The Express. — London, England, 1853-06-04 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LOW/S.—FRIDAY, JC:CE. 3. The Latin CH.\ NI link his ~at at 5 o'clock. The Kul of CLARENDON, in answer to the Earl of Hetnie.bury, Iliattl that Sir C. Hallow hid succeeded in reme:seliap a treaty by which the over Parana was opened • far as the Inlets of Aisumptioo, with an IMITNIICe that *llea certain 41:11ieulties were overcome it should be opened its fullest event. Lewd DEM:MONT called the attention of the hour* to tht witilect of the mil suite/salon to the crown of I ienmark, and asked if t►e government would produce ecit.iin p.ipets on the subject. Th. Bari of CLARENDON had no objection, as far aa lb.• treat, WWI toscorned. Atter soma cenveraidion the sul.jr et dripped. The Banal UT011114 , 1 Bill posed through committee, and their lordships adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FitmAy, Juse 3. The Sr EAtzt tads the chair at the usual how. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The Lords' anseadusuits to thu Blackburn Gas Bill were read and surfed his. T mitt It caw ans.—Alston Roads ; East Grinstead Rs H. way. Lands triseruvement Company (No. 2); Nuh's Es tate. Ns w Kiser Company; Victoria (London) Docks; lid a. ILEI•goltT• CoNSIDSIILD AND AOZIRD :—East Kest ltailsrat ; Blusgur and Snith Western Railway (No. ; Wildniiiro Fs n and East and West Fens Highways ; East London Waerwurks; EICOND RZADINO.—London and Finsbury Improve Meats and ltuala sr. Se., Hill. Pl:BLIC BUSINESS. INCOME TAX 13ILL. This hill, as amen&d, was ton•iderad, and ordered to be read a third time on Monday. CUSTOMS DUTIES BILL. The report wee bniught up. THE GOVERNNIENT MEASURE ON INDIA. Sir C. WOOD rose, in a not very crowded but still ex pectant house, to state the intentions of the government with regard to Sir Charles commenced by asking indulgence, considering that it was the most important aubject that hr bed ever had to deal with. Ile might have to meet opposition, both on the ground of delay, and on the substantive merit, of the motion. With regard to the first, lie reminded the house that the Charter of the East India Company replied on the 30th of April neat, and that therefore it would be unwise not to legislate upon the subject eluting the present ses sion. The subject was mast important and extensive. Nevertheless, camtemplated legislation would be eom panties-1y in.ignificant, being confined simply to the home and local government of the Indian empire. The great object was a prompt and immediate measure, and, to obtain that, he thought they were justified in incoming even some risk. It was by members in that house that further inquiry was necessary before legislation; but he maintained that sufficient evidence had already been obtained to render it inexpedient to wait for more. And he ailed ttae house to amend the proposal of the government if thi y chose, but not tes reject it altogether, and, by causing delay, endanger the permanent interests of the country. He had heard from everybody connected with India but one opinion upon the subject: that whatever the policy to be adopted, whether one way or the other, whether po pular or unpopular, immediate legislation was the great and important object. Arriving at the other branch of his subject, Sir Charles proceeded to describe the result of the system of government in India during the last twenty years. In striving at a can elusion they should consider the special circumstance's sur rounoing India, and not form their judgment from a home point of view. They should also remember the special cir cumstances belonging to the various portions of the empire —that what was true of one portion was sure to be untrue if another. With regard to the general government of the country, he was not prepared to show that everything had been done, but he wee prepared to show that more had been done than was alleged. lam far from baying, continued Sir Charles, and I beg not to be misunderstood—l am far from saying that there is not much left un done which ought to have been done. lam far from say ing there aro not many sins of omission rather than of commission; but I think when I have made my... 4 hope not y— length statement, the house will be convinced that much has been done—that the government of India, sup ported by the government at home, have not been neglect ful of those great materiel and domestic interests—l mean, domestic as regards India—which were committed to their charge, and that if more has not been done it is in no slight degree to be attributed to the unfortunate continual and expensive wan which that country has been afflicted with. It is not for me no •to express an opinion on the policy of those wars, but this unfortunate result has attended them, that the means have been wanting to carry further than has been den* the material improvement of the country. The complaints which have been made have been chiefly on the subjects of the administration ofjostice, the want of public works, and the tenure of land. I will proceed to deal with these topics in the order in which I have stated them. The complaints with regard to the ad ministration of justice are principally confined to the incon venience arising from the tee:heathy of English law, the alleged incompetency of English judges, and the corrupti bility of native images. With regard to the technicality of Eng lish law, I am afraid there ft some truth in the allegation. We carried with us to that country our own laws and our own mode of administering the law which distinguishes the courts of justice in this country. No doubt it was totally foreign to the habits and manners cf India, and even now by many of our lawyers it is proposed to draw a still broader distinction between legal =Wets and other modes of conducting business, departing still more widely from nes tire habits and customs. lam afraid if we look to our own proceedings at home we have to coin lain of the moths in which them Matters are conducted. I have been some 6 yenta is parliament, and one of the first motion. I heard when I first entered parliament was a motive for the reform of the Court of Chancery. I east my eye the other day over a report of the law commission, and I And recommend ations of that sommiesion, which at 22 or 23 years ago, not yet serried est. Probably many gentlemen may have seen a pamphlet, written by a Mr. Norton, on the adasiaistra ties of justice in Indio at the presioleaey of Madras. No doubt Mr. Norton has been successful in stringing together a number of provisions which appear, as they stand, aboard. (Hear, bear.) Hon. gentleman who heered as it were a it'andeClttl woof of th e imetheirmeg of oar sys tem, will be as tonished when I tale limmikal I bow knell it tit be the *pi nion of one of the mot =time joigos in this tonally that if you will take the mum of puke ia this country from the first verdict faiths mart to the ultimate *esteem inflicted by the antbeft o.the Secretary of State—and' that is a fair illutratho. benanse the Budder Court has the same power of parties be ladle that the Secretary of State bas here—it would ael be 'Meal: to string together a time of absurdities ea ea is India. (Rear, hear.) Dot I beg renames to consider ad may this, belt the Millmemt Othelthmtanoes in which the warts are plemed in the two namatries. Here, for the most part, kedges have a fair /felt to believe the evidence that is given before them. There will be exceptions no doubt, but no man will deny that then is a general, en almost universal rule, that evidence given on oath before our courts is trim and not false. Is that the ease in India / I believe the midenevr, Miami that which we have before us, proves &reedy the reveres of this. (Hear, hear.) In this Moires peados a ease is quoted of extreme Wasik*, because a man, who was coavictad, was attbaullsallY ac quitted is the Sorrier Court. Strange to say, however, be bad been colluded, not upon evidence, but upon his owe istsekeisia. (Laughter.) Again, if yon refer to the *videos, given by Dr. Duff, he starts—l will sot read the paragraph—that it is by no swiss an nneenintialt thing for people In India to confess themselves guilty of a crime of which they are certainly innocent. Well, but is it any alarm* to a judge ler mark:log a man oa his own con fession I Are we to blame the administration of justice for dealing with parties as we might be supposed to deal with them ia this country—believing that when a man confesses to a murder or a perjury, that that man has been guilty of a crime ? I think that, considering the difficulties, it is unfair to come to judge without allowing fur such circumstances as I have mentioned, and that there L no reason to doubt that justice has been fairly and impartially administered by English judgm in India. Of course it is difficult to go into cues. That would require morn knowledge that auy one here peewees; but we have some test of the competency of the English judge, for the discharge of their duties. Let us see how their decisions are dealt with when they reach this country. TM appeals from India are from two courts—the Supreme Court which consists of the Queen's judges, barristers who have been sent from this country ; and die Su4der De vaney Court which is composed of company's judges, civil servants who have spent their life in India and have been raised to the highnt fleece. The return I have in my hand is that moved for by my hon. friend, and is from 1830. Since that year there have been 90 appeals from the Sadder Courts, of which 62 were affirmed and 28 reverted. Thus two-thirds were affirmed and one-third reversed. On the other hand there have been from the Supreme Court 36 ap peals, of which 10 were affirmed and 26 reversed—only ma third affirmed and more than two-thirds resersed. (Hear, hear.) Well, air, I met say this does seem to me to show that it would be unjust to suppose all the company's judges are utterly incompetent to discharge their duties. 'The result of the appeals from India to men in this country who are of the greatest ability and most conversant with the law is, I think, most favourable to the comp. tency of the company's judges. Sir, with regard to the native judges and officers, I am afraid there may be some truth in the amertions that are made of improper and corrupt prac- Dees, which are the remains of the ancient system of administering jenties in India. But it is most satisfactory to find from the evidence given before the committee, that of late years a great improvement has taken place in the tone of them courts and in the tone of practice ; and that, in fact, the native judges do now resist the tempta tions with which they were formerly beset, and which en often impeached the ' , mandate; of their decisions. Native., too, have been etap'.e'ved in far higher caps cities ti an formerly. Lord Dalhousie has taken the unprecedented peep of appointing a native to the situ aten of a samistrete at Calcutta. (Ilear.) Bat I pass son to public works. This subject is one certainly of the greatest importance, net only as regards the welfare . of India. but as regards the interests of this nation in thew-that will. It; and it is one which has been mimed not only upon my attention, but upon the attention of thofe who b ive pii cede , ' me at the lio.ird of Coutril, with greet Oarnittneis b.y trentlemen interesad in er c of -.le IrrT brtheies of manueicturs-1 MAN the mum ineture of •••• ton. When they did me the bochur of graitimt '1•• on they took the most unmet...m.7 trouble so a: le Mot they mould be supposed to ha ar'endnd by selfish motives in 6w Sii.tr the su4„ite'. r, the government of the country. Certainly. it tarred to me that th. y could be ado steel by such motives in Mitten' before the goveralsent the subject. of increas- Mg the supply of cotton; for it is of the greatest ironer tenet that we should not be dependent upon any single country fee our supple of an article which employs so many ' thousands, must I might aloha' soy, millions of our popula- I tins. Therefore, so far from blaming those gentlemen tor the step they . toffir; or for being anxiods to stir or even to agitate upon the subject, 'I think we ought to be•gratefttl to them for having called the attention of the government of India and oi this country to • question of such vital impor tance. (Hear.) The large expenditure caused by the political situation of India for same y..are past has been an obs•acle to devoting so large an am 'tint I f the public revenues to pur poses welch, even for the revenue it-elf, would have been advantageously applied. On the other hand, it is a subject which has attracted and is attracting more .and more consi deration year by year and day by day. Statistics which have been moved for in this house, and which will soon be laid before you, show in a very satisfactory way the in cress.sl attention which has been devoted to the subject. The return is notdrawn out in such a way sa to :in altogether an aceunre notion of what the total expenditure has been ; but it does show a gradual increase in the sums appropri ated to the purposes specified. It embraces a period of 15 years; and the average expenditure for the first five years upon those objects was 210,0001. per annum. In the next five years it was 240,0001.; but duriog the last five years it was 400,0001., showing that in the five years since 1847 the amount, if' not quite doubled, has been very nearly so. In cluding the establishment and the cost of labour , the annual expenditure has been raised t nearly 700,000/. (Hear, hear.) Another great subject of complaint has been the deficiency of roads. Now, I must confess that, in several parts of India, sufficient attention has not been phi to the matter, sod that tt.e want of the means of communication is exceedingly felt. On the other hand, what has been done is more, perhaps, th in many bon. gentlemen are aware. Fee. the same papers, allow me to state to the house some h. items of what has been effected to improve the lines of eon munication. In Bengal, a great trunk road has been pro jeered. It is to be a macadamised road. It has been com menced at Calcutta, and the whelejlength will be completed in two years. It will then be 1,400 miles long ; and the portion already completed is upwards of 'Jib miles. It ie a perfectly good rood as far as completed, and the mails may proceed on it at the rate of ten or eleven miles an hour. It is watched and guarded from one end to the other, night aid day, so that unprotected persons—even " unprotected females "—(laughter)—and merchants, may travel on it by night or by day, with perfect safety and without fear. In Mysore there are 800 miles of road. In Madras, about seven years ago, a sum of 40,000/ a year was allowed for improving the roads; but I am sorry to say that amount has not been expended. But even there the roads of the greatest importance have been eimpleted. ['the right hon. gentleman then proceeded to read a docu ment narrating what roads had been made in this district.] I never said (or one moment that much did not remain to be done. All that I say is that much has been dose, that much more is in progress, as fast as means are forthcoming, and that that which is admitted to be a great and sad deficiency, namely, the want of means of communication with the interior from the coast, will soon, I hope, be remedied. (Hear, hear) I may add that I have here an extract from a' Scindian newspaper, which states that great, attention is being paid in that province both to roads and canals. But 1 qaite admit that for the purpose of bringing down cotton from the interior of the country, no mere road will afford adequate means. (Hear, hear.) 1 beliese that in order to bring down cotton, for instance, from the in terior of Berm-, which is one of the principal cotton-grow lug districts, at prices that will enable it to be done at a profit, it is absolutely necessary that the railroad should be completed. (Cheers.) No doubt the great trunk road from Calcutta to the upper provinces will in a great mea sure be superseded when these railroads are supplied. (Hear, hear.) It may be a matter of regret that so much money has been expended on • road likely to be superseded, and no doubt it would not be a wise course to spend large sums of money upon a line of road which, in a short time, may become superseded by the introduction of railroads. But gentlemen sometimes think that until these great lines are' completed there is no mode of carrying goods froth one pert of the country to another. Now, the two countries where cotton is grown to a large extent, are the upper parts of the presidencies of Bombay and Bengal. [Sir Charles Wood here read another paper describing the facilities at present existing for conveying cotton down to the coast.) I admit that the construction of railroads is in dispensable, and the construction of ' railroads has begun in the three presidencies of India. I think there was, perhaps, some delay in -commenciog those railroads; bat lam sure that when they wero at last begun it was dyne with some little precipitancy ; .fdr in two cases it was tetrad necessary to change the line. There is one other subject of public works, and that one of the greatest importance—the irrigation of dif ferent parts of India. This is one of the points on which the statements of the petition from filadeas are most signal and important. (Hear, hear.) If we are to believe their statements, one would suppose that nothing had been done in the presidency of Madras on the subject of irrigation. They quotes report, which they refer to as the last report of Capt. Cotton, and which states that so many millions of gallons of water are running down the roads. But that report was made in 18317. (Hear, hear.) That which is cited as • the last report was made 15 or 16 yeas* ' ago. But in 1842, wooly .12 years ago, what is called an alikut or a .odem, was completed; and about a million acres Imo from that Limo been irrigated in the most MAIM inseams. (Hear, beer.) The success of that was so complete that another similar work was commenced at the mouth of the Gradation. It will be completed, I believe, in the course of the protest year, and no slight work either. From the last report of public works in India, it appears that great progress is making. We talk of those works as though they were only go the small scale of this country, and eumplain that they me not executed so fast, in a country where what la &mile here is 100 miles there. (Hear.) It is mdet %squint' un fair to condemn people placed ander such chturnstanne, because they do not proceed so rapidly and easily veith their undertakings as in this country. The first of the Wants that 1 have gamed was commenced in 1841 ; that - of the Goodallah will . I believe be completed this year. The wcuks at the mouth of the only other river in ihe Madras, presidency ere already surveyed,—they will be begun this year ; and the result will 'be that there will be irrinsted., by these three works no less than 3,400,000 acres of lead, which will be thus brought into profitable cultivation, for sugar or cotton as it may W. (Hear, hear.) In the northern provinces similar works are goiag on by means of canals. The Jamas Canal, completed some time ago, irrigates about 640 acres. The final report on the Ganges Canal was made in 1836; in 1833 it was sanctioned. It was unfortunately opposed liartlglbiaborooph on his arrival in India. Doubts were enillellthled as to its effect on the health of the distriet, and liardlage appointed a committee of inquiry. He was indlilled that there was no danger to be appreheaded from ire easstruotion of the canal, and it was begun in 1848. In the year 1856 the work will be completed. It comprises 810 miles of irrigating canal, mod 1.560,000 acres of land will be watered by it ; the coat will be about a million and • belt A similar work has been sanctioned and begun in dr waters of the Ranee ; there a canal will be made of alma 460 miles, irrigating a district of about 500,000 acres. undoes not give an adequate notion of the quantity of ground benefited by the irrigation, because it is only neces sary to irrigate about one-third of the land ; and, so far satire eanals go, you may fairly multiply by three the amount of land stated to be deriving benefit from them. The total amount which I have mentioned as thus irrigated is 14,100,000 acres, being rather more than the whole country and area of Ireland. (blear, hear.) Surely, when we are told that no money bas been "pent in such works, and that we are shamed by our predecessors in the government of India, people must shut their eyes to what is going on from the upper to the lower extremity of India. Sanction has recently been given for carrying out two lines of canal from the Indus, one through Feroupore, the other through Hyderabad. The attention of the government has been more and mare called to this subject of late years. The active *Seen employed Pa the administration of the country, having seen the advantages to the 'pantry and the people from these works of irrigation, have been encou raged to press them forward with greater rapidity after they have been sanctioned both in India and at home • and the best proof of the country having benefit ed by these works is that they have contributed to the improve ment of the see and to the benefit of the people. Mea sures have been taken, both in India and in this country fee putting these works on a better system than they have hitherto been carried on. ~,They have been divided amongst different branches of the service in India. In Bengal a superintending engineer has been appointed in each of the different districts into which the presidency is divided, who is now made respmaible for all the works in his district. Only the other day a despatch was sent to India directing that the public works should be put on a better system, re quiring that an annual estimate should be prepared by what is called the board of works in each presidency, so that a regular amount may be applied, year by year to this most important branch of expenditure. (Hear.) Idea not know that I can expect the houso to listen with much patience to • very complicated subject—one of the grievances of the Madras petltion—tho tenure of laud in India. In that country the land is divided into very small por-j tions, and arrangements are made between the I landlords and the government. It is argued that, this system should be put en end to, and that a description of landowners of a larger calibre should be created, hold j ing, to a certain extent, the same position as the landlords of this country. That was a favuerite system for many years with the court of directors. The troth is, that we have in times put committed the greatest injury , by enforcing upon different parts of India the system which we thought best. We committed great injustice in Bengal. We did great injustice by trying to introduce the Bengal system in Madras; also in the settlement of the north-western provinces. (Hear, hear.) At last we have erne to this : we have endeavoured to adapt the different ejstems to the customs and habits of the people in the dif ferent localities, because it is understood that the habits of the people must be consulted on a question of this kind ; and everybody knows how difficult it is to weigh these things properly. In the north-western provinces the settle went is now made for thirty years, giving the patties a per =nen.. interest to that extent in the cultivation of the lamb. In Barnbay leases arc given fur from twenty to thirty yens r. Sir George Clerk,. who has be en G overnor o f Bombay, cspro void a strong oinuiou in f ni that sys at flea tame time he said there were rkt.b:s in is. inr.inces Sow far it was liplicahle. That 'fut. tk :yeti sa in .t dts . ratie to ..pply ". the presidency of *Wyse l'ut i. all thy.. matters w r .flu.( deal with tad ..ihniair.nr....tt t :mite with the renpic un the spot, .c.,1 lk e aaa,t bA ert: in. ,111 WI" the eireuir-•an. miq. s .e es Lest ! ols.tt . .•t Maly w ts• ' , loped with alt. '.I."SP 710 ps• ft. sr, Vtnneited with • . - ! a N. •t v, V avrtl• the Intt:ost.c.. of THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, JUNE 4, '853. cotton. Many hon. gentlemen behind me, of course, know that the Indian cotton to log of a coons descriptiole, ind shortatapte, bJiut so well stilted as Ameridaa cotton' HAM manufactures of' this country ; and the East India Cammitly have for time years taken pains to int:Wats the growth of American cotton icto that country, and to ascertain if !dm-, Indian alma* was favourable to it.. lam happj to say that that point is quite ascertained. In some cases cotton farms have been established, which lave not turned oat successfully ; but Lind . it has been taken up by the riots, they have proved themselves to he as competent to culti- I Tate American cotton as their own. About 1,500 sores in one &Artier - 10e - 116W^ cultivated with American cotton. (Hear, hear.); Three Or. four Englishmen havegoae oat. and hale established cotton plantations ea the very sea coast, where there-is ae difficulty in getting the article to the port.ef embarkation. About two thousand five hundred am.s in this . position are cultivated by English men with cotton . Some time since, the government having ceased to conduct these farms, bought up the cotton at fixed prices, or such portion. of it as were not taken try mercan tile firms. Hating thus ascertained that is almost any part of the Madras presidency American cotton may be grown, that is a great advantage. It is the duty of the government to provide roads down to the port of embarkation ; but the cultivation itself ought to he dealt with by private enterprise—(hear, hear)—in the same way as iadigo was grown in Bengal by British subjects, or by making arrange ments with the rots to deliver it at a certain price. The truth is, the whole question of the growth of American eitton depends on the certainty of a market in this country. (Hear, hear) If they were certain of a market, they would grow it ; otherwise, they will not, there being little or no market in any other country. An lion. Mamazie—The market here will depend on the price? Neer to a more secant publication, because it states the condition of the peasantry in that portion of ludia, where the rpotwarrie system is asserted to have been most inju rious. I will quote a paragraph from an account given by the. collector of Salem, Mr. Banker. lie aye i— f. Agricultural labour can readily be obtained for ls. 3d. a week, the articles of daily consumption being cheap in the extreme. The government demand foe anacre of dry lend scarcely exceeds what a common labourer can earn in a fortnight, about which amount of labour will find him with an ample supply of salt for the whole year. The algae of improvement cannot be mistaken. When the peo ple threw down the walls of their villages and toe us; when the cottage shines out among the distant fields ; when the children drive the cattle to pasture, and troops of women pass fearlessly along the public roads, seeking the neigh bouring markets, these, sorely, are different times to those that saw the rest go to the plough with his spear, or his matchlock in his hand; when the tsade of the country. &tried on bullocks, straggled from village to village, guarded ever by armed men, and the merchants feared to engage in cultivation, because such gains could Lot ba hid with sufficient ease. The greatly increased fertility of the soil, the increasing traffic, the improved bazaars, the value that laud, even under the present system, is everywher.• acquiring, all show ideally that capital is accumulating. and that the condition of the people is better than it was." What I have just quoted has reference to the Middle Pre sidency of Madras. Although these statements refer to particular districts, I have no reason to suppose that they do not present fair specimens of what exists throughout India. But we have still more convincing proof, not only of the increased power of productien, but of the iocreeed power of consumption, of the people of India, in the taiga.* of imports and exports. For instance, I see that the average importation of sugar and molasses in the ten years ending with 1842, was about 444,000 cwt. ; the average importation of the last ten years has been 1,369,000 cwt. The importation of rum has risen from 233,000 gallons to 600,000 gallons, having more than doubled. The importation of coffee has increased from 2,358,900 lbs. to 3,236,000 lbs. ; the importation of cotton wool has increased from 580,000 lbs. to 800,000 lbs. The value of the cotton piece goods—here is comfort for the manufacturers of this country—imported into Calcutta in 1833.4 was 700,000/. ; in 1851 the value was 2,930,000/. (Hear, hear.) Surely that is an increase in the power of consumption which proves moat completely that the position of the people is improved. If we take the imports and ex ports for the whole of India, we find the result to be still more remarkable. The total value of the imports in 1834.0 was 7,903,000/. ; in 14349.50 it was 17,313,0001, bring an increase of no lees than 140 per cent. (flear,hear.) The exports during the tame period increased from 4,261,000/. t 010,300,0001., being an increase of 112 per cent. With all our boasted trade at home, the value (dour exports during that period increased, not 112 per rest., bat only 63 per cent. (Hear, hear.) The improvement of India, as mea sured by the increase of exportation, was nearly double the ratio of improvement in this country. Can any one suppose that the condition of the people of India was deteriorated during that period ? On the contrary, may we not believe that in the power: of production, in in• creased industry, and in the increased quantity of goods actually consumed in India, we have as good a proof as, could be afforded of improvement in the condition of the people of that country? (Hear, hear.) Sir, there are many minor topics to which I might refer, if time per mitted, but which I can only mention in passing. I have referred to the trigonometrical survey, which is a work of vast importance, both as tending to facilitate cemmunica liens and in a scientific point of view. We are es tablishing an electric telegraph, to connect all the great towns of the Indian peninsula. I will not go into greater detail; but I must say it affords me great satisfac- I Bon to read constant accounts of the attention paid to the condition of the people in various ways—in the establishment of dispensaries, in the extension of vaccina tion, in the setting up of schools, and in various matters of I that kind, which is other countries perhaps it is best to leave to the charity of individuals; but which in India, if done at all, must necessarily be done by the government. (Hear, heir.) In every part of that vast empire great flattention appears to have been paid to the improvement of the condition of the people. Sir, I have said before that many things may have been left undone, and many things ought to have been done perhaps more completely which I have been done incompletely. But I must say that credit try the administrative officers of the Indian govern- Ilitta who devote themselves to the improvement of the tendition of the people, to the govern ment in India who support them is their ex ertioas, and even to the government at home, blameable as many people seem to think them, who have encouraged and sanctioned the improvements which had been made. No man who should have at down to construct a gorerament for this mighty empire would have constructed tiis .geatensment which we have at this moment. But the gagesnenent bas grown as our Indian empire has grown. • Faults It ispyliave, defects it may have, imperfect it may e be; buts itsly, whatever faults it may have in theory, it cannot haye been badly administered, seeing that an em pire of Inch magnitude has gradually grown into such au extent of prosperity, and mash an improhakent in the condi tion of the people. That it bothweetamie fit for its task at various times, by alteration s ftefleiteration, everybody is aware. That it is not now what it was twenty yeses ego— that it was not then what it was twenty years before—is known to us all; and, the period having come when it is necessary for us to deal with the government of India, and to provide for what it shall be after the 30th of April next, it becomes us seriously to consider in what way it is most desirable that itshould be framed, in order to ensure, what USN oar bounden duty to look to in the first instance, the welfare of the people of India, and, es dependant upon and ecianeeted with that mediate, the interests of this country ; for, I believe the two to be inseparable. (Hear, hear.) After referring to the principal objections made to the present system, Sir Charles continued—The ques tion for the government to consider was, whe ther we should continue the government of tuella in its present form—whether we should assume the government of India to itself—or whether we shall leave it la its present form, improving it as far as we can in its conelitation. With the defects which have been stated in the oonstiftftion of the Court of Directors, it is, I think, im possible td leave the government of India as it is ; •on the other hand, if I bad been anxious to grasp at power, and put mysein a,poeition the most powerful that any minister (Auld attain to—that of psinessing the uncontrolled sway of power in India—if that had been my object, and I could hay. induced my colleagoes to concur in it-the opportu nity would have been the most tempting that could have presented itself. (Hear, hear.) But we do not think that such sh arrangement would tend to the benefit of India, and we considered it more wise, as well as more just, to maintain the present form of vovernmeat, to im- • lrove its constitution in such a manner that, while we be ieve the government will be more fitting for the good of India, it will in some respects readermore easy that change, which perhaps may come in time, which the extension of information oa Indian affairs may then render safe, but which we think would not be safe now—viz., the assump- tion of the gotresninent of India by the crown. (Hear, bear.) What we propose to do is to leave the relations of the Board of Control and the Court of Directors as they stand, leaving the responsibility, as it is now, in the hands of the minister who holds the etas which I have the honour to fIU, but limiting their patronage and their responsibility. We propose to improve the constitution of the Court of Directors, to limit their paten age, and to impose some checks upon the higher appoint ' meats. the Court of Directors now practically consists of 30 members, but 24 only sit. Six of the members go out yearly by rotation, and though they are subject to annual election, they are prseticaUy elected for life. We propose to reduce the number of the elected members to 12, and to add to them six names of Indian servants appointed by the crown, making 18 in all. (Hear, bear.) We promo that one-third of the elected number shall vacate every second year, but that they shall be eligible or capable of being nominated again without the intervention of a year. The interval of a year has been thought to occasion great incon venience, and I sin not aware of any reason why •it should be insisted upon. No great advantage I would be derived either from increasing or di minishing the number of proprietors, who have a right to vote at the eleetionof directors. We therefore propose that there shall be no change in the present constituency. We do not, however, propose to effect the whole change in the constitution of the board of directors at once. In the first instance, before the expiring of the present charter, we propose that the government shall select from the thirty directors who are now in office fifteen of their number, and that the crown shell select three others from the Indian servants who have served either the crown or the company for ten years. They will make eighteen, who will be the first board of directors of the East India Company, whose duties will commence after the second Wednesday in April, 18.54, when the charter expires. The three first vacancies which occur among the elective members of the board of directors, are to be filled by persons nominated by the crown until the whole number of six directors who are to be appointed by the crown is completed. When that has taken place, all future vac mein among the elective mem bers will be filled up by election, and all future nominative members will be filled up by nomination, so as to keep up the numbers of twelve who are to be elected, and six who are to be nominated by the crown. Every member is to serve far six years; but one-third of the court, whether elected or nominated, will'go out every second year, but will be eligible for re-election or renomination. All per sons named by the crown must have served the ceiwn or the company for ten years in India. [Mr. DISRAELI— Cannot those who are now members be nominated ?] That is no disqualification. T.io.e who are now in the direction and have the qualification w e require will be eligible ; but the mere being now in the direction is not a qualification. If any director now has the qualification of having served ten years in India he can be appointed, but he cannot be nominated unless he has served ten years. We believe that this will be a great improvement of the court of directors, but et the same time we do not think it would be lair to tie the hands of parliament with regard to any change which they may think desirable. Times change, and in these days we do not know what necessity for alteration may arrive. We do not, therefore, propose to tie the hands of p aliament for any period. We propose that this fermi of government shal l last only until parlia ment sh ell otherwise provide. While we think that this change will be a great improvement on the present govern ment of India, we think hen. qualernen will see that it' this form of ;government should tilt answer, and it she old Le thought right by any future ;omit iment that the crowu should adopt the rule dye gover,ineei of Indi as it is the opinion of every c.ae would b. mie sail° that thr govern iont C. dri be ct trio. ni wit' • out a atuncil, tiv• uu •o QM Of a council woe ' lie found in this I s.arrl 0 15. i 0 friend of mine ash% nit if s• e di: .• sr, a salary ? hoint.ti.: avt , t;e a th• rre paid Mat a year, risd • e .it . I mein XV. aie .r. I deft:. it A: TE • „ s •.• Sir C. WOOD—Just so; it depends on the price at which the American cotton can be grown—(hear, hear)—and if it pays to export it to China, surely it must pay to export it to this country. The export has considerably increased of late years; and I have not the least doubt, if at Is taken up by those whom* interested in the import of cotton into this country, that it may be grown in any quantity required. (Hear, hear.) A native of India, in a letter on this sub ject, says that if they are in earnest. he can see nothing to prevent their growing cotton; that if they would form associations to provide capital and to superintend its judicious outlay, they would not only render England in dependent of America for her cotton supplies, but they themselves would reap a large amount of benefit. (Hear, hear.) That is the opinion of a very enlightened native of India who is acquainted with the feelings and prejudices of his own countrymen. All that it wanted is British eapitai, and that parsons should be sent out under the East India Company to encourage the caloivation by the ryota, which they could carry on much better than English settlers. Mr. BRIOHf—Was that letter written in England or In India ? Sir C. WOOD—le India. I have net got the date, but the letter is quite recent. I must now trouble the house for a short time on the subject of the revenue of India. The revenue of India is almost entirely a land revenue, which, strictly speaking, is not a tax at all, bat a portion of the rent of the land. All the preceding governments of India have taken different proportions of the rent of the land, which constitutes the main item of tic ; and the English government have followed their example. About three-fifths of the whole of our revenue are derived from the rent of land, every person being left to cultivate it es he pleases no °keels being opposed to the employment of capital, pleases, no tee whatever being imposed on his con sumption. In Reseal the revenue is a fixed charge. In Madras, as I have already stated, it varies in amount. Awl in the north - western provinces a rule is laid down which is most beneficial to the parties—the rule being, that two thirds of the entire produce shall be paid to the tate, leap ing one-third for the expense of managemeet. The next Item of revenue is that derived from opium. Lest year the proceeds of the opium duty were 3,500,000/.; and the mode in which it is levied differs in differ ent parts of the country. In Bengal the producer is bight by . the government st a fixed trice. and the revenue is derived from the difference betweea the price of the poppy greeds together with the cost of cultiva tion, and the pike at which the opium is sold by the go vernment. The opium raised in the native state of Malwah pays a duty to government on its transit through our territories. This revenue has increased considerably of late years, and it now amounts, as I have already stated, to 3,600,000/. Varies. objections have been nude to this branch of rename, on account of the immorality of selling a drug et this kind to another nation. But I expect that it will receive same sanction at least from hon. gee flames opposite, as the posed that the opium revenue is got from Ike foreigner. (Langhter.) The subject of the opium duty was inquired Intl% the committee of 1832, and they reported on it thus, that " though governmenMop poly of opium may, like other monopolies, be dis adf in some reepects,yet it does not appear to het• bees productive of extensive injury, and unless some mem equalbt productive assessment of the poppy lend could tie substi tuted, an equal enteent of revenue could not be obtained in a less otdeetioesible manner." The next item of revenue is one against which considerable objection have been urged. I refer to the duty on salt. (Hear, hear.) But hon. gint Semen. must remember,that no doctrine has been urged, by political ecoeoniets of great eminence with so much force as this, that the revenue should be raised on as few articles as passible, that as few articles of consumption as possible aboaldhe lobe* for the purpose of platting theewbeile burden of the duty upon them, and that all the others aboard he left astonished (18ear, hear.) That recommendation was carried out in India, for almost every other article of consumption was free from duty except salt. The Customs duties are trifling in. amount ; butall other articles of consumption are totally sad absolutely free, eireepe salt. An Hee. kesusit—Name them. (Laughter.) Sir C.'WOOD—And even with regard to the tax on salt the goventment would be glad to reduce it whenever a surplus ration' Would enable them to do so. Tke p emssamietioll often per head is 121 b. in the coursed the year. And the deity being lid. on every 21b. the actual amount dui meld by tech individsal in India on the oily article is whir-him pays 'duty is 9d. per head. Now,tensideriag the 106014 (reedy= from all other duties and the absence lof reetriedobs of all kinds,l cannot say that the duty on salt is tberopteseste, lax that it has been sometimes represented to ha. (Clean) 'lt is hardly worth 'while to go into the other item". ef wawa. The Customs perigee under 1,000,0021.,, pod the geese revenue amietthag to the last ried o otent B6 bus been laid before us is 2.5 I (An Boa. Member—" 29,000,0001.") The last aeeoeat leld before the committee states the Pees reve nue at 2609,0001. I have now pew Wooed those sub !jade volift hate been the pascal topics of et darge laid against the administration of India during the last 20 years es set forth in the documents laid before the commit. tee. I have that with regardpublic works there exists misapprehension, and that It is sot true that babas lienbeen done. I think I have sheen that in rasias= ei immem °fiend Mans whiehieemppeed to be most Ilte pleases whe Mid maim thee *swami have r nilberad to the maim& wastems atlas pope, sad that any attemptleteibly to alter it would be meet kitasiees and an)ast as running counter to the habits and elielpme of the Inhahitente. (Hear, hear.) But if we Mak to what has been dime in the (mune of the last tweet, taking a.general view of the administratioo of the emirs of India, I think there is much on which we have 744804 to con gratalite ourselves. (Hear, hear.) I dined that in the course of the last twenty years, partly by the laws enforced in our dominions, partly owing to the infiumes we possess and exercise in e ther states, we have, if net in the whole, at least in thegreater part of India, put an end to slavery, Sutteeism, and female infanticide. (Hear, hear.) In 1829 we abolished Sutteeism in cur own territories. In 1840 it was abolished in Ouicowar and other states in the west of laths. In 1848 it was abolished in Gorepoor through the influence of Colonel Ludlow and the Rajpoot states followed the example. In 1847 Lord Hardtsge announced that infanticide had been abolished throughout our own territories and in the remotest parts of Hindostan. (Hear, hear.) Human sacrifices which, hon. gentlemen may be astonished to learn, existed up to a recent date, were put an end to owing to the influents of oar officers and our authority. (Hear, hear.) The crime of female infan ticide, which by the natives was not regarded as a crime at all, was likerrise put an end to ; and it was gratifying and curious to witness the authority exercised by a single officer in this respect. There is a curious account given on this aralleet by Colonel Unwise, He says that in Najpoor, in 1843 there was sot a single female Chauchilalt infant to be found in the whole district; yet in 184. i he induced the Rajah of Najpoor to spare a female child of his own. The result of that example was that in 1860—in seven years- 1 instead of there bi ing ne female child alive, there were 1,400 female children born in that period and alive at the end of it. (Hear, hear.) What a sacrifice of human life must there not have been when such was the result in.so short a period ! (Hear, hear.) And this was effected, not by force or viulence, but by the influence of a single officer. When it is recollected what ening preju dices the Rajapots entertain on this subject, and teat they consider it a degradation to have these children, that which I have just stated is a wonderful proof of the infiu-1 enee of a single officer in putting an end to what appeared to be an inveterate custom. (Hear, hear.) I know that many persons look back with 'abstraction on what tin y call the golden age of Hindoatao, when, before the intrusion of the Buglr.h system, peace tranquillity, and happine ss pre vailed to an extent which had not been seen since our rule was intronuced. But I confab the niece I inquired after that golden age the more it appeared to retire from me. (Ilear, hear.) When I go back and consult ancient histo rians and document., I find that the same practices existed which are new complained of, and however far back I ge I have not been able to hit off the period when universal peace, tranquillity, and happiness prevailed. (Ilene, hear.) Whether such existed in the fabulous times of Chrism and Vishnu, with his attendant shepherd, Ido not know; but certainly at no period within the record of authentic history can we find that universal ;Niece and pros perity unmet' in Hindostan. (Hear.) It is within the last twenty years that the monstrous system of Thuggee, which was nothing but a system of wholesale murder, has been discovered and put down by our officers. (Mar, bier.) It is almost incredible that so monstrous a system ever ex isted as that there should be a class of persons who, under the sanction of religion, believed that they were performing acceptable acts of unifies in committing who'nele murders on %moll - ending pen us for no other object Owl the commis sion of the crime itself. But this system has been discovered , and put duwu. (Hear, bear.) Well, sir, I must any that I see no evidence to lead me to impinge that the condition of the people of India is net as good at that of the peasantry io meet parts even of the civilised world. (Hear.) If hon. gent:emen will tuns le a book not os very A cent date, Bishop Ileuer's "'Tar thruovh India," they will did accounts then or the cute of the peasantry, abowiag a ilegn e of combo •, ..econlinc to their rations and to the requirements of the elinetc, sup. rir to Ch it which is enjoyed by many now le in tc found u, Europe. I will no' Web.* the haus, try q. , ot,:ey Item flu t Tok ; but 1 %.11 tem ; be somewhat increased. I do not think it desirable that they should be remunerated by what is called salary, but should be more constant in their attend e receive 6001. • year, and the chairman and deputy-chair enit.e'' lle , e a ye n ewY d ti m ibla o bet tb reinwn, I propose that the directors feey"e in number, and that will reader it town, shall 1,0001. a year as their remuneration. The powers, , the privileges, sana i . I no w w q ual come ific a t t o i o t n h s e of limitationthe director, ot are exercise be of the patronage by the directors. At present the house is aware that all appointments to the civil service ; and at the Col l. ge at Addiscombe, to the engineers and artillery, and all the seseistaut-surgeons in the army, and in fact, ad the sppciairtnents to offices, are made by the Court of Directors ; the patronage is divided among the members by certain rules, and certain patron- age is, by courtesy, allowed to the President of the Board of Con:rel. The filling up of vacancies is regulated by the demand. While I object to some of the exercise if their patronage by the Court of Directors, yet I nitwit but look to some if the servants which it has turned out. (Hear, hear.) Many of the best servants under the crown have been derived from this source, and I need only mention the names of Eliminstone and Rowe, and many others could be named as having obtained employment by the exercise of this patronage. It is remark able also that it has been exercised in favour of members of the middle classes as distinguished from the aristocracy. When he was asked betore the committee of the House of Lords, if he thought the son of • horsedealer should be allowed to be sent out to India, Mr. Mall replied that" if he was tit to be appointed, he did not see why he should nut go." (" Hear, hear," and cheers.) I confess I entirely agree with him. (Hear, hear.) Lord Ellenborough stated that he wished that more of the aristocracy ehould be introduced into the Indian service. 1 see no objection to the introduction of members of the aris tocracy into that service, but they must gain it by merit, and not by favour. (Hear, bear.) With regard to the appointmeuts to Haileybury, we propose to eo away alto gethcr with nommatioas. We propese that no one shall be admitted by favour or by nomination into the civil service. Under such regulations as the President of the Board of Control shall sanction, we propose that admission to Haile y bury shall be thrown open to public competition. It mem hers of the aristocracy are able to gain admission into Haileybury by merit I shall he glad of it, and if the suit of a horsedealer can obtain admission also by his merits, I shall be equally glad; but there will be no admission by favour, and merit alone will procure admission into the Indian civil service. We propose to take • similar course with regard to the scientific branches of the army. We ptopoie that admissions to Addiscouthe shall be thrown open to competition ; and we propose to take a similar course with regard to assistant-surgeons. With r.gard to other appointments in the army we do not propose to make them so open to competition. I now pus on to the second branch of the govern ment of India, and I shall not have occasion to detain the house so long on this part of the subject, as leas change is required in it. It appears by the evidence of all the wit nesses before the committee, and it is also the opinion of Lord Dalhousie, that it is advisable that there should be no change in the pewees of the Governor-General. Some questions loam arisen and some (Semites have taken place with the council with regard to the powers of the Governor- General, but they have now been all settled by the deci sions of the law officers of the crown, and it is not neces sary that any change with regard to them should now be smile. There is only one respect in which there ought to be a change as regards the Governor-General. It appears by the whole of the evidence that the Goveinor•tieneral being governor of the whole of India as well as of Bengal, hie powers are too much taxed, and he has too much to do. We propose therefore to relieve him from the government of the provinces of Bengal. Ido not propose to make any change in the general control he exercises over the whole of the Indian governments. Same complaints have been made of the checks put by the Go vernier-General on the expenditure of the other Presidencies as compared with that of Bengal. Those complaints, how ever, are not borne out by the facts. If there is any pro since to which favour would be shown, it would be likely to be Bengal ; but it has been shown that the find in amount of expenditure are the north-west provinces, the next is Madras and the least of all is Bengal . We pro pose therefore that the power of the Governor- General in this respect shall be left unchanged. There is another point which has been raised ; namely, the abseuco of the Governor-General from Calcutta, by which he is deprived of the assistance of his council. I think, however, that that is a case for administration and not for legislation. in the case of Lord liardiage, when he went into the upper provinces, and in that of Lord Dalhousie when he went into the I'unjaub, it was clearly necessary for the interests of India that they should be there in per son, and they took with them military powers, and they left to their council all the powers necessary for the civil admi nistration of the government. It is no doubt desirable that the Governor-General should be as much at Calcutta as possible, but that is a point the regulation of which must be left to the discretion of him and his council. With regard to the executive council 'we do not propose to make any change in it except that the members who are named as now by the directors shall be approved by the crown, and that what is called the fourth ordinary member of council shall sit at the board and vote on every question. With regard to the other presidencies, the evidence is all in favour of ' sending out to them, from time to time, statesmen of emi nence from this country, as governors; and that it is desir able to maintain the councils. Looking to the nature of the establishments, comprising separate armies and sepa rate judicial establishments, la Madras and Bombay, we think it right to keep the governors above the sahordinate rank of lieutenant-governors. The evidence is all in favour of the appointment of a lieutenant-governor fur Bengal. It has been stated that much inconvenience has been caused by the temporary appointment of a deputy-governor of Bengal, in the absence of the Govemor•Geiterel, and the in terest* of the presidency are said to have suffered by that system. While, therefore, we relieve the Governor-General it will clearly be for the benefit and the interest of the pro vince to have an active Lieut.-Governor constantly on the spat. We propose, therefore, to appoint a Lieut.-Governor for Beagal, and to continue the present power of the crown to appoint either a governor or a Ilena-governor at Ava ; and we also propose to take powers in the bill enabling us to constitute a new presidency with a goventer en the Indus. (Hear.) That is all I have to say with regard to the exe cutive government in India. [Mr. Hume—Are no natives to be admitted to the councils T] There is no reason now by law why natives should not be put into the councils ; but the evidence is decisive that it to not at present desira ble to appoint them to the councils. I will now pro ceed to the subject of the legislative council. It Is proposed to constitute legislative councils of the execn tive council as it stands at present with the additions. is each presidency or lieutenant-governorship, the governor or lieutenant-governor will select the member of the civil ler- I vice for part of that Legislative Council one member each. I The Chief Justice of the Queen's Court and one other judge of the Queen's Court will be members also of that Legislative Council; and it will be in the power of the Court of Directors, if they should think fit, to allow the Governor-General to add two other members of the civil service to - this council. The members now sitting are six, theGovemor-General and the Commander-in-Chief, and four members of council; and by adding four members, one' ( from each presidency, and two of the Queen's justices in Calcutta, we should then have a body of 12 for all practical purposes of legislation. It is alleged, now, that great in convenience is found in the legislative council in Calcutta, I in not having member. acquainted with the habits of the country in other parts of India. We propose to remove that disadvantage, by having some of the members selected by the presidents In the :..ther presidencies ; and though we do not propose that those members should sit in the executive Council, there would still be this advantage, that they would be able to supply in formation to the Governer-General and council of India in the executive committee on all matters connected ' with the presidencies and lieutenant-governorships. These different members of the civil service will bring to the council that intimate acquaintaoce with the habits and customs of the people of India, which, in governing such a country, is so palpably requisite. (Hear, hear.) The council would thus have the advantage of the assistonee of three persons having received a legal education in England, two of them being in the situation of judges; and this arrangement will, I hope, have the effect of imparting to that Legislative Council that spirit of improved legis lation which, henceforward, all persons going out from this country should be guided by. (Hear, hear.) We propose, in addition, to give the Governor-General a veto upon the legislation.. I I come now to another subject; and I am sorry to say that we cannot embody oar views in this respect in the bill. I refer to an improvement which we propose in the courts of justice, in the president's towns. I stated early in the observation I have been addressing to the house, that I would ultimately state the measures that we propose for the administration of justice. With respect to that, so far as it is concocted with the civil ser vice, we propose considerably to change the course of education at Haileybury, and to alter toe examination which students are subjected to before going to India. We propose considerably to add to the legal courier now pursued at Haileybury. I am in hopes that the present term of two years —I am assured so by the head of the cullege— would be sufficient to enable the student to acquire the requisite knowledge to pees the examinations we shall institute ; but, if that should not suffice, the term will be extended, so that at all events no man shall go out as a civil servant to India withoat a competent knowledge on all thole branches of legal education. We further propose to eusure the fairness of the art examina tion by providing that it shill be conducted by an inde pendent board of examiners. In this manner we trust to improve the morale and the knowledge, and ' the position of future candidates for employment in the I Company's service. (Hear, hear.) I now come to another part of this subject. We propose to effect what we believe would be a great improvement in the constitution of the Superior Courts in India. At present, as the house is aware, there is what is called a Queen's Court in each pre sident's town for the administraion of justice to the Eng lish inhabitants. There is, also, the highest Company's court—what do you call it [Mr. Lowe—The Sudarawanity) —the Sudarawannv, consisting of the Company's officers, being substantially the saute court, but administering civil and criminal justice in two &cruets courts. We prop , se Ito COMloii.llie these two into one. (Hear, hear) I believe the constitution of bath will be improved by the male e ta a. (I't tr, hear.) The introduction of Queen'sja.:ges will impet. hereon:l law and legal ka , naledge, such as they w.B r -ry ma this eouutry; and on the other hand the Cotta . hand , the j trivia contribute that sal :eh the I Eel 'aih le. • yen acquaintance. intiat.•te sad ..etei lie. with eta a 1111 . 14 and mums of the e iuutry. Ne ray ar that. this man rhould he 'he ultimate coar of awn.l i, .00h pres • i.-; writ adagio rs. I: is also p lo p • ti it Amulet 'Jove WWI ;gristle:Son, and that li c en found of lite — . judges should be sent by emend cominisTh iow inn, ewchtinotn toiseLiamtinaptrienteel eivitcryprEoresT..; of the country. A matter fur discusaion in concea:: a 4 l that would be with regard to obteinine tl l 4 operation of learned native', and undoubtedly. gfarre'atetshte their assistance With b regard to n it , I : 1 1 judges, I do nut know that much more -t r.: subjection promotion. There are ceher minor taints in th e there e do b n e e ing t a ba For instance, with regard to furlow regulati ons , England is now nearer tha n th e C ape used tobe and we are inclined to propose extensions of limit, (Ut. lune.) lam nut aware that there is anything else hill to which it is necessary t o e.,11 the a tt ent i on of '— house. There are certainly oth er topic of import These is none of mere insportan:e than the queston of sear education ia India ; but on perhaps übject we have n 0 4 . 14 5 ,'" toted into any inquiry ; and pp it would be u se . I were to address many observations to the house. C" questionably great improvements have taken place ie t t s . . respect in the course of the last twenty years. We to e d., • vend considerable SUMS in the colleges in India co iu e: uraging an acquaintance with O r i ental literatures ot value; but chiefly owing to th e exert i ons of my rig/nit; friend the mem.ier fir Edinbural., European lihr were substituted for books wri t t en in &m Pet erit and t: and if any one will refer to the nppendix t r (to th e book of) the House of Limbs, he will see whet prof ic . : 4e has been made in that respect by the natives, been done in improving th e na ti ves in the scienc.2 s h practice of medicine and surgery. I must a iti 7 saying anything at present with regard to the o w ; ment plan in regard to the p romot i on of Cloristiarete India. This would be the subject of inquiry attenreV But there is a very good acco unt t o b e had of the is; enamel.) , 6CIIOOIB in which the Bible is ordinarily ra t a . the full knowledge and concurrence of the Inertly p r ; of the country. I believe th a t no great number of the% who attend those schools ultimately because Christians, several do ; and there is strong testimony in existence regard to the mural habits of those wau have annufq those schools, and obtained a Christi to education; y r strong general teinimooy, moreover, with regard to ti; spread ot Christianity. Strong admissions are entee ra44, by the 'Undoing themselves that among the e d,, rated and enlightened classes of the m enu , as foundation of their debasing faith is Ovine sa , It is well known that the government internee, no respect with the religion of the people. No pen o , be more completely convinced then I am that that is glee Course. I believe strongly that a contrary name vocal merely have the offect of prejudicing the natives aaai ap our efforts, end thus of retarding the fulfilment of oar hopes. To mention one fact out of many which it m ay s be uninteresting for the house to know, I may m ount by the last mail an account has been received of the baptism of a descendant of Ituideet Singh and oth er princes of high rank have been received into our faith,i t a not for ostentation, but privately. I say, that we rattly interfere, not with the propagation of oar owe h a. gion in despite of the prejudices of the people, but, on the other hand, I am bound to expren ea opient that we have been perfectly right in h a ae ss that an adoption of Christianity sh a ll not i nvolve say lento the convert. Much censure has been directed agai tat t e, Indian legislation which prevented the forfeiture of pea petty by Hindoos on becoming Ciaistians. B e t i t, sk that was perfectly right ; that is ( - quality, and not illega l , lity. It is only a declaration thus the professions of as religion within our dominions shall not e n t a il t h e forfeiture I of property. I distictly condemn a fermi system of prose. lytisen. 1 think that we are taking the proper coar se; I think we are right to put our trust in a system which O m to the natives of India every advantage if educatisa. I hope, and I believe, that that education will tend to the reception of that faith the propagation of which we nag loevo to Ilim who in His own good time will brine what is right to hear. But lum anxious, also, to state, no bill will be introduced on the subject, that I entaely differ from the opinion expressed by the noble lord who was examined by the committee, that an extension of ele. cation to the natives is to be avoided, as tending to diminish our hold on that empire. I should be sorry to thiak that that was a sound view. No doubt nor empire ie an mew lons empire No Englishmen settle there. We ge, ve govern, and we return. But I don't b. li, are that veinal endanger that empire by educating the 11:1•11es. I think that oar true policy is to create a class of educated end O. lightened natives. I believe that such a class weed e ri g themselves bound to us by the ties of a common faith, aed that thus tho hold of Englaed spin India would be tea dared the securer and the stronger. But, be that so or not, it is our plain duty to attempt to improve the coedition and to elevate the education of the people of India. lip sleep conviction is, that by so doing we shall strengthen oat empire. Yet, even if the reverse is to happen, our path of duty is clear; and, after all, this country will hare taken better and prouder part in the history 01 the world, if by oar means and by our agency a Christian and independent en. pire is established in India, than if she continued to rukover a people deb .seal by ignorance and degraded by oupunis Sion. (Cheers.) Mr. BRIGHT remarked that there was considerable inconsieteecy between what Sir C. Wood said and abet he proposed to do. He agreed with sonic things that had fallen from Sir Charles, who could not, more than other people, talk for five hours without snying somethiogen. lot; bathe was not satisfied that the government of Inks would be one particle better under the new plate then oiler the old. It was one of secrecy and irrespontitLitti and altogether unworthy of a eonetitutioaal mese try. Mr. Bright entered into a general disclaim of Indian grievances, maintaining that they were not met by the plan of the government, and that Sir Charles had girea a flattering account of the condition of the empire. Theright hon. gentleman had spoken of the increase of the expend this country to India as very great, and so it undoubtedly was, for it had started from nothing at all. (Lugb:er.) Some years ago, when it was proposed to open the trade of India, the Court of Proprietors, by a resolutioe, declared that it was a delusion to suppose that a trade with ladie could be created. An Hoer. Maxima—That was in the last generation. Mr. BRIGHT had not seen much alteration is their policy since then. (Hear, hear.) But now what were the facts ? The total experts to India from Great Britain and Ireland in 1850 were 8,024,0001., of which the cotton goods alone amounted to .5,220,0001., leaving a balance of 2,800,0001. for the total amount of exports of the produe of this country of every dearription other than cotton; and some portion of that was for stores sent out for the use of the company's servants. The house would see that those who were connected with the cotton trade had less to com plain of than anybody else, becalms that trade had increased so rapidly as to form nearly the whole increase of the trade of India. The reason of this was, that cotton was so light and so suitable for the climate and people, and could he brought down to prices so low that men who could bey any. thing could buy some of it. Yet in a cowry of our ewe, the population of which was more than 100 millions, or, taking the states in strict alliance with us, more then 110 millions, the total amount of our exports, exclusive of cottons, was 2,800,00)1. He (Mr. Bright) would tot take the glossed and varnished statements of the right henourabla gentleman. In the early part if oar Indian history, there were men who made it appear that the most atrocious crimes were men errors of judgment, or could not have been avoided; and it was obvious that, when any system was brought forward, it was easy in this way to make it appear like good government ; but the people ei! England were not to taken in that way. (Cheers.) As to education ; we had abolished the old system, by which the schoolmaster was es necessary an official in every village as the herdsman; and we had given them nothing in its room. For lee li is people. of whom we took a gross revenue of 29,000,0001. a year, we spent 66,000/. rn education. (Hear, hear.) And the case ea India was altogether different from that of England. In this country the people could eduzate themselves ; in ludia that was impossible. At the same time we were expending 100,0001. upon a church este bliehment intended for .50,000 or 60,1.00 Europeans, of whom half were Roman catholies ; aud, if he might took upon a subject of each delicacy—we showed that discri mination of which the noble lord (Lord 2. Musa) the other eight spoke so highly. (Hear.) While we gee one bishop 4,6001. a year, and 1,2001. for expenses, salsa ship or anything else to take him about if he wished wgs anywh. re; and while we give the other two ballots 2,6001. each, we allowed the Roman catholic bishop 2ae. per annum. (Cheers.) However, considering what wan done at home, he could not mach blame the Indian govern- ment for that. (Hear, hear.) With respect to Indian finance he could not but regard it with alarm and dieing. blr.Priusep,a director, had lately written a book intended's a defence of the Indian government, and like other defaces of that government it was circulated at the expense of the taxation of the people of India. (Great cheering) Er- Prinsep's book showed that from 11-35 to 1851—a period of 16 years—the whole of the net taxation of India hail beet 340,7,50,0001., the expenditure having been 311,676. 04 During those 16 years they had expeuded on public works a sum of 5,000,0001., and in dividends, 12,000,0001. (Huh hear.) During the same time thi y had contracted locusts the amount of 16,000,0001. ; ea that the whole of the divi dends of the 1,800 amiable ladies aud gentlemen who re- turned the Board of Directors daring these sixteen yearshel actually been borrowed. According to Mr. Danis sad Mr. Stewart, who had mode calculations for the India Con themselves, it appeared that in Gunerat, the district whiee the cultivation of cotton was carried on meet, the taxation varied from 69 to 90 per cent. of the gross produce of the soil, but upon this point he wished to draw the attention of the house to the statement of Nle Campbell. That gentleman estimated the revceee of India at 27,000,000/., hut Mr. Kaye, a mon recent authority, who bed written a Wok on the sub ject within the walls of the India Houee itself, declared* , revenue to be 29,000,0001., while the lard reveaueameanted to ho tween 12,00e,0001. and 13.000,000/. a yea. : 101 , 29,010,0001. in India was a very differentthicietol9,o9 o . ool '• here ; and although Mr. Campbell spoke of the revenue of India under the Mogul princes, and said it vise greater is comparison than that of the East India Compaq. Teo considering the value of food and tallest now with what it was in the time of the Meeeil the taxation oilier the latter must have l ets comparatively light. And yet with Ibis amount 0 1 motley thus raised hem the peopla, r bich vice f.ur times as much in prop e rti e s a s was an upon the prodectiose of thi s e.oentry, it been found ireuftieient to keep up the t stablisemrate of the Eat India Company, ter, cheek; the last sixteen yet they had been compelled to borrow to w: dividends of their propel tiers in I. (liar, hear Now, the right hon. tientli moan the q uestion .; upturn, and he wrielleesel the right lien. .;tr deal .11 reel sleek ..1 that with his usual compeer/. ..e.: brew rls thought the opium eurcioe rev ore 'l:•.' alarming itut snots the Led to ~,! keno e truly coneectad with Chui.n i• at tale spank aat all ehe was PA ' resent' to its obtain China proud of this to cult Durum Coinra ing thi &c am Sir the iirt Agri The Mr. the wr Agri Mr. of the Agn The ♦ -cc'.' " I t.,•1•• day 0 evil i bo be el eland tel.; tl:c asked