The Sun.
London, England, 1851-06-03 00:00:00

JUNE B.

public works in- that country with more -vigour and
e atneetness than hitherto had characterised the admi-
nistration of India. The Noble Lord concluded with
moving ter papers connected with the cunstruction'of
works in India.
Lord BROUGHTON agreed with almost every word
that had fallen from the Noble Lord as to the impor-
tance of this question, and he thought the Noble Lord
had pursued the course which was best calculated to
produce the result he had in view. He had only done
justice to the East India Company when he referred to
their intentions in this matter, though he (Lord Brough-
ton) was not prepared to say that on the whole more at-
tention might not have been paid by Indian Govern-
ments to the construction of public works. The Noble
Lord had stated truly that during the course of many
years, especially from 1837 to 1846, the East India Com-
pany was engaged in the most expensive wars, and that
therefore it was impossible for them with the same
earnestness to carry into effect any great works. But
even during those nine years of war the Government
of India bad dune very great things in that direction,
for he found a considerable sum annually expended
on public works. The Noble Lord had referred to
several works in progress and he would now State
more in detail the expenditure incurred in some of
those undertakings. On the Western Jungle
Canal, 425 miles in length, a sum of 352,000/.
teal been expended ; the Eastern Jungle Canal. 160
miles, 194,0001.. and a canal in the Bengal Presi-
dency cost 552,0001. The Ganges Canal, 442 miles, with
a branch in addition, was calculated, when completed,
to cost 500,0001 In the Madras territory there were
works also in progress. The Tanjore Canal would cost
30,000/. In Sinde there had also been an outlay, though
not vary large; and in the Punjaub the present Governor-
General had devoted 50 0001. a-year to the construction
of canals. Besides these works, which were of very
great importance, there had been the trigonemetrical
survey, costing 341,000/. As to the finances, the last
balance-sheet presented to Parliament in February gave
a rather better account of the state of Indian affairs than
the Noble Lord seemed to suppose. The sketch esti-
mate for 1849-50 showed instead of a deficiency a surplus
of 70 0001, [Lord ELLENBOROUGH here made a remark
across the table.] He was quite aware that this was only
what was called " a sketch estimate," and he would not
say that at the end of the ye tr the result was equal to
what the estimate held out; but, at any rate, the finan-
cial prospect was much more favourable than last year
they had any reason to expect. He had not only no ob-
j. coon to give the Noble Lord the papers he bad moved
for, but would do so with great pleasure. In conclusion,
he would say that it signified little what bad been done
in times past, it they bad the assurance that more would
be done in future; and he concurred entirely in the hope
expressed by his Noble Friend, that no more wars would
occur to interfere with those measures that were neces-
sary fur the improvement of India, and the development
of her resources.—(Hear.)
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH expressed his gra-
tification that the NoWe Lord who had brought forward
the motion, and who at an early period of life had given
his attention to the affairs of India, should still take an
interest in those affairs. If in this country it was essen-
tial to draw water off the land, it was essential in the
East to bring the water on the land for the production of
any crop. In England drainage might improve the soil,
but in the East that result was to be sought by means of
irrigation. He had never seen greater cause for encou-
ragement than the statements of Lieutenant-Colonel
Dickson with respect to the works constructed under the
direction of that gallant officer. He had been informed,
however, of the prejudicial effect which the Delhi Canal
(as we understood) exercised on the health of the
inhabitants residing in the neighbourhood. Coming in
contact with the chiefs, be had asked them what
was the effect of that canal on revenue and on
health, and, is answer, he had learned that while they
acknowledged a great improvement in the revenue, they
greatly deprecated its influence on the health of the
ajoining districts. He must be permitted to express
the apprehensions he entertained with respect to the
Gauges Canal, if it were to be executed in the way
proposed; and he wished to call attention to the ex-
tremely perilous character of the undertaking in at-
tempting to draw water from the Ganges at the point
intended. But there was another matter on which he
bed also insisted, namely, that it should first be a canal
of navigation, and whatever surplus water there was
might be used for irrigation. He was satisfied that in
all cases where the formation of the country was such
as to render it possible to have tanks, it was better and
cheaper and more convenient to have a mode of irriga-
tion by them than by canals. Of late years there had
been great improvements made in the roads of India,
but such improvements went on slowly; the persons
who superintended their construction were engineer
officers, who were not only liable to have their attention
occasionally taken off that employment, but among
whom there might be expected to exist such varieties
of industry and ability as would account for the
different progress made in the execution of works,
It would be with great satisfaction that the Nobl-
Lord at the head of the Board of Control would
hear the hope expressed of something like a surplus in
India. He (Lord Ellenborough) had at one time gone
carefully over the accennts, but he did not see his way
to a surplus, though the state of matters was very much
better than when he arrived in India. With respect to
railways, he would much rather that the Government of
India should, if it approved of their formation, dispense
altogether with the aid of speculators, and take the mat-
ter into its oen hands. Tu that Government the estab-
lishment of railways must be a great benefit, as affording
facilities, not only for moving troops, but fur bringing
raw produce to the sea. It a railroad could be formed
from Bombay to the cotton districts, and measures were
taken by the Gov rnment for the improvement of cotton
in India. much would be done to se cure the attainment
of one of the greatest objects this country could have in
view as connected with India; namely, independence of
America for a supply; but that cotton would not be
found in the British territory; it was to be found rather
in the territory of allied powers. Cotton gas to this
country as food; and they could as little bear to have
he introduction of cotton interrupted as of food. He
had examined the subject on the spot; he had considered
it deeply; he had sent home the result of his inquiries.
Let the Noble Lord read the answer, and he could not
wonder that he (Lord Ellenborough) felt disgust that
the efforts of a public servant should have been not only
met by captious objections, but by a sneer against him
fir those very efforts.
The Earl of HARRO W BY deprecated what he thought
the pitiful expenditure for the benefit of 100 000,000 of
British subjects in the East. There seemed to have
been from the beginning a radical defect in the Indian
Administration: it was the primary duty of a paternal
Government to provide for the formation of roads and
the extension of irrigation; and he contrasted the con-
duct of the Ms,homedan conquerors, who had reckoned
it a first duty to attend to these matters, with that of
their European successors.
The motion was then agreed to.
The LORD CHANCELLOR presented a Bill relating
to the regulation of charities, and de'cribed it as being
grounded on a report which would be laid on the table
to-morrow, and which would go to show the absolute
necessity of some Bill of the kind.
The Bill was re ad a first time.
" CLEOPATRA'S NEEDLE."
The Marquis of WESTMEATH wished to inquire
what steps had been taken for obtaining possession ot,
or for removing, the obelisk called " Cleopatra's
Needle," in consequence of the gift made to George
IV. by the late Pasha of Egypt in 1320?
Tne Noble Marquis adverted to the proposal made
for its removal to this country at the end of
the campaign of 1801. The opinion of the late Sir
Robert Peel expressed to himself was that it was
a monument which ought to be brought to Lon-
don and erected as a memorial of Sir Ralph Abercromby
and others who had fought and died in Egypt. The
late Sir G. Murray also stated that he joined with all
his military and naval friends, who desired that the
obelisk should be brought to this country. Some ob
loquy had been thrown on the condition of this monu-
ment, under the impression that it was not of adequate
vela@ to compensate for the trouble and expense of re-
moval. Perhaps the intrinsic value might nut be much,
but, as a monument and as a trophy, it bad a value pe-
culiarly its own. The sculptures, he understood, were
in comparatively good preservation. lie had called at-
tention to the subject solely at the request of several
military and naval officers.
The Earl of CARLISLE aknowledgt d the importance
which attached to the obelisk, not merely as a memorial
of the ancieut art of Egypt, but also as a monument of
British heroism. He had consulted with his Noble
Friend the First Lord of the Treasury, and inquiries
had been made on the subject. There were, he appre-
hended, some mechanical difficulties, and all he could
say was that the matter was still under consideration.
The Bridges (Ireland) Bill was recd a first time, and
their Lordships adjuurned et a Quarter to Eight o'clock,

HOUSE OF COMMONS. June 2.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
The ametAtments to the South Wales RAilway (No. 1)
Bill were considered and agreed to,
THIRD READING
adS.
The following Bills were then re a third time and
pas

INCOME TAX.
Mr. HITME nominated the Select Committee to in-
quire into the subject of the income-tax, consisting of
the following gentlemen:—Mr. Hume, the Chancellor
of the Exchequer, Mr. Horensan, Mr. Herries, Mr.
Lebouchere, Lord Harry Vane, Mr. Disraeli, Mr.
Thomas Baring, Mr, Henley, Mr. Cobden, Mr.
Frederick peel, Mr. Roebuck, Mr. Ricardo, Mr.
Vesey, and Mr. Beckett Denison. The course
he thought which would have to be pursue d
by this Committee in their labours would be, to as-
certain the workings of the tax in all its ways, and
to see whether any mode couldbe
adopted' to
render it more fair and equal, and as little as
possible oppressive to the industry e f the people. He
looked forward to the present inquiry to render
the tax a means of maintaining one uniform system
of charges in the country, without this necessity
of more extraordinary charges, which they had
witnessed of late years, and which he contended, even if
they were for the better, yet at first produced has evils.
His earnest wish was to retain a permanent system.
Mr. HERRIES said when he had voted for the
motion of the Hon. Member opposite to limit the tax fur
one year, he certainly did not mean his vote to involve
au assent to the present inquiry, acid more especially
when he now perceived that the intention with
which the Honourable Member went into it etas
not to abolish the tax but to mend it, cer-
tainly, if he could ; at all events, to make
it permanent. That principle he differed from
altogether. There was also another point on which he
differed from the Hon. Member, and that was that the
chief grievance of the tax was in schedule E. In his
opinion it wasachedule D which w as most faulty and unjust.
The Hon. Gentleman had adverted to Mr. Pitt, but he
had forgotten that there, was a wide difference between
the circumstances of 1798 and those of the present
time. The tax might have been expedient then, but
it was totally uncalled for now. To show the
injustice of the tax he might mention an instance of ine-
quality which had come under his own observation. A
certain maeufacturer had returned his profits at 70,0004
a year; but the local commissioners were di.satisfi d
wish that return, and in order to avoid a full investiga-
tion into the wbole of his private affairs he was obhged
to pay the tax upon 180,0001. But that was only one
instance of its injustice.—(Hear, hear.) Now, with
regard to the Committee, be did not think it had
been fairly selected, and he was very much afraid that it
would accomplish no useful end. The tax was full of
inequalities, unjust in its operation, and liable to encou-
rage fraud, and he therefore thought the best thing that
could be done was to abandon the tax altogether.
Colonel SIB MORI' thought the tax in any shape
would be objectionable, and he agreed with the Right
Hon. Gentleman that the prop: bed inquiry could lead to
no good result. He complained that no Member had
been selected to serve on the Committee who
would be likely to represent the interest of the army and
navy. He, for one, thought officers in the army and
navy, who lived upon their pay, ought to be exempted
from the payment of the tax, and he was, on that ac-
count, the more annoyed at the omission referred to.
Mr. V. SMI rH had come down to the House under
the impression that there was nothing else to do but to
nominate the Committee, but it appeared to him now that
the appointment of any Committee at all was an
open queetion. If it wise he. was quite ready to vote
that there should be no Committee, fur he was averse
to shitting any part of the responsibility
which duly belonged to Government on to
the shoulders of a dozen Members of the House. What
would this Committee have to du supposing it was ap-
pointed? At one time it was supposed that the
object of its appointment was the equelisation of the
tax, but now it appear* d the question to be decided
was how far land could be relieved from its operation, and
it that really were so, how could the Committee arrive
at any satisfactory concltelon on that point, when nine
Alembi rs proposed to be nominated would represent
towe ,s and only six counties?—(Hear, hea:.) He hoped
the House would make some alteration in the coustitu
tem of the Committee, it they were. to have any at all.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had un-
derstood that the tax sees to be contihued fur a year,
and, in the meanwhile, a Committee was to be
appointed with a view of rendering it more
equal in its operation before it was rendered
permanent. The discussion which had just taken place
showed the inconvenience which arose from two parties
prolessiug opposite principles uniting to carry
a particular motion, because now it seemed that while
tree side wished to improve the tax with a view of
rendering it permanent, the other wanted to get rid
of the tax eltegether.—(aear, hear.) The Government
could not accede to the latter proposal, and they
had consequently no alternative but to consent to the
appointment of the Committee, and now that such a
motion had beets agreed to, their object ought
to be, so to constitute the Committee that
it should represent every shade of feeling in the House.
The Hon. Gentleman who had named the Committee
appeared to have been actuated by that desire, and
he thought on the whole that the Committee, us
it now stood on the paper, was open to little or
no objection whatever. He, however, thought the sugges-
tion ut the Honourable and Gallant Member for Liuculn
was well worthy of attention, and if any Gentleman
could be placed on the Committee who could
represent the feelings of the army and the navy on the
subject of the iiicuwee tax, it was extremely advisable to
do so —(Hear, hear.)
Mr. FRESHFIELD moved as an amendment that the
order for the appointment of the Committee be read fur
the purpose of being discharged.
Mr. DISRAELI said the Chancell it of the Exche-
quer had referred to an opinion he (Mr. Disraeli) had
expressed the other night, but he had not quote d his
observations quite accurately. What he had stated
was, that in voting for the motion of the Hon. Member
fur Montrose he did not vote ter the Committee, but
that understanding it was the feeling of the Government,
and .hat the sense of the House was in favour of the mo-
tion, he gave his assent to the Committee; and as he had
always objected to subjects of importance being dis-
cussed and (fielded upon false pretence. he had egreed
to vote fur the motion. But the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer misunderstood him when he stated that he bad
agreed with the Hun. Member for Montrose that the
subject at issue was one which ought to be referred to a
Committee. Whet be did say was, this, the Lev was
susceptible of modification in schedule A and in schedule
B; that as it had been modified in schedule A by the
Government, it was not impos.ible but it might be modi-
fied also in schedule B—(Lauehter)—that be had there-
lore, not objected to inquiry, but that he still hoped that
modification would be stlected by her MajeaY6 Minis'
tent. If the Hon. Gentleman, therefore, still wiehed. for a
Committee, though he (Mr. Disraeli) bad no par_tcula r
desire on the point, ho should give him his vote. But he
appealed to the Hon. Member to consider all the circum-
stances by which the question was surrounded. They
were on the eve of the holidays—a month
been lost in the matter; it was not possible, in the pre.
had already
t
bable period that the session wouldlast, o investigate
thoroughly the whole subject, and the Committee would
have to make an incomplete report, or to by re-appointed
again, and again begin their labours in the next session.
Teen the materiels of the Committee were not of that
nature to give satisfection to the House. None of the
authors of the law, for instance, were on it.
Irre-
spective of their high positions, it would be the greatest
some of those
point ot stsfactien, t have
advantage, io
gentlemen who passed the Act of 1842 on the Com-
mittee. There were other Hon. Members also whose
services were not called into ri quiseien, whom it would
be equally satisfactory to see on the Committee. He
( Disraeli) put It to the Hun. Aletnber, therefo,e,
whether—commencieg at the fae-euil of the session, with
a Committee composed of such 'uwaiisfactory materials
—there was any hope of Cowin to a fair conclusion on
the subject of his inquiry ?
Hon. Gentleman would give the emraeftbterre
moreh e t trust
considera-
tionunder the circumstances,
Mr. AGLIONBy protested against what he held to
be a frauduy ti
n motion
lelnoue!e and on the public. He did not
speak of any
in particular, but of the prucei d
ings of that House. The majority had limited the in-
come-tax to One year, and that majority was composed
of those Hon. Gentlemen opposite who were of opinion
that an inquiry might be
cv of making the properly entered into, with the
vie
tax more equal. A large number of
Members, however, would not have supported the motion
for limiting the tax to one year, but, on the contrary,
would have supp,rnd its further continuance tor three
years, only that they believed there would be an inquiry
as to its operation. The motion fur limiting the tax to a
year had been carried on the lot of May, and on the Bth