The Press.
London, England, 1858-04-03 00:00:00

THE NEW INDIA BILL.

THE new Government bill has been printed. The
preamble recites the expediency or the territories
known as " India " being governed by and in the
name of the Queen, and tho first clause summarily
transfers the empire of India from the Company to
her Majesty, in whose name it will henceforth be
governed. A principal Secretary of State will exer.
cise the powers and duties now vested in the Com-
pany or the Board of Control, and henceforth any
four of the principal Secretaries of State pro tern.,
and any four of the Under Secretaries of State, may
sit and vote in the House of Commons, but not more
than four of each simultaneously. The salaries of
a fifth Secretary of State and an Under-Secretary of
State, if appointed, will be paid out of the revenue
of India :

A " Council of India" is to be established, to consist of
eighteen members, and to be styled as aforesaid. This-
teen members of this Council of India ( whose names are
left in blank) will be members of the Council from the
commencement of the sot. They are to be designated
" First member," " Second member," " Third member,"
and so on. Every vacancy in the offices of the first nine
members will be filled up by the Queen from persons spe-
cially qualified as having spent ten years in the civil service
of India, or five years at least in the Queen's Indian army, or
ten years in the Bombay, Bengal, and Madras armies. Every
vacancy in the offices of the 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th mem-
bers of Council will be elected from amongpersons who have
served ten years in India, or resided there for fifteen years,by
the following constituencies—viz., proprietors of 1,0001.
Indian Stock and upwards, proprietors of capibsl in railway
and public works companies in India of 2,0001. and up-
wards, and by persons who have been ten years at least in
India as officers in the Indian army and navy ( both
Queen's and Company's services), or as civil servants of
the Company or the Queen. The last five members of the
Council are to be chosen by the parliamentary electors of
London, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, and Belfast.
The qualification of these members is, engagement in
trade with India for five years, or in the manufactureof
goods for export to India, or residence in India for ten
years it will be inferred that the first nine members of
Council will be at once directly appointed by the Queen,
acting under her official advisers. The members of
Council will vacate their seats periodically, so that the
whole Council will be cleared out in six years from the
date of their first appointment A ballot will decide the
names of the outgoing members. Any member of Council
may be removed, like a superior judge, on address of both
Houses of Parliament to the Queen, and suspended by
the Council itself, the Queen assenting. Such suspension
will be final and fatal unless Parliament address the Queen
for its reversal. Members of Council may not sit in the
House of Commons, but they will receive salaries of
1.0001. The duties of the Council are defined in a series
of clauses. The Secretary of State will be its President ;
he will divide the body into committees, and regulate the
disposal of its business. The Vice-President (a member
of Council named by the President) and two other mem-
bers (also named by him) will form a " secret committee."
All appointments are to be made by, or subject to, the
approval of the Queen ; and all appointments now made
sill still be made out in India, subject to arrangements
to be made by the Secretary of State. The real and per-
sonal property of the Company is vested in her Majesty.
The dividends of the Company and existing and future
o
debts, &c., are charged on the revenues of India. Ihe
Queen is empowered to send three commissioners to India
to examine the finances and accounts of the several Go-
vernments of that empire, and especially into the collection
i
of the revenues. The existing conditions of service n
the forces of India are to remain, but arrangements may
be hereafter made respecting future candidates for the two
services. Servants of the Company will be deemed her
Majesty's servants. The old Board of Control is sholiehed.
Certain rights of the Company (expenses in respect of
stock and dividend, and the dividend and security fund)
are saved by clauses 68 and 09.
The bill awaits its second reading.

The Secretary of State for War, acting on the
representation of his Royal Highness the Com-
mander-in Chief, has sanctioned the formation of a
hospital, in the camp at Colchester, for the sick
wives and children of the soldiers, and orders have
already been issued to the Military
Purveying
Department to supply the requisite diet and medical
comforts.

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