The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-19 00:00:00

Tottrth%bition

of June, his right hon; friend the President of the Board
of Control would state the views of the Government
with regard to the Government of India.
Mr. RICH said, with reference to that notice,
he must be allowed to express his opinion that it
would be both for the interest of the Government and of
India that the subject should be more maturely consi-
dered before it was brought on for discussion. (Hear,
hear.) The appointment of the Indian committee took
place at a very late period, while the heads of inquiry
that were submitted to it were exceedingly numerous.
The house had only just received a report upon one of
these heads, and much information remained behind to
be communicated to the house. He therefore contended
that it would be most inexpedient to legislate in the
matter until the whole inquiry was brought to a close.
He believed that the agitation of this question would be
conducive to the ultimate tranquillity of India itself. He
therefore thought we ought rigidly to inquire be-
fore legislating. The committee which had been ap-
pointed, although composed of the most eminent men in
that house, had committed such blunders as would have
d. isgraced the youngest members. Instead of inquiring
into the condition and well-being of the people of India,
they had confined themselves simply to inquiring into
the administration of India, and the different modes of
communication between Leadenhall-street and Cannon-
row. All the witnesses were persons receiving, or who
had received, emoluments from the East India Company
--governors, generals, directors, or secretaries in the em-
ploy of the company. No doubt these were very
fit persons to be examined ; but what was wanted
was the opinions of independent persons taken,
he allowed, in conjunction with these—to show how
the system worked. No light had yet been thrown on the
organisation of the Indian army and navy, and he
thought such an inquiry ought to be made before the
future law of India was settled. This was a subject of
which the very permanency of our Indian empire de-
pended. But if they looked to the finance, they would
find that out of the last 13 years there had been in 12
years an annual deficit of more than 1,000,0001. In the
year 1837 the Indian debt amounted to 29,000,0001.,
but now it amounted to 50,000,000/. The revenue was
increasing, but in a very decreased ratio compared to the
debt. In the year 1837, the revenue was 13,000,0001.,
and had now incrersed to 19,000,000/. The debt
had increased sevenfold, but the revenue only two-and-
a-half-fold. They bad had no information either upon
the judicial administration in India, which, according to
all accounts, was most miserable. There was no educ-
tion whatever required for the office of a judge, but it
was the general principle to make a judge who was good
for nothing else, or rather unfit for everything else. It
was a sort of refuge for the destitute. This was a state
of things which required investigation. The subject of
education was one of great importance, and the returns
which had been laid before the house showed a
frightful state of destitution. (Hear, hear.) It was,
he contended, essential to the well-being of India
that the people should be actively employed in the ad-
ministration of its affairs. The true reason why
they were not so employed was that the pa-
tronage of the country should be retained in the
hands of the East India Company. All the great stimu-
lants to action on the minds of the Indian population
were dwarfed by this mode of procedure. The fitness of
the East Indians themselves was, he contended, a subject
fully deserving inquiry. On the subject of works it ap-
peared that the East India Company had been blind both ,
to their own interest and that of the population over
whom they ruled. They had no information as to the
political relations of the East India Company with the
neighbouring states, whether subsidised, independent, or
protected. These were subjects deeply affecting the
interests of India, and he contended that in every one of
them a case for inquiry had been made out. Moreover, it
was incumbent on the East India Company to stand up
and contradict these charges by evidence, and before this
had been done, the house would not be justified in con-
senting to any further legislation on the subject.
Sir G. WOOD said that it certainly was the opinion
of the Government that they ought to legislate on this
subject in the course of the present session, and as at the
proper time it would be his duty to go at some length
into the various topics which had been touched upon by
the hon. gentleman, he should not occupy the time of
the house by discussing them on the present occasion.
The house then went into committee of supply, and
was

SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Clock.

TATTERSALL'S

(THIS EVENING.)

DERBY.
sto 2 agst West Australian (taken).
Bto 1 agst Honeywood (taken).
9to 1 agst Pharos (taken).
12 to 1 agst Umbriel (taken).
33 to 1 agst Cheddar (taken).
100 to 6 agst Ninnyhammer.
40 to 1 agst Vanderdecken.
40 to 1 agst Barbatus.

MANCHESTER RACES.

(THIS DAY.)

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)

TWO-YEAR-OLD STAKES,

Wild Huntsman
Bridesmaid

Won in a canter.
MANCHESTER CUP.

Chief Justice
Lady Evelyn
Winner objected to, not being entered in due time,

.. 2

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—(THIS EVENING.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
NEW MEMBERS.
Mr. MAJORIBANKS and Mr. FORSTER took the oaths
and- their seats for Berwick, and Mr. BELL for Maid-
stone.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Lords Amendments to the following bills were
considered and agreed to :—Blackpool and Layton with
Warbrick Improvement ; Teignmouth Harbour and
Teign Navigation ; Wolverhampton Markets and Fairs.
The following bills were read a third time and passed :
—High Ham and Ashcott Roads ; Preston Water-
works.

The reports upon the subjoined bills were considered
and agreed to :—Aberdeen Railway ; Bedale and Ley-
burn Railway ; Great Extramural Cemetery Associa-
tion ; Kilkenny and Great Southern and 'Western Rail-
way ; Leeds and Whitehall Roads ; London and North-
Western Railway (Northampton, &c.) ; London and
North-Western Railway (Oldham Branch) ; Ludlow
Cattle Market and Slaughter-houses ; Manchester Im-
provement ; Midland Railway (Leicester and Hitchin) ;
North British Railway ; Swaffham and Bottisham
Drainage (No. 2).
Cutbill's Divorce Bill was read second time.
PETITIONS.

Sir R. H. INGLIS presented a petition from labour.
ing men, against the opening of the Crystal Palace on
Sundays.
Mr. W. J. FOX presented a petition from Finsbury
and the Tower Hamlets, in favour of the opening the
Crystal Palace, the British Museum, and the National
Gallery on Sunday.
Mr. HADFIELD presented a petition from Shef-
field, against the Registration of Assurances Bill.
Mr. M. GIBSON presented a petition from Man-
chester, against the Salford and Manchester Educa-
tional Bill.

(LETT BITTING.)

THE SUN, LCiSTDON: THURSDAY EVENING-, MAY 19, 185 3.

place, and Mr. Vansittart walked off with a miserable
minority, as every one expected, into the lobby. If
this is not factious opposition, it is very much like it.
It was past ten when the House got to real business,
and went into committee on the Legacy Duties ; but even
at that late hour, tired as every one was, so artistic an
orator is Gladstone, that every one listened with in-
terest. For myself, Ido like to see the Chancellor con,
ducting a debate.' He is' all .attention and life. He
leans slightly forward, turning his face to the Speaker
—on his knees he.has a note-book, and with a pencil in
hand he takes a note of every argument advanced, or
fact stated, on whichever side of the case it may be.
You are tired, are you, my good sir ? Well, we'll
stretch our legs and walk into the reporters'
gallery. Did you see, as you came in, as you
went into the waiting-room, a little door on your
left ? You will find it leads you to a narrow stair-
case. We go up that staircase, and come to a little
lobby, where we shall find two lads dressed in a
kind of uniform. They belong to the electric telegraph
office, and are waiting for dispatches—which in another
minute will be on their way to all the great towns of our
own and other lands. We enter a room on the left. The
good things of life are all around us—coffee, roast-beef,
and capital stuff it is. This is where the reporters re-
fresh the inner man, and well may they do so, though
those we see at present do not look very weary, and
seem far more inclined for chaff than work. The ami-
able fellows are now poking their fun at each other as
they pass up the gallery orcome down from it with their
short-hand notes, with which they will now hurry to
their respective offices and copy out quickly, for they
must be back very soon. This room is virtually un-
der the management of Lord Charles Russell, sergeant-
at-arms ; but really of Mr. Dodd, whose " Parliamentary
Companion"—we hope we shall not be charged the ad-
vertisement duty for saying so—is really an indispensable
work. Mr. Dodd is the manager of the Times's Parlia-
mentary corps, and is therefore a man of much weight ;
but, good sir, he sees you are not one of us—so, with
your leave, we will make our exit. The reporting gal-
lery none can enter but reporters themselves.— Weekly
News and Chronicle.