The Press. — London, England, 1854-08-12 00:00:00

749 in October, thirty-one minutes; in November, thirty three ; and in December, fifty-five. On the London and Holyhead (same dates) it averaged thirty mi nutes daily in October, forty-two minutes in Novem ber, fifty four minutes in December. On the Bristol (Great Western) line greater punctuality appears to be the rule, attributable, however, in some degree to the comparative shortness of the journey. The average delay was, in October, twelve minutes ' • in N ove mber, nineteen ; in December , thirty. Other instances are given, but with the same general result. It would seem that the demand for postal accommo dation is continually on the increase. The estimated average of letters, parcels, &c., which leave London by the evening mails daily is subjoined : Letters 217,500 Newspapers 124,333 Book-packets BB5 Bags 1,085 Making a total weight of 14 tons, 7 cwt., and some thing over. Of this cargo letters form thirteen per cent.; bags, nine per cent.; parcels, two per cent.; newspapers, seventy-six per cent.; in other words, one-fourth only of the postal delivery is paid for, the other three-fourths being gratuitous. The committee recommend that the total expenses and receipts of the Post-office, including that incurred for colonial and foreign service, shall be laid annually, in the form of an account, before Parliament. In this racommendation we heartily concur. The Moniteur of yesterday publishes a Gea r _ from the Austrian Government demanding the evacuation of the principalities, with the reply of Russia. The Journal de St. Petersbourg of Aug. 3 con tains a long list of names of Wallachians upon whom the Czar has conferred titles, orders, and decorations for their devotedness and zeal for Russia. The same Russian journal publishes an article in which the siege of Silistria is several times men tioned, and always as " the feigned siege." The Emperor Napoleon has intimated his inten tion of giving out of his privy purse 400 f. a year to every soldier who has lost a limb in the expedition of Djurjura (Algeria). The cholera, which was decreasing at Marseilles, has again increased, and among the last deaths re corded are two medical men. At Toulon, on the Bth inst., 104 persons fell victims to the disease. In some districts the inhabitants have fled from their homes, leaving their field crops to those who might choose to gather them. The Mavrocordato Ministry have published their official programme, dated Athens, the 31st ult., in which they pledge themselves to review every de partment of the State, to see what abuses can be remedied, and what benefits can be introduced, having a due regard to the nghts of the throne as well as to those of the people. Three donaniers and two citizens were shot at Parma on the sth for the part they took in the late events. The cholera has made its appearance at Rome. The screw-steamer Ottawa reached Liverpool yesterday, with New York advises of the 28th ult. It was reported at New York that, in addition to the treaty of neutrality agreed upon by the United States and Russia, there is a convention by which the latter power proposes to transfer to the former the island of Sitka, rn the Pacific Ocean, on the west coast of North America. The ship Marlborough arrived off Plymouth yesterday in eighty-nine days from Port Phillip. She brings a mail, 100 passengers, chiefly old colonists, 04,000 oz. of gold (worth 250,0001.), and 11,0001. in specie. Her Majesty will leave Buckingham Palace this afternoon immediately after the prorogation, and return to Osborne. The Queen will proceed to Scotland a day or two after l'rince Albert's birthday. THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY have signed the deed binding themselves to contribute 50,000/. towards the cost of four magnificent steamers to form a line of communication between Waterford and Milford. The South Wales Compnny will con tribute the balance. One of the vessels is expected to be launched in three months, and the vessels will be put on the line as quickly as possible. NEW DRESS FOR THE CAVALRY.—Although not sealed, the new dress of the heavy cavalry is stated to be as fol lows :—The tunic to be perfectly plain and scarlet, with double row of buttons, and turn-backs across the chest. Facings according to regiments, with field-officers' ranks on the collar. No scales or epaulettes, but shoulder-tabs, same colour as the facings. Helmet without plume, but au ornament of a lion's head. Overalls blue. A coatee— eft a good deal to the fancies of commanding officers—will be allowed for officers at balls or levees, but strictly prohi bited on all parades or duty. The stable-jacket will be done away with, but the blue coat be kept for all fatigue parades, stables, and walking the streets. THE PRESS. rottOings in parliament. THE AFFAIRS OF INDIA. The act of last year having placed the administra tion of India more completely in the hands of the Board of Control, and, in particular, having provided that an annual statement of the revenue and expen diture, progress and prospects of our Oriental empire should be duly and annually submitted to Parliament by the responsible head of that board, Sir C. WOOD on Thursday night rose to fulfil that duty. His statement had, from various accidents, been post poned until the very last week of the session; and, notwithstanding the vast importance of the subject, barely twenty members could be induced to sit in the House of Commons, during an August evening, for the purpose of listening to it. Sir C. Wood com menced by excusing any omissions orshortcomings in his expose, and especially the want of recent statisti. cal returns on many important points—the authentic revenue table, for example, would be brought down to no later a period than April 80, 1852. These omissions, however, arose chiefly from the circum stance that the present was the first occasion within the last fifty years that an Indian budget had been prepared for the information of Parliament; here after he promised that ampler and later returns should be forthcoming. After this preface, the Pre sident of the Board of Control proceeded to open his subject. First, naturally, he detailed the financial results of the year above mentioned, that expiring in April, 1852 : " The revenue of the Presidency of Bengal for the year ending 30th of April, 1852, was 7,584,4351.; the local charge (exclusive of the military), 1,936,3621.; the local surplus, 5,648,0731. The revenue of the north-west provinces was 5,670,7151; the local charge, 1,402,2381.; leaving a local surplus of 4,268,4771. The military charges of Bengal and the north-west provinces were 5,442,2301. The net revenue of Bengal and the north-west provinces amounted to 13,255,1501., and the charge on them (exclu sive of the military) to 8,770,3301., leaving a surplus re venue applicable to the general purposes of India of 4,481,3201. The revenue of Madras was 3,704,0481.; the charge, 3;204,2731.; the surplus, 44)9,7751. The revenue of Bombay was 2,86 6 ,2981. • the charge, 2,847,39' 21 .; the sur plus, 20,9061. The total net revenues of the several pre sidencies amounted to 19,827,4961., and the total local charges to 14,822,4951., leaving a total surplus of 5,005,0011. The interest on the Indian debt was 1,967,3591., and the amount of charges paid in England was 2,506,3771., making together 4,473,7361., leaving a surplus, in the year 1851-52, of revenue above expenditure of 531,2651. This statement he thought was a satisfactory one, more especially as in the two preceding years there had also been a surplus of re venue, though not quite so large. The year 1851.52 was the last for which he had a complete statement, but he had an estimate for 1852.53, which showed a gross revenue of 26,915,4311. a gross expenditure of 26,275,966/., and a surplus of 639,4651. He was sorry to say that in the year just ended-1853.54—there was a prospect of a consider able deficiency, the revenue being estimated at 26,586,8261., and the expenditure at 27,459,1611., leaving a probable deficiency of 87'2,3351. Sir Charles then specified some of the heads on which there would be a deficit of revenue or an increase of charge, and stated the future prospects of the chief sources of income—namely, the land revenue, to which no addition could be expected; the opium duty, which was uncertain, though he did not calculate upon a diminution of the demand in China; salt, and customs — concluding that there was little prospect of an increase of the Indian revenues, and as little of a diminution of ex- penditure." On this latter head, namely, of expenditure, Sir C. Wood embarked into a variety of details, alluding especially to the chief item, that on account of the army, concluding by stating that "notwithstanding our late increase of territory in the Punjaub, Pegue, and Nagpore, only two European and three native regiments had been added to the army, which was small compared with the forces of native States. Our whole Indian army amounted to 320,000 men, while the few native States maintained 398,000 men." He then submitted that, according to the united !ex pression of opinion in that house, in the country, and in India, the Government were called upon rather to increase than to diminish the outlay on education, public works, and the judicial establish ments. One only item seemed to present scope for judicious retrenchment, and that had been judi ciously accomplished : " Considerable saving had been effected in the interest paid upon the Indian debt, of which the great mass, to au amount of more than twenty-five millions sterling, had been practically converted from a five per cent. to a four per cent. stock. Nearly one and a half million had also been paid oft', and the result of the whole series of mone tary transactions, which the right hon. baronet described at much length, was to save 330,0001. per annum." Sir Charles then adverted to the political events of recent occufrence in India, and the prospects which they afforded : " The territory acquired in Ave, rich in products of various kinds, was likely to become a valuable possession, as well as Nagpore, which had lapsed to the British tiovern tuent by the death of the Rajah. The tribes in the north west of India had at length been coerced into submission; friendly relations had been established with the chiefs of SATURDAY, North Affghanistan, and there was every prospect that next year he should be able to make a similar announcement with reference to Dost Mellowed Khan and Cebu]. The Shah of Persia had professed, and had hitherto maintained, an unbroken neutrality in the war with Russia." He then referred to the subject of internal improve ments, upon which he said the energies of the Governor-General (Lord Dalhousie) had been much directed, and enumerated many plans which that nobleman had set on foot for the purpose of elevating the condition of the people or hastening the con struction of public works calculated to adorn and benefit the country. Among these he mentioned especially the great Ganges Canal, which had been opened since the commencement of the present year, and constituted a work altogether unprecedented in magnitude and utility : "It served both for irrigation and navigation; the main trunk was 525 miles long and the branches 813, making together nearly 900 miles, with a breadth varying from 140 to 130 and 20 feet, and a depth varying from 10 to 8 and 5 feet. It would irrigate 14 million of acres, and 64 millions of people would reap benefit from it." Mentioning the Punjaub, Sir C. Wood announced that, although that province was so recently incor porated with the British dominions, a most satisfaci tory progress had been made in developing its resources; life and property were rendered secure; much done in the way of constructing roads and irrigation works ; and a handsome surplus secured out of the revenues of the district. Respecting rail. roads, he declared his conviction that the Indian Government were bound to provide for the rapid completion of a system of intercommunicatiin throughout India, and detailed some of the steps which had already been taken to secure that re sult : "It had last year been decided that, let circumstances be what they might, the construction of the Great Indian Railway must go on, and, once undertaken, the works had been pushed on without delay. A portion was in opera tion, and he hoped that much more would be speedily completed. An electric telegraph from Calcutta to Agra, and from Agra to Bombay, had also been constructed." The President of the Board of Control then stated what had been done in execution of the act passed last year. The directors, he said, had discharged the painful duty of reducing their numbers, and he bad added the members which the Crown was to appoint. The commissioners had not yet been able to prepare a bill for dealing with the law courts, but he hoped they would be able to do so almost imme diately. The regulations for the examination for admission to the service had been promulgated, and the first examination would take place in January next. As regarded Haileybury, he regretted that he could not report that anything had been done. He hoped before long that a superintending head would be appointed who would be responsible for the direcl tion of public works in India, the want of an adequate superintendent having been the great check to such improvements. Finally, Sir C. Wood adverted to the progress effected towards the accomplishment of that most important work, the provision of some general scheme of education for India " Government proposed to do all that could be done in furtherance of this obect, namely, to grant aids, utterly irre spective of religious instruction, to all schools, missionary, Mahometan, and Hindoo, in which a sound secular edu cation was given. It was proposed, also, to establish universities in the centres of the great presidencies, on the model of the London universities, and these would grant degrees, and below them would be established schools in which both English and the vernacular should be taught, and the whole of them were to be submitted to constant inspection, under an officer of the Government. There would also, probably, be professional branches in the colleges." This system, he delared, had been the result ofmuch inquiry and mature consideration, and he concluded a speech of about two hours and a quarter with an expression of earnest hope that the proposed educa tional measures would tend to the moral advancement of the people of India. Sir E. PERRY eulogised , which the description had and other plans for ainc._ India now announced, proved, of parliamentary interference the.: country. He contended machinery by which our Eastern was still susceptible of - pointed out how 150,0001. in the expenditure upon with the additional advanl and rapid performance of t. Mr. KINNAIRD considered been shown for the longer rious salt monopoly in India. Mr. Hums insisted upon '" the fullest publicity to ever, tration. He recommended every measure by which of the country could be imi education extended among Mr. DARBY SEYMOUR del in India. Observing that the educational scheme of ad just been given. This, ieliorating the condition of )ved, he said, the high value once in the government of ded that the administrative ,astern empire was regulated much simplification, and per annum might be saved boards and functionaries, stage of a far more regular r their respective duties. red that no just cause had .tr continuance of the inju- adjs. m the expediency of giving iirery detail of Indian adrninis- led the earnest cultivation of the condition of the natives improved and the means of ng them. ienounced the salt monopoLC ►t the revenue of that country