The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-19 00:00:00

CRYSTAL PALACE.

Mr. HE YW06.5 ga;en;ticeiiiaChe would postpone
his motion respecting the Crystal Palace until the 29th
of April.
CORRUPT PRACTICES AT ELECTIONS BILL.

Colonel SIBTHORP gave notice that when this
Bill came on for a second reading he would move that it
be read a second time that day six months.
MILITIA BILL. _

Colonel SIBTHORP also gavo notice that when it
was moved to read this Bill a second time, he should
propose an amendment that it be read a second time
that day six months,—(A laugh.)
EXPULSION ,OF BRITISH SUBJECTS FROM
AUSTRIA.

Mr, ANSTEY gave notice that to-morrow he would
ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the cor-
respondence between the Government and the Cabinet
of Vienna respecting the expulsion of the Rev. Mr.
Edwards from Austria was sufficiently complete to be
laid before the House.
PUBLIC BUSINESS.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER gave
notice he would move that on Thursday, the 29th of
April, and on every subsequent Thursday, the orders of
the day should have precedence of notices of motion.
CITY GRAND JURIES.
The'ATTORNEY-GENERAL rose to move for leave
to bring in a
,Bill to render it necessary to summon
grand juries within the metropolitan district, and for the
amendment of the criminal law in other particulars.
The subject of this Bill had excited a good deal of public
attention ; it could not be said to be new, for in the
year 1341, when he had the honour of filling the
same office which he now held, he suggested,
amongst other things, to the then Government
a Bill of precisely similar character. The Bill
was brought into Parliament in the year 1849,
but although a Committee was appointed, and several
witnesses were examined upon it, the Committee only
reported the evidence, and the Bill fell through. He
would not trespass upon the time of the House by stat-
ing in detail the precise nature of the measure, but upon
the second reading he would go fully into the reasons
which induced him to propose this alteration in the law.
Leave was then given to bring in the Bill.
AFFAIRS OF INDIA.
Mr. BERRIES rose to move for a Select Committee
to iequire into the operation of the 3 and 4 Will. 4, 0.
85, " for the better government of her Majesty's Indian
territories," and to report their observations thereon.
The House would be aware that the object of this Com-
mittee was to take into consideration the propriety of
renewing the charter to the. East India Company.
He need scarcely state to the House that hitherto the
East India Company had exclusively enjoyed our In-
dim territories, end it was equally unnecessary for
him to inform the House of the extraordinary progress
which the Indian empire had made since the year 1784,
when the present system of government began. Since
that period there had been a gradual tendency to abo-
lish as much as possible the exclusive rights and privi-
leges which the East India Company enjoy. For instance,
in the year 1793 the charter underwent a considerable
modification and a great inroad was made upon the pri-
vilege of the Company. Amongst other things a new
system of private trade was introduced, which was car-
ried on not only in connexion with, but under the imme-
diate direction of, the East India Company, and since
then this private trade had developed itself to an almost
fabulous extent from that period down to 1813.
About this latter period a very great alteration
in the exclusive right of the East India Company as
traders was made, and private traders were admitted. The
only exclusive right, in fact, reserved to the Company
was the trade to China, but, with that exception, all
their other trading privileges were removed. New re-
gulations were introduced at the time of a most valuable
nature, and these regulations continued for some time.
These new regulations were the result of an inquiry
which the House had instituted, and they were con-
tinued down to 1333. At that time a new Act
for regulating the charter was introduced
and by this Act all the rights of the company, including
those of trading with Caine, were modified, and from this
time they ceased to be a trading company. All their
powers were made over to the,Crown, and their commer-
cial assets were disposed of under that Act.
The Act was to continue for twenty years,
namely, from 1834 to 1854, and it was agreed to
by the company on certain conditions. The first con-
dition for the immense sacrifice which the company
made was that their stock, amounting to, as
he was informed, 6,000,0001., should not be
subject to redemption for forty years. That was, it was
not to be called in for forty years after the passing of the
Act he had mentioned, and also if, during that period the
Government should deprive them of any privilege in-
cluded in the Act, they should acquire a right of de-
manding a redemption of their stock of 2001. for every
1001. This certainly was no great boon to the Com-
pany, for at this present moment the 1001. stock
of the Company he understood was worth 260/,
The affairs of India under this arrangement had con-
tinued to be administered from 1834 up to the present
time, and they would continue to be administered till
the year 1854, after which it would be for this and the
other House, and the Crown, to determine whether
the same or another system should be adopted.
The Government had thought it necessary to submit
the question with regard to the renewal of the charter
to Committees of both Houses of Parliament. They
considered that there were three courses open to them—
first, to let the Act expire; secondly, to propose the re-
newal of the Act without further enquiry; and thirdly,
to propose an inquiry before any further steps were
taken in the matter. The present and the late Govern-
ment thought the latter was the best and most becoming
course to adopt. Infinite benefit was found to result
from the inquiry which was instituted previous to the
granting of the last charter. He did not
apprehend any difference of opinion with
regard to the appointment of a Committee. Twenty
years had nearly elapsed since 1833, and it was neces-
sary to inquire what effect the system of government
in India had produced on the welfare and progress of
that country during this period. The revenue had in
some instances been satisfactory, in others unsatisfactory.
At:the commencement of the ;period the total income
was 18,407,000/. and there had been a gradual increase
in that sum during every succeeding year, and in the
present year it amounted to 24,379,000/e the difference
being not less than 6,000,0001. He was sorry to say,
however, that the charges had increased from
18,000,000/. in 1834, to 25,000,000/. in the present year,
thus exhibiting a deficiency of 678,0001. It would natu-
rally be inquired how this deficiency arose. In the first
four years there was a considerable surplus, but
after that period there had been almost a con-
stant deficiency, with the exception of one year,
when there was a surplus of 350,0001. The
increase of charges was occasioned by the disas-
trous wars in which India was involved during the whole
of the period. The miserable undertaking called the
war of Affganistau bad drawn certainly no less a sum
than 10,000,0001. Then the war in Scinde, and the first
hadhhth:
evdseeb beenee n ableadded
and second war in the Panjaub, cost also an
enormous sum. It appeared, from the best accounts he
cwosatraa, less'
sumcollect that' all these wars could not
large additional expenditure altomuch as
than 36,000,0001. There
of interest. Therepto the national debt in consequence of
as Otooot,ohoeol.,
country which
in
the involvedshap ae
uerwetze, however, some points for con-
had nearly doubled, 20
con-
gratulation.
sive increase in the tonnage years the exports and
andim-
ports there had been a progres-
outwards. They had
populaaeodn a
also ooltstvarais both inwards and
great augmenta-
tionl6s,ooo square miles of territory,I.a
of territory and
than nine millions andinany cears-
tainly not less
popu-
lation had been added to their Sd
of
India. On the whole he thought the future°lnini°llB in
of India was incomparably more advantageous Prosperity
now than
at any former period of its history. It had
been said that the natives were precluded
from all share in the administration of affairs
in India, but the fact was that the Government
encouraged the employment of natives, and also
promoted their eduction, in order to fit thee
for that employment. The total number of
natives employed in administrative offices vary-
ing from salaries of 1,560 L to
worked exceed-
ingly was 2,846
The courts of' India had on the whole
ingly well, and it was satisfactory to know that of late
years they had considerably improved. The appeals
had been few in number, and the administration of the
law had on the whole been wise and salutary. Then,
again, with regard to the important subject of education,
he found that the educational establishments of India
had of late years been greatly augmented. At one
time there were only two, one in Calcutta and
the other in Benares, but in 1835 there were
no less than fourteen in existence, while
last year it was found that there were no less than forty
existing in Bengal and the north-west part of the ter-
ritory. The systems observed in these educational
eiitilit
India then .
establishments were based on sound religious prin-
ciple, and there could .be no doubt that the
aplecapsleweclollnainsiattejortaol
Goveonment bad all along displayed an anxious desire
their charge,
to improve conditionia
a h
ed
ho
cf
stateand roe
of
i g iaof
thasi r 3 p
while with regard to th© boththe
of view.—(Hear, hear.) The
educational
was most gratifying
financial- condition of that