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

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 the imetheirmeg of oar system, 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 benefited 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 been Governor of
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.ees
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 alterations 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 shall 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 015. 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 disadf
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
riedootentB6 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=eiimmem °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 ether 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 happiness 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