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

oe nominated by the Crown must have served either the
Company or the Crown 10 years in India.
Mr. DISRAELI—Can they be nominated out of the 30
directors that now exist ?
Sir C. WOOD—It will be no disqualification of any per-
hisson being in the Court of Directors, if he have the other
Qualifications that we require; but merely being a director
is no qualification, unless he has served the 10 years, which
We
*ill deem necessary. We believe that that constitution
great imp
to rovement in the Court of Directors. It
will be, of course, the interest of the Crown to name
the best Indian servants that can be found ; and we shall
thus introduce at least six most competent persons of large
Indian knowledge and experience. We do not think it
fair, however, to tie up the hands of Parliament so as to
prevent its making any change that may appear desirable
in this form of government. The times change ; and in
tb_.,ese days no one knows what necessity for alterations may
gar,
-r!. We do not propose, therefore, to fetter the power
atliament for any period whatever, but we propose
that this government shall last until Parliament shall other-
rwise provide. While we believe that this will materially
! Prove the present government of India, still, if expe-
ience should prove that this form of government does not
tanswer our expectations, or if it should be thought right
°Y Parliament at any future period to adopt, on the part
c'lf, the Crown, the exclusive government of India, as it is
e opinion of every man that the government could not
camied on without the assistance of a council, the
nucleus for that council is to be found in those directors
named, by the Crown. We make some slight alteration in.
rthe salaries of the directors. At present every director re-
ins 3001. a year, and the chairman and deputy-chairman,
uerutihankto
Nvsooe a year. Limiting the patronage in the man-
Propose to do, we think it fair somewhat to
increase those salaries. As their numbers also will be re-
duced, and it will be necessary for them to reside pretty
generally in town, we propose that the directors should re-
ceive/. a year, and the chairman and deputy-chairman,
I.'"-a whom a large amount of work will be thrown, should
4-ececave 1,0001. year. The power, privileges,. and q.uali-
wouli of all the directors will be alike. I now come
to the limitations of the exercise of patronage by the di-
reanetlrs. (Rear, hear.) At present the house is aware that
""L° aPpointments to the civil service in India all the
tappointments to the College at Addiscombe for the en-
ears and al tillery, all the appointents to he army, all ose to assistant-surgeonships, and, m
in fact, t
all the ap-.
l?Cintnaents to India are made by the Court of Directors.
Practically, they are divided at present among the several
the President a certain portion by courtesy is allowed to
"ce President of the Board of Control ; the number of va-
cancies is determined by the demand from India. The
beov:rnor-General reports how many persons are likely to
anted in the course of each year, and the additions to meybu
wand Addiscombe are regulated by that demand.
inhtive aly stated the objections which have been taken
ils°llle cases to the use of the directors' ag patrone, but
en 'we look at the persons whom the Indian service has
Produced I think there can be no great fault to find.
(Re
st, hear'.) Many of the most distinguished men in the
B;ll°n:tent of the Crown have been takenfrom the Indian
but-`" ce• It would be invidious for me to mention names,
f names there are in abundance ; and it is a remarkable that
ha+ in the government of India, as stated by Mr. Mill,
it 18 carried on chiefly by what are called the middle
elanes, as distinguished from the aristocracy. Mr. Mill
Vas d b _
thatthe y the committee if he thought it a fitting thing
son of a horsedealer should be sent out to India ;
t— he verY properly answered, that if he were fitted to
a.he situation he did not see why he should not go as well
anY body else. The Earl of Ellenborough stated his
wish th t
t 3 a greater number of the aristocracy should be in-
rocluced into the Indian service, I see no objection to that
proposition, not the least; but they must be introduced.
talnto it by merit, and not by patronage. (Hear.) With re-
rd' then to appointments to Haileybury, we propose al-
, gether to do away with nomination—that no person
84°ald bciqdraitted by favour or nomination to the civil
aaaervice of India. We propose that, under such regulations
ma of
be framed by the Board of Control, subject to
AnaPProval of Parliament, the admission to Haileybury
i,-11 be thrown open to unlimited competition. If the
riristocracy are able by those means to introduce them-
ves to the Indian service I shall be exceedingly glad.
If the son of a horsedealer can introduce himself in that
ttclue shall be exceedingly glad. But there is to be no
(pr,Piion and no favour, Merit, and merit alone, is to
le test of introduction to the civil service of India.
hear, hear.) We propose to take a similar
army' with regard to the scientific branch of the Indian
‘,,nlY. That is to say, that the admission to the
tTo(44ege of A.ddiscombe shall in like manner be thrown open
I;.°°lnpetition. The same course we propose to take, also,
T;th regard to the appointment of assistant-surgeons.
„4.uOse are the three branches, civil and military, whic a scientific character. Various modes have beensug-
gested in which this rule for admission should be framed,
11ed some have proposed that a certain number of admis-
",ll,B should be reserved for competition among the sons of
(121,411 officers. Ido not wish to bind myself as to the
shag of this plan, but what I mean is, that admission
_ •be br open competition, and not by favour or nom!-
eroatoo.
Hear, hear.) This is, I admit, a great experi-
,,,,ent, and by many able persons doubts have been ex-
*B,ol,!°d whether lit will succeed. This, at least, will be
-"red—the experiment will be tried in the face of
be to
~301,tise and of the country, in whose power it w4lb_u,t
believe
-pritif it should be found to fail. For myself, I fully
telan that it will succeed. (Hear, hear.) There any
y Matters of qualification, no doubt, which cannot be
Nevertheless,
by any examination, however spvere
othhosed qualifications which we desire More often than
iie_erivise accompany intellectual acquirements. (Hear,
ujr.) We shall
othershve at least as go d a chance as we have
ith intellectual supe-
liow of these qualifications,
lecllt7; and I believe we shall find that by that intel-
'as "'al superiority which we by these means secure, w.e
Zall rise Still hi her and obtain for the benefit of India
a service as the world has never yet seen. (Hear,
co4,ri.) At any rate a field may be opened to the
.public
"48 Fount/7- which never has been open to merit and
..,I'Vetition. (Hear, hear.) With regard to what are
'Vled the direct appointments to the army, I do not think
'at they are fit subjects for competition. Many qualities
~,Late require(' in a soldier beyond that of book learning.
'''"eY will be subject to examinations of the same nature
as those required of officers in the British army, which are
Its high as those of any continental armies, and these ap-
natinents will continue in the hands of the directors.
, he other point in which we interfere with the
power of
the directors is that we subject to the approbation of the
Crown their appointment
of the members of the Council
in India. I need not trouble you with any lengthened re-
marks upon the subject of the position of the Governor-
General, because according to the concurrent testimony
of all the witnesses there is not much change re-
quired in that. Lord Dalhousie is of opinion that
no change is necessary. (Hear.) The questions that
rose between him and the Council have been settled by
the law officers and the direction at home and it seems
nits unnecessary to make any change in his position.
;r"Lae only change which we propose to make is this. It
ears from the whole of the evidence, that, intrusted as
of with the Government of India and the Government
I..,_"`.engal, he has more duties to attend to than he can
of ,13r discharge. We propose, therefore, to relieve him
administration of the province of Bengal. (Hear,
brr). But we do not propose that any change should be
u,17,0 the general control which he exercises over the
41ia'°1° of the Indian Government. Complaints have been
° hey some in Bengal of the unnecessary expenditure
cite eh they say is imposed upon them by the Governor-
faaltrral• But this does not appear to be borne out by the
434,_ It seems that the greatest expenditure was in the
kaltweatern provinces, the next in Madras, the next in
that "a 3",, and the least of all in Bengal. I do not think
kavathis is a matter in any way a legislation, but a
the rj of discretion. Another point has been raised as to
etttl,".sence of the Governor-General from Calcutta with-
disci4lB Connell. That, again, I think, is a matter for
it • lion and not for legislation. There are cases where
desirableeal~ that the Governor-General should leave
Dearta• Lord Hardinge, for example, went up with
clearly forlhe benefit of India • and when Lord
ef wenkup to Bengal it was clearly for the interest
took la that he should be there and not at Calcutta. Ho
:with rani
the Powers that were necessary. for him
herb, ad 1 •
metalll eft with his council the superintendence of the
p , affairs of India. No doubt it was desirable that the
isibl:r:Oeneral should be as much at Calcutta as pos.
?ft to 41,, ia a matter, as I before said, which must be
401. 141.1 discretion of the Governor-General and council,
40t 41:'Led regulations could be laid down which might
loco,ataihdeeiraleebtieboth the Governor-General and the empire to
Fable
(Hear, hear.) With regard
"wit the etecutive council, we propose no change except
to.,rgo,stiMernbers shall be named by the Court of Direc-
th4l, are now with the approbation of the Crown ;
.0111;taeic Ltp fourth ordinary member, or the " legislative
Jtosets,, Thc'e"....,as,he is
.called, shall sit and vote upon all sub.
'lit of ~.unnence is uniformly in favour of the establish-
°trot
ul preatildeutenant-Governor in Bengal. The_ interests
iuebeY are stated in many cases to have suffered
tilth:%vllll.lo°l.f.cre, and as it will be desirable to relieve
Vadvao,Th. General of this office, and will clearly be to
nid 1)a t:kabe of the province, we propose that power
4e2 Prop, "'Lento appoint a Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal,
d" to appointse to Continue the Lieutenant-Governor in Agra,
1111.
- a new presidency the district on the In-
-4kllfitiveQueolviee_ve that this is all Inn eed say about the Baxs-
ta tea it hati I-inn:mut of India, except that the evidenpe,
Is4,Lace tau en taken, is, that it would not be desirable
Ary,e,?nuoi,,,Yes in the council. Now, with respect to the
-teal aPpointed in 1833, I have stated that no
ewer result followed from their labours, and that
thi,e,eat defects in the law of India as it now stands.
_ it
11 defects
desirable that the mass of reports and
nnellillissiioTe shects which remain of the labours of that
• th. • (Hear be be into a shape to be practically
Dart count ri bear.) We have the advantage of having.
111 k, 111 thatrY three or four gentlemen who took an active
the trot°, ttcommission ; and we propose, in the first
volq„llglish irse gentlemen and two or three members of
"‘ee ar, with other gentle.men who have kindly
L red their •
three, , services, to appoint a temporary cora-
grati yea,;°,l49urs shall be limited to two, or at most
c'earti,,ta which digest and put into shape the reports andf
Deare''• Then, nave emanated from that commissio.n,
.0
444 propose to invest them with any legislative
ttiltlee I...feeV,rt.plegislation of India must take place in India,
Nvitile alive Coosan We propose to improve and to enlarge
6aes aren9l. (Hear, hear.) Upon that point
7-'eh of ielatlve 11Palimous. We propose to constitute a
4-!ieot the pr 11!acil in this manner :—The Governor of
eakit..e,oesidencies, or the Lieutenant-Governors of
it,hitP7viee tovfennae'rshiPs, will select one member of the
14%-gat 118tice of-rra Part of the Legislative Council. The
I'verett°4tt' Queen's Court, and one other judge of
Li3e1144:-.etteraaals.:? be members of the Council. The
in nitheerinlivrlll have the power of
.selecting two
bee nae/ohe 'lately from the civil service. There. will
to ~use of .11, who we think will be sufficient for
arose Re i • c'lslat'
ia his evi'd lon It was stated by Lord Ellen-
o cneousceinet, once that great inconvenience frequently
nr'm sad "ell at ce of there being no member of the Legis-
,,eoce
,_.eusto,,_ol_cutta who knew anything of the. man-
iTle 04411 be rme'naor other parts of India. This inconve-
teck, Inetair'sldette:ved• h 3, the selection of members from
laf' a will ars shall and although it is not proposed that
orkmi be this f nave seats in the Executive Council,
otecnti,oft to the I,*ther advantage, that they will supply
t, the _ eapacit: ,10vernor-General and his council in their
ci,irEientry frxo..l, all hatters connected with those parts
lase via
Will Zbich they come. The members of
gat' l 4 whioh*itb the _ring with them that intimate ac-
r,o4,en. ao ,e,Za_l?lers and customs of the people
.of
nre' c'ts woulc? r'e towards promoting sound legis-
tropjc,b, education
fro be the advantage of three per-
ptot,lB.ce wets: I hope in England, and two of the su-
Lhoroubfeou.troPeoro osit. the result of this will be to in-
ve.cl ',Pint of legislation with which it is
vertro'l F43'ng from this country to India will be
o r.q, eq. w,
th,!'le w'oerai Pro Pose, however to give the
.141131.0° to „sot, eto on their legislation ,(Hear, hear.)
D,J attic, elneut anotheron
of great importance I na(?an
, °Pos th. Which we propose in the administration
th courta of the differe residencies We
to Re of e first
Nvh. h ethicat. Place a
1„,. le 4., considerable change in the
the stime tciaileybry, and in the examinations
mulineSt Presen_ tilithaearerei subjected before they proceed to
11 the ovutaujoalia:f ethxesmstudent to liaileyburY ;