The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-09 00:00:00

tnrally produced an effect in India, and cash was demanded.
Before the last accounts came away, the market here had
turned, and I do not believe the demand for cash in India
will be greater than it was. In estimating how that
1,700,0001. is to be disposed of, I propose to assume that
it will he transferred and taken in cash in the same pro-
portions as the other portions of the debt, and, if so,
1,200,000/. will be transferred, and 500,0001. taken in
cash. Supposing that to be the case, adding that to
the portion which we know to be taken, of the whole
Five per Cent. Stock 21,901,0001. will have been trans-
ferred, and 1,870,0001. taken in cash. But I do not
think this is, after all, a fair representation of the
case. The practice in India is to have open loans ;
any one may pay in money and receive the interest. The
Four per Cent. Loan was closed in September last,
and since then a Three-and-a-Half per Cent. Loan has
been opened. Since the conversion has taken place, and
payments made, there has been paid into these 1,130,0J01.,
so that in truth it has been a conversion to that extent,
because we have paid off at 5 and borrowed at 4. Deduct-
ing that amount from what I have stated, the actual
amount of cash is 740,0001. only. There have been trans-
ferred actually or virtually in the manner I have described
25,765,0001. There has been taken in cash 1,447,000/., and
the whole of the Five per Cents. have been extinguished.
The savinc, effected has been 1 per cent. on the sum trans-
ferred, and 5 per cent. on the sum paid off. The amount
cf these two added together is 300,0001. per annum. That,
I think, is very satisfactory—(hear, hear)—under the cir-
cumstances, too, of a war just concluded, and a general
war just commenced, and it proves the estimation in which
the stability of the Indian finances is held. HI could have
afforded it, there are two or three taxes in India which I
should have been glad to have dealt with, and among these

are certain discriminating duties and export duties; but
when I see the whole of the savings absorbed in the in-
creased expenditure for education and public works, and
when I see the opium trade falling off, I do not think I
should be justified at present in recommending or urging
on the Indian Government any large reduction of expendi-
ture. The deficiency last year was 800,0001., and this year
we certainly shall have an increased expenditure. It
would not, therefore, be wise to run any risk by the re-
duction of duties. (Hear, hear.) I do not know that
there is any further point with regard to the expenditure
with which I need trouble the house. I have stated the
income and expenditure, and I have shown that there is
no great chance of any reduction in the course of the
present year. I shall now proceed, as shortly as I can,
to state to the house what the state of India is generally,
and what changes have taken place in the last year. With
regard to the political state of India, the principal event
has been the arrangements that have been made with the
Court of Ave, which are of a satisfactory character, and
are likely to produce permanent tranquillity. The only
district which is not tranquil is the Irrawaddy, although
it is more so at present than when it was under the Bur-
mese chiefs. The country itself is exceedingly rich ; a
great portion of it fit for the cultivation of rice and cotton ;
timber of a very valuable character is obtained from the
upper part of the province, and there is every prospect the
acquisition of this territory, which no one regrets being
obliged to occupy more than the Governor-General himself,
will turn out a most valuable acquisition to India. (Hear.)
Hon. gentlemen are aware that the territory of Nagpore
has been annexed. On the north-western frontier tran-
quillity prevails, and several tribes who had, for many
years, committed depredations unchecked, and to whom
great forbearance was shown, have been at last coerced by
military means, and for the last 18 months not a sword has
been drawn in that district. In the Punjaub, beyond the
Indus, the disturbances had been completely put down,
and tranquility had been established within our own dis-
tricts, and more friendly relations existed with the Affghan
chiefs. They had co-operated in putting down the maraud-
ing tribes ; and in proof of the friendly relations that are
established, we have stipulated for the free passage of mer-
chandise to Persia, at six rupees per camel load, under the
protection of the nhief. With regard to Cabool and Pe-
shawar, it could not be expected that friendly relations
could be at once established. There seems to be some ap-
prehension of an attack upon our part ; but I hope before
Parliament meets next year, I shall be able to announce
the establishment of friendly relations with the chief
of Cabool. He has nothing to fear from us, and I
trust we shall be able to show that our interests are iden-
tical. With regard to Persia, of course she is placed
in a different position, her great neighbour on the Euro-
pean side being now engaged in war; but the Shah has ex-
pressed the most friendly wishes towards this country. I
am not aware that with regard to the political state of
India any further statement is necessary. lam happy to
say that the attention of the Government not being dis-
tracted by external circumstances, Lord Dalhousie has
been able to turn his attention to the internal improve-
ment of the country. I need not refer to the proposition
for the improvement of the condition of the native judges
of Bengal. I was asked some time since by an honourable
member what were my intentions with regard to the na-
tive judges. I could only say that I would call the atten-
tion of the Governor-General to it. Of course, we can
merely give the suggestions, but the detail must emanate
from the Government of India. We have suggested the
improvement of the condition, and increase of the salaries
of the native judges, and placing them in a higher status
as judges. We have also recommended an improved sys-
tem of police and the putting down of dacoity. But these
have not yet received the sanction of the Governor-General.
With regard to the north-western provinces, in alluding
to them, I must express my regret at the death of Mr.
Thomason, who has rendered such important services in
that district. (Hear, hear.) A very able civil servant
was appointed to succeed him. The only great event in
that district since Parliament met is the opening of that
most gigantic undertaking the Ganges Canal, which really
exceeds almost any work teat we have heard of in ancient or
modern times, Without troubling the house with any of
the details, I may state some leading facts. The length of
the main canal is 525 miles; the length of the branches
373, making altogether a line of 898, or nearly 900
miles. The breadth of the upper part is 40 feet, dimi-
nishing where the two branches diverge, and being 20
feet at its terminus. The depth at the upper part is
ten feet, in the middle eight, and at the termination five
feet. The water has been let in in order to try the works,
and it has been found that it discharged 6,750 cubic feetof
water per second. The area of country irrigated amounted
to a million and a half of acres, and the population that
will be benefited is six millions and a half. Two great
water-courses are crossed, one 300 feet, and the other 200
feet in width. The canal itself is carried over a valley by
means of 15 arches, and throughout the whole course of the
canal there are side canals wherever there is a fall, so that
each branch is navigable from one end to the other, and
the; e are in reality 900 miles of navigatior, and 000
miles for the purposes of irrigation. Now, the four prin-
cipal Italian works were only Ili miles in length. The two
canals in Egypt were only 120 miles. The greatest of all
modern works, the Erie Canal, was 363 miles lon'e; the four
largest French canals amounted together to only 532 miles,
and the canals of Holland, of the first class, were only 400
miles in length ; so that, in reality, this undertaking was
twice as great as the largest that had ever been undertaken
in modern ttimes. The whole had been executed under
the superintendence of one man, Colonel Cautley. The
Governor-General had paid him the highest honours, and
the Queen had been graciously pleased to confer on him
the distinction of the Order of the Bath. I will not detain
the house by describing what has been done in the
Punjaub, but it is one of the most remarkable things that
has been accomplished in India. In less than three years a
large tract of country, in which the most lawless habits
prevailed, had been reduced to a state of tranquillity, aud I
believe the security of life and property is now as great
there as in Bengal. All this has been accomplished in little
more than three years by a very small number of British
officers ; a cheap and efficient government has been esta-
blished, and that which we hold to be most important—
viz., European supervision and native agency—has been
introduced, and the whole has been most creditable
to Lord Dalhousie and the officers employed under him.
About 1,350 miles of roads have been made, 2,487 traced,
and 5,270 more surveyed. An enormous work, a canal of
270 miles in length, was in course of being constructed,
opening up a vast tract of country, and in spite of the re-
ductions made in the revenue, there was a surplus in
1819-50, of 25,000/. ; in 1851, of about 60,0001. ; and in
future it rosy be expected to be 500,0001. Much has been
also done in providing a supply of water for Bombay. In
the Madras presidency additional works are in progress of
erection in pursuance of an order given a year ago, and an
iron steam-vessel, of light draft of water, has been ordered
for the navigation of the Godavrey river, and for bringing
down the cotton of the interior. With regard to the great
question of railroads in India, much inconvenience has
been sustained in consequence of the want of funds, the
effect of the peculiar state of the money market in this
country. Though difficulties, not anticipated, have arisen
on this subject, I have no doubt that the great railway
lines in India will be finished. Little or no delay has taken
place in the execution of the works. Of the Calcutta line,
44 miles were opened, and before the end of the year 24
miles more will be opened. Contracts have been entered
into for the construction of the great part of the line. The
Madras Railroad is going on slowly, but without any ma-
terial obstacle. The Bombay Railroad has been opened
in a great measure since last year. With regard to
the ' construction of a railroad in the north-western dis-
tricts, the surveys have been sent to the government of
India, and the report will soon be made. Meanwhile a
work of much less difficulty, bat of great utility, has been
pretty nearly finished—l mean an electric telegraph from
Delhi to Agra, and from Agra to Bombay. I believe it is
in actual operation, and that it has excited great curiosity
among the natives. It is satisfactory to find that a work
of this kind has been completed in a country like India,
and that it will be maintained. The Legislative Council
appointed by the late act has been assembled at Calcutta
by the Governor-General, and before long will proceed to
legislate on some of the most important questions with
reference to the condition of India. Shortly, to state
what has taken place in accordance with the act of last
year, I may mention that the Court of Directors have re-
duced their number to 15. Three members have been
nominated by the Crown ; and I am happy to say that the
whole number, 18, work harmoniously together, and
that no distinction has been drawn between the two
classes of members. lam bound now, as formerly, to bear
my testimony to the cordial support I have received from
the first from the whole of the directors. I have been sup-
ported by them as if they had been a council of my own,
and great benefit has been derived from the independent
character and from the knowledge of those members who
had been so long in India. With respect to the law com-
mission, it has not been able to bring forward any measure
for the sanction of Parliament this year, but early next
session I hope to beable to bring in a bill with the view of
dealing with the Supreme Court of Calcutta. In India a
commission has been appointed to revise both the civil and
criminal procedure, and I trust early next session to be
able to bring in a bill to establish in India a system of pro.
cedure even more simple than that recently introduced in
this country. I hope in another year that all the delays
tceomm polfa ipnred oe
eodfruw.ei, lbe m
capable
brleeoofv removed,
being
gn dh t a a
easily
t understood
dsei
rms
tpoloe
dsybsy-
*he natives, will be established in every part of the coun-
try. The regulations for the examination of civil servants
have been already laid on the table, and due notice will be
givenav of
e been
ut haeh
lhalf-yearlytcoo mtpheetitin.
house
o something
thought lsh
ould
have
positive
with regard to the admissions to Haileybury, but the
house is, of course, aware chat no nomination can have
takenlast.
Aplace since
certaint he
number
oactf ncoammie inatnitoon
sophearNatei obne
einn
ma Aprilde
which have not been taken up. Of course until they were
taken up there could be no admission by competition.
ho
fa veleyconown sulted
who
with
eseverale
tgi
leenrt
interestl e inen ,
prininctilipiasllsyulfijiicectitds
with the hon. member for Edinburgh—Mr. Lefevre, Mr.
Melvill, Lord Ashburton, and! Mr. Jolliffe—and I am con-
vinced that the earlier the notice is given with regard to
the competition the better. There are only two other
subjects on which I feel it necessary to trouble the house—
subjects which excited much attention before the commit-
tee of last year, and on which I felt it necessary to take
fisoemd einstaeapysintgo
by
yrry out the views expressed by the com-
mittee. These two subjects are public works in general
and education. With re,,-ard to the public works I am justi-
stone and Lord iftahrerisacotrnc.ur.rndoifnatihlemoepnintihonato
utter want of system throughout'mu"' there her
thee
utteri is a n
India. Both Lord Elphin-
want of such ia sYitena. Works have been undertaken with