ll to the river, but is badly drained. It is surrounded by a thin
mud wall, with nine gates, enclosing an area of about 500 acres (2.0 km).
The cantonment, which lies southeast of the town, has an area of 44 square
miles (110 km), excluding the portion known as Fort Akalgarh on the
northwest side. The civil lines are to the south. The Derajat Brigade had its
winter headquarters at Dera Ismail Khan, and the garrison consisted of a
mountain battery, a regiment of Native cavalry, and three regiments of Native
infantry. Detachments from these regiments helped to garrison the outposts of
Drazinda, Jandola, and Jatta. The municipality was constituted in 1867. The
income during the ten years ending 1902–3 averaged Rs. 55,000, and the
expenditure Rs. 53,000. The income and expenditure in 1903-4 were Rs. 55,500
and Rs. 55,800 respectively. The chief source of income was octroi (Rs.
48,000); the chief items of expenditure were conservancy (Rs. 8,785), education
(Rs. 7,246), hospitals and dispensaries (Rs. 6,302), public safety (Rs. 7,733),
public works (Rs. 2,143), and administration (Rs. 5,546). The receipts and
expenditure of cantonment funds during the ten years ending 1902–3 averaged RS.
2,700 and Rs. 2,800 respectively.
The local trade of Dera Ismail Khan was of second-rate importance, but some
foreign traffic with Khorasan passed through it. Powinda caravans of Afghan
merchants traversed the town twice a year on their road to and from India; and,
with the increasing security of the Gomal route, these caravans were yearly
swelling in numbers. The chief imports were English and native piece-goods,
hides, salt, and fancy wares; and the exports, grain, wood, and ghee. The local
manufactures are lungis and lacquered woodwork. The town possesses a civil
hospital; its chief educational institutions are two aided Anglo-vernacular
high schools, one maintained by the Church Missionary Society and the other by
the Bharatri Sabha,
