the Myoza are at Samka (population, 1,899), in the centre of the State 011 the bank of the Pilu. The revenue in 1903-4 amounted to Rs. 17,000, the main source being thathameda \ and the expenditure included Rs. 10,000 tribute to the British Govern- ment, Rs. 4,300 allotted to the privy purse, Rs. 1,500 spent on public works, and Rs. r,6oo on the pay of officials.
